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    Recipes » Salad Recipes

    Shrimp and Avocado Salad

    Published: Apr 13, 2020 · Modified: Sep 15, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 17 Comments

    PaleoWhole30Pescatarian

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    Jump to Recipe
    shrimp and avocado salad served in white bowls

    There's nothing boring about this Shrimp and Avocado Salad. Tangy-sweet mango plays off of buttery shrimp and avocado while gentle jalapeño heat and a zesty lime vinaigrette liven things up.

    Shrimp and Avocado Salad served in white bowls

    This versatile salad works equally well as a starter or as a light meal on its own. Serve on a bed of tender crisp butter lettuce leaves with a hunk of crusty bread as a main. Or mounded into pretty glass tumblers as an elegant appetizer.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Shrimp and Avocado Salad
    • How to Cook Shrimp for Salad
    • How to Cut a Mango
    • More Salad Options
    • What to Serve with Shrimp and Avocado Salad
    • More Shrimp Recipes to Try
    • Shrimp and Avocado Salad
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Shrimp and Avocado Salad

    Shrimp and Avocado Salad ingredients pictured and labeled
    • Shrimp: Look for firm shrimp that are firm and plump. Avoid those that look slimy or limp and never buy shrimp that smells of ammonia (a sign that they have spoiled).
    • Avocado: You'll want a ripe, but firm avocado for this salad. Look for a plump, black avocado that yields to medium pressure. You don't want it to be mushy or overly soft. Tip: Buy a firm avocado several days ahead if you prefer to ripen it at home. This is a good way to avoid bruised avocados - also true for stone fruits like peaches and nectarines.
    • Mango: Pay more attention to texture than color. A ripe mango will give slightly to gentle pressure.
    • Jalapeño: Look for a bright green, firm jalapeño with no signs of wrinkling or discoloration.
    • Shallot: Look for firm shallots with the skin intact and no green shoots.
    • Butter Lettuce: Butter lettuce leaves should be perky, not droopy or beginning to brown at the edges.
    • Olive Oil: Use a fruity, flavorful extra virgin olive oil.
    • Lime: Look for bright green limes that are heavy for their size and have a strong citrus scent. Avoid those that are yellowish-green as they are likely less ripe.
    • Rice Vinegar: Use unseasoned rice vinegar for this recipe.

    How to Cook Shrimp for Salad

    You'll need cooled, cooked shrimp for this shrimp avocado salad. Poaching peeled, deveined raw shrimp in salted water with lemon wedges is a great way to ensure that they add lots of great flavor (The same method I use for this Shrimp Salad and this Seafood Pasta Salad).

    poaching shrimp

    Shrimp should be poached just until they're cooked through (cook time of 2-3 minutes) and then plunged into an ice bath to stop the cooking. And you don't want to let them hang out too long in the ice water either - just until they're cool. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, pat dry, and they'll be succulent and ready to go.

    How to Cut a Mango

    I'm not much for gadget, but I consider my mango slicer / splitter / corer essential. Some people cut mangos with ease using only a knife, but not me. I always end up making a mess! If you share my malady, then you need a mango splitter. You peel the mango, cut a little slice off the bottom so that you can stand it on end, line up the splitter over the stem and press down. You'll end up with two perfect halves as pictured below.

    mango cut with a splitter

    More Salad Options

    Medium shrimp (ideally wild) tend to have more flavor than large or jumbo shrimp, so I recommend seeking them out. But any size will do, so go with what you like or have available.

    I prefer a subtle onion flavor in this salad recipe, so I've opted for a shallot. But minced red onion is a great alternative if you want a stronger onion flavor. And romaine lettuce stands in well for butter lettuce if you want some extra crunch. For added color and sweetness, toss in a few halved cherry tomatoes as I do at times.

    What to Serve with Shrimp and Avocado Salad

    This salad is hearty enough to stand on it's own, but makes a great appetizer for meaty mains like Pan-Fried Lamb Chops or Carne Asada.

    More Shrimp Recipes to Try

    If you love shrimp, don't miss this Coconut Shrimp (baked not fried!), these Shrimp Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Tacos, Shrimp Piccata, or these Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.

    Shrimp and Avocado Salad served in a white bowl

    Shrimp and Avocado Salad

    Marissa Stevens
    A simple and crowd pleasing salad that can start things off or be the main attraction! Serves 4 as a light main, 6 as an appetizer.
    5 from 6 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 3 mins
    Total Time 23 mins
    Course Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 363 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
    • ½ lemon cut into wedges
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    • 1 large mango
    • 1 jalapeño seeded and minced, (see recipe note #1)
    • 1 small shallot minced
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 lime juiced, about 2 tablespoon
    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • 1 avocado diced
    • ½ head butter lettuce
    • fresh cilantro for garnish, optional

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare ice bath for shrimp.
    • Bring 4 cups water, lemon wedges and kosher salt to boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook uncovered 2 to 3 minutes, until just cooked through. Transfer with slotted spoon to ice bath.
    • When shrimp are cool, lift out of ice bath with slotted spoon. Pat dry and coarsely chop. Reserve.
    • Peel, pit, and dice mango; place in a large bowl. Add jalapeño and shallot; stir to combine.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, and rice vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over mango mixture and toss to coat.
    • Add shrimp and avocado to mango mixture and gently toss to combine.
    • Line 4 shallow bowls with butter lettuce leaves; drizzle with a olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon salad evenly among bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves (if desired) and serve immediately. (see recipe note #2)

    Notes

    1. Please note that handling raw chili peppers that have been cut up can severely irritate your skin. I recommend wearing gloves when handling them.
    2. To serve as an appetizer: tear lettuce leaves and line the bottom of 6 glass tumblers. Mound salad evenly into tumblers. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 363kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 25gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 286mgSodium: 2632mgPotassium: 538mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1341IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 192mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword 4th of July, baby shower, date night, dinner party, Memorial Day
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. sherry says

      April 28, 2020 at 8:46 pm

      this looks delish! if only hubby ate prawns...

      Reply
    2. Valentina says

      April 17, 2020 at 8:14 am

      5 stars
      Beautiful salad, Marissa! For me, mango + avocado are one of those magical food combinations, and when you add the shrimp . . . oh my! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 17, 2020 at 2:00 pm

        aww, thank you, Valentina! It really is such a tasty combo!

        Reply
    3. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      April 15, 2020 at 6:37 am

      5 stars
      I'm loving the entire ingredient list Marissa! Perfect for spring and summer. Pinned and can't wait to try!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 15, 2020 at 12:51 pm

        Love to hear that, Mary Ann! Thanks so much.

        Reply
    4. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

      April 14, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      5 stars
      Marissa, I LOVE shrimp! I don't know why I haven't thought to put it in salads more often. This looks so fresh and delicious, exactly what I need for spring and after all of that Easter indulging!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 15, 2020 at 12:51 pm

        I hear ya! Definitely time for some light meals. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      April 14, 2020 at 11:17 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely adore this combo! So fresh, so tasty and just ultra satisfying! Love it, Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 15, 2020 at 12:51 pm

        Thank you, Dawn!

        Reply
    6. Leanne says

      April 14, 2020 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      I really love mango and avocado together, and when you add shrimp with fresh greens, the entire meal just speaks to me! Wishing I had the ingredients to make this one tonight. I'm craving all the salads lately!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 15, 2020 at 12:52 pm

        Me too! I'm a little burned out on heavy comfort foods (thought I love them), definitely craving salads.

        Reply
    7. Chef Mimi says

      April 14, 2020 at 5:51 am

      I love how delicate all of these salad ingredients are. Shrimp, lemon, avocado, butter lettuce - all favorites and wonderful together.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 15, 2020 at 12:53 pm

        Thank you so much, Mimi!

        Reply
    8. David @ Spiced says

      April 14, 2020 at 3:32 am

      5 stars
      I love the combination of flavors in this one, Marissa! And textures, too. What's funny is I was just thinking about picking up some shrimp at the store. I was gonna grill it up, but now I'm thinking this salad might be a good use, too. Sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 15, 2020 at 12:53 pm

        Perfect! I hope you'll give this a try, David!

        Reply
    9. angiesrecipes says

      April 13, 2020 at 11:37 am

      Definitely a great combo of flavours! I always love to pair mango with avocado and shrimp is one of my favourite seafood. This is a perfect salad for me.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        April 15, 2020 at 12:53 pm

        That makes me happy, Angie. Thank you!

        Reply

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