Shrimp Salad
Updated July 21, 2025

- Total Time
- 15 minutes, plus 2 hours’ optional chilling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 5 minutes, plus 2 hours’ optional chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1large lemon
- 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, such as Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, divided
- 1pound large peeled and deveined shrimp
- ⅔cup mayonnaise
- ½cup finely chopped shallots
- ½cup finely chopped celery
- 1heaping teaspoon chopped dill
- ½teaspoon black pepper
- Salad greens, crackers or a combination, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. In a separate large bowl, make an ice bath. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl, reserving the squeezed-out lemon halves. (You should have about 3 tablespoons juice.)
- Step 2
To the pot of boiling water, stir in the squeezed-out lemon halves, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning, and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and add the shrimp to the pot. Let the shrimp cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until they turn opaque and curl slightly.
- Step 3
Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer shrimp from the pot to the ice bath. Once the shrimp are cool enough to handle, pat dry with paper towels. Roughly chop and set aside.
- Step 4
In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, shallots, celery, dill, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning and the black pepper. Add shrimp and mix until well coated; taste for seasonings. Enjoy right away or refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days). Serve with salad greens, crackers or both.
Private Notes
Comments
The CIA-trained chefs at Simply Good in Birmingham, Michigan taught us to cool poached shrimp in their poaching liquid — why wash away all the flavor in ice water? I transfer the shrimp and some of the liquid into a stainless steel bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and water. Cools quickly!
Unless you’re absolutely sure it’s fresh, you’re better off buying shrimp frozen. Most “fresh” shrimp has already been frozen and thawed, which increases the risk of spoilage or off flavors. Keep a bag in your freezer and thaw it in water when you’re ready to cook- it takes less than 10 minutes.
I added avocado and served it on lettuce surrounded by fresh peach slices. It was delectable. I had to use dried dill, which blended in with the dressing adequately, though fresh would have been much better. I also substituted green onions for the shallots. The shrimp had a perfect texture and lovely flavor. Fit for a queen.
I am usually a Hellmans Mayo cook, but I thought the mayo flavor was too much! Maybe I will try Duke’s for the next batch. Does anyone have a mayo suggestion they have lived with this?
Old Bay seasoning can be so spicy it overpowers delicate seafood like shrimp. Instead use cocktail sauce. It has a similar flavor and is much milder.
I am thinking about this shrimp approach with some cream cheese to make a tea sandwich that would hold up cut as finger sandwiches,
