Mexican Shrimp Salad is fresh, vibrant, and bursting with the flavor of perfectly seasoned shrimp, corn, tomatoes, jalapeños, avocado, and drizzled with a Mexican vinaigrette dressing and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds!
Whether you serve it as a summer lunch or weeknight dinner, this delicious seafood salad has become one of our favorite Mexican Seafood Dishes and summer Salad Recipes.
When summer comes I love to make green salads with fresh summer produce like corn and tomatoes.
After experimenting with various salad combinations, this Mexican Shrimp Salad because a frequent go-to summer recipe, like my Mexican Shrimp Cocktail!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor – This salad is bursting with flavor from the shrimp, corn, tomatoes and avocado covered in a spicy Mexican Vinaigrette.
- Texture – Crisp lettuce with crunchy pumpkin seeds and creamy avocado give this salad delightfully contrasting textures.
- Fresh Summer Produce – If you have fresh corn and tomatoes, this shrimp salad is a great way to use up that summer produce.
- Easy To Make – Since there is no cooking involved with this recipe, it is easy to throw together this delicious salad.
Why This Mexican Shrimp Salad Recipe Works
- Fresh Ingredients. This recipe combines fresh summer ingredients, like tomatoes and corn, with a light, spicy Mexican Vinaigrette for fabulous flavor.
- No Cooking. With no cooking involved and fresh summer ingredients, it is very difficult to mess up this recipe.
- Versatility. This recipe is very versatile and easy to customize to your personal taste. If you want to add or subtract or change up the vinaigrette, it is easy to do that.
- Step By Step Instructions. This recipe includes step-by-step instructions with photos to make it easy to follow and to help ensure the success of this recipe.
How to Make Mexican Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
Shrimp Salad Ingredients
- Bib lettuce – I chose to use Bib lettuce. However, you can choose whichever, fresh lettuce you like.
- Shrimp – The shrimp already needs to be cooked before adding to the salad. This recipe assumes that you are starting with cooked shrimp. If you use frozen pre-cooked shrimp, be sure that it has thawed completely before adding to the salad. If your shrimp is not already cooked, you can cook the shrimp in a skillet with a little oil with either my Fajita Seasoning or Blackened Cajun Seasoning.
- Corn on the cob – Cooked fresh, sweet corn will deliver the best results. However, if corn on the cob is unavailable, it is ok to use canned corn or thawed frozen corn. The corn should stay nice and crispy. If the corn is overcooked, it won’t make a good salad.
- Roma tomatoes – I used Roma tomatoes, however, you can use whichever type of tomatoes you like. Fresh is best. I do not recommend canned tomatoes for this recipe.
- Red onion – this adds nice color to the salad, but you can use any onion you want, or omit the onions altogether if you prefer.
- Avocado – Fresh avocado adds a wonderful taste and texture to the salad.
- Jalapeno – Jalapeno is optional. If you don’t like spicy heat, then leave it out. If you like very spicy, add as many jalapenos as you like. I added just one. If you like extra spicy and like to live dangerously, you can substitute a habanero pepper.
- Cilantro – Cilantro is optional. If you love it, use it. If you hate it, leave it out.
- Salt and pepper – Add salt and pepper to taste. I recommended adding this after you have poured the dressing on it.
- Pumpkin seeds – I used toasted pumpkin seeds. However, you could use sunflower seeds.
Mexican Vinaigrette Ingredients
- Limes – These add a lot of flavor to the dressing, and they help prevent the avocados from turning brown.
- Olive oil – you can use avocado oil instead of olive oil if you prefer.
- Paprika – I prefer Smoked Paprika but you could use regular paprika.
- Chili powder or Tajin – Tajin is a Mexican spice often used on fruits, vegetables, and even meat.
Directions
Below are the high-level steps required to make this recipe, and they tie to the photos below. For the full, detailed step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card.
- Cook the Corn on the cob, or used drained canned corn, or thawed frozen corn.
- Remove the kernels of corn from the cob and spread the lettuce on a plate.
- Add some the peeled and deveined cooked shrimp on top of the lettuce, if you like; or in a bowl, combine the corn, shrimp, tomatoes, onions, avocado, jalapeno, and cilantro. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, paprika, and chili powder or tajin, and pour over the corn and shrimp mixture in the bowl.
- Add the shrimp, corn, tomatoes, onions avocado, and cilantro over the lettuce.
Recipe Tips
- Fresh Ingredients. The freshest ingredients make the best salad. However, if corn on the cob is not available, canned corn or frozen corn that has been thawed will work as well.
- Shrimp Quality. With Shrimp, I make an exception to the freshness above. Unless you can meet the shrimpers right when they come off the boat, I recommend buying frozen shrimp rather than fresh. Frozen shrimp is more likely to have been frozen while it is fresh. When buying fresh shrimp at a store, you don’t know how fresh that shrimp is, or how long it has been sitting out.
- Thawed Shrimp. Make sure that the cooked shrimp has been completely thawed if it is still frozen. For a quick that, you can place the shrimp in a colander and run COLD water over it for a couple of minutes. Do NOT run hot water because that will likely cook the shrimp.
- Keeping Avocado Fresh. To prevent avocados from turning brown, squeeze some lemon or lime juice over them, and they will stay green.
What To Serve With Mexican Shrimp Salad
This Mexican Shrimp Salad is an entree salad, which means that it is a meal in itself. However, it is delicious when served with a glass of cold and refreshing iced tea, or lemonade, like Berry Basil Lemonade. You may also pair it with these other recipes:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. You can make the salad and vinaigrette a couple of hours ahead of time and cover and refrigerate the salad, without the vinaigrette, until you are ready to serve it. The vinaigrette does not require refrigeration.
I recommend storing the salad and the vinaigrette separately, if possible. Place the salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 5 days. Salad can get wilted the longer it sits.
Yes. Technically you can freeze it but I don’t recommend it. Salad is best when freshly made.
Either reduce or eliminate the jalapeños and reduce the amount of chile powder or tajin in the vinaigrette.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Cajun Shrimp and Sausage
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- Mango Habanero Shrimp Flatbread
- Tiajuana Shrimp Dip Nachos
- Broccoli Salad
- Blueberry Gorgonzola Farmers Salad
- Spinach Strawberry Champagne Salad
- Apple Walnut Cranberry Salad
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Recipe
Mexican Shrimp Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Shrimp Salad
- 3 each corn on the cob
- 1 pound cooked shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 head bib lettuce
- 3 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 jalapeno, sliced thinly
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, minced (divided)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Mexican Vinaigrette Dressing
- 3 limes, juiced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or tajin)
Instructions
Shrimp Salad
- In a large pan, boil some water and add a little salt. When the water is boiling, add the corn and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Corn will change to a bit brighter yellow. Remove and cool for a few minutes. Use a sharp knife and cut the corn off the cob.
- Place the lettuce on a plate. In a bowl combine the corn, shrimp, tomatoes, onions, avocado, jalapeno, and cilantro. Spoon over the lettuce.
- In a small bowl combine the lime juice, olive oil, paprika, and chili powder. Pour over the salad. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds over the salad and enjoy!
Mexican Vinaigrette Dressing
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice from the 3 limes, paprika, and chili powder or tajin.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad.
Notes
- Fresh Ingredients. The freshest ingredients make the best salad. However, if corn on the cob is not available, canned corn or frozen corn that has been thawed will work as well.
- Shrimp Quality. With Shrimp, I make an exception to the freshness above. Unless you can meet the shrimpers right when they come off the boat, I recommend buying frozen shrimp rather than fresh. Frozen shrimp is more likely to have been frozen while it is fresh. When buying fresh shrimp at a store, you don’t know how fresh that shrimp is, or how long it has been sitting out.
- Thawed Shrimp. Make sure that the cooked shrimp has been completely thawed if it is still frozen. For a quick that, you can place the shrimp in a colander and run COLD water over it for a couple of minutes. Do NOT run hot water because that will likely cook the shrimp.
- Keeping Avocado Fresh. To prevent avocados from turning brown, squeeze some lemon or lime juice over it, and it will stay green.
Lori says
This salad was a hit! Fresh ingredients and thawed Trader Joe’s shrimp made a delicious meal. My husband is diabetic, so the low carbs made it a perfect meal. And it was quick and easy for me! Didn’t add the pumpkin seeds but topped it with low carb tortilla strips. Yum!