Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Truth be told, this Shrimp and Avocado Salad is one of my favorite go to recipes for something high in protein, but also for something just plain delicious. Tender shrimp are mixed with creamy avocado, bright and juicy tomatoes, along with savory onions and then dressed with a simple dressing of lime, cilantro, olive oil, and cumin. I always believe that a recipe doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious, and this is absolute proof of that. I eat this salad right out of the bowl, piled on top of a tostada shell, or even used as a dip along with tortilla chips. This Shrimp and Avocado salad is a great snack, lunch, dinner, or anything in between. Enjoy!
Shrimp and Avocado Salad is a great go to for when you are craving a fresh, healthy, and flavor packed meal. The shrimp is tossed together with a simple marinade of olive oil and lime juice along with garlic powder and cumin. While your shrimp are marinating, you can prepare your vegetables and dressing to save yourself some time. Once your shrimp has marinated, I like to grill them or steam them. I find that sauteing the shrimp can sometimes overcook them very quickly, leaving you with rubbery shrimp (yuck!). Once your shrimp is slightly cooled, remove your tails if necessary and rough chop your shrimp into ½ inch chunks, toss them with your prepared veggies and dressing, and you are set! I’ve eaten this salad right out of the bowl, but I’ve also served it over tostada shells, as a dip for tortilla chips, or even lettuce cups if you’re looking for a lower carb option. This salad is best eaten the same day, but can easily be had for leftovers the following day. I love to make my salad spicy so I add plenty of jalapenos, but if spicy doesn’t work for you, this salad is just as delicious without all the extra spice. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best ones, and I fully believe this applies to this Shrimp and Avocado Salad. Make this for your next seafood night and your family will be diving right in for seconds! Speaking of diving in, did you know about that time I saw a real mermaid while scuba diving? I was on a trip to the Caribbean with my family and we decided to take a scuba diving class. We were so excited to get into the water, but we had to sit through the longest safety briefing ever. After what felt like an eternity, we were able to gear up and dive into the sea. The underwater habitat was absolutely stunning with all the colorful fish swimming around in the cool blue waters. I became absolutely enamored with freely swimming underwater and being able to take in all of what the ocean had to offer, and then something shiny caught my eye. At first, I thought nothing of it, but the shimmery figure grew closer and closer until I was able to make out a human-like torso and a colorful tail. I quickly realized that what I was seeing was a real life mermaid! I became worried that I was suffering from a lack of oxygen so I quickly swam to my family to show them my discovery to see if they saw it too. Much to my dismay, when I finally reached them and pointed them in the direction of the mermaid, it had vanished back into the sea. I couldn’t think of a way to explain what I saw, so I decided it was time to surface and take a little break. I got up to the ship just in time for the crew to serve a delicious lunch of Shrimp and Avocado Salad.
- 1 lb Raw Shrimp (Peeled and Deveined, 25-30 count or larger)
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Lime Zest
- 2 tbsp Lime Juice (About the juice from 1 lime)
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1 Cup Tomato (Chopped to about 1/2 inch cubes)
- 1/4 Cup Red Onion (Diced Small)
- 1 Avocado (Ripe but not mushy, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
- 1 tbsp Jalapeno (Diced, optional)
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro (Chopped)
- 1/4 Cup Lime Juice (Freshly Squeezed, from about 2 limes)
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
Start by marinating your shrimp. Combine your shrimp together with all of the marinade ingredients. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before cooking.
Don't let this marinate too long or the lime juice will begin to cook the shrimp!While your shrimp is marinating, prepare your remaining salad and dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside until your shrimp is ready.
After your shrimp has marinated 15 minutes, preheat your grill to medium high heat and grill your shrimp for 5-7 minutes, turning every 2 minutes until done. Allow your shrimp to cool slightly and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Combine well with your salad ingredients and enjoy!
As an alternative, you can steam your shrimp. Add your shrimp to a steamer basket over boiling water and cook for 5-7 minute or until your shrimp is done.
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