Old Bay Shrimp Salad Recipe
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This Shrimp Salad is fresh and flavorful, thanks to Greek yogurt, lemon, and Old Bay. Keep it light by serving in lettuce cups, or make it into a sandwich with croissants or rolls.
I adore a shrimp salad, but I am PICKY about it. No tiny rubbery shrimp, not overrun with celery, and definitely not swimming in mayo. So I came up with my own recipe that hits all of the reasons I love this dish with none of the icks. It’s perfect for a light supper or a quick lunch, especially when it’s warm outside.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe for Shrimp Salad
There’s no shortage of shrimp salad recipes out there, but let me tell you why I love mine:
- Juicy shrimp: No rubbery shrimp here—poached gently, then chilled in an ice bath for perfect texture every time.
- Bright, flavorful dressing: A mix of mayo, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, garlic, and Old Bay gives this salad a creamy, tangy kick without being heavy.
- Unique crunch: Swap the celery for green bell pepper and red onion
- Quick to make: Done in under 30 minutes!
Easy Shrimp Salad Ingredients
- Shrimp: Choose large shrimp for this recipe—they are so much juicier than small shrimp. I like 26-30 count (per pound) shrimp. Use either fresh shrimp or defrosted frozen shrimp.
- Greek Yogurt and Mayo: I like a 50/50 blend, but you can adjust as you like. Use all Greek yogurt for an even lighter version.
- Old Bay Seasoning: Required for a Marylander like me! Adds great flavor, and makes this truly a Maryland shrimp salad recipe.
- Celery Seed: A totally underrated spice in my opinion. Love the savory, herbal flavor this adds.
- Green Bell Pepper: Brings the crunch, and a mild flavor to the salad. Substitute other bell peppers or swap in celery. You could even add a little heat by adding in some minced jalapeño.
How to Make Shrimp Salad with Old Bay
- Cut 1 green bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and stem, then finely chop the flesh. Peel and finely chop ½ of a medium red onion. Finely grate a garlic clove. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a gentle boil. Add 1 ½ pounds peeled and deveined shrimp. Poach for 2 minutes, until shrimp are bright pink and cooked through.
3. Drain shrimp, then add to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let cool for several minutes, then drain again.
4. Pat dry very well, using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Cut each shrimp into 2-3 bite-sized pieces.
5. In a large bowl, make the dressing by whisking together ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, ½ teaspoon celery seed, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
6. Then stir in the shrimp, green bell pepper, and red onion. Taste, and add more salt, pepper, or celery seed, as needed. Chill until ready to serve.
7. Separate a head of butter lettuce into individual cups. Scoop shrimp salad onto butter lettuce cups. Season with more Old Bay or celery seed, as desired.
Easy Shrimp Salad Variations
Want to get creative with your flavors? Try adding chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped cucumber, diced avocado, sliced green onions, or chopped red bell pepper. You could also add in fresh herbs such as fresh parsley or fresh dill. Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or Dijon mustard for a punchier flavor.
How to Serve Shrimp Salad
Keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve. It makes a lovely warm weather lunch served in lettuce cups, scooped onto a pile of mixed greens or bed of lettuce, or spread in a thin layer on toast for shrimp salad sandwiches. I’m also a big fan of replacing bread with croissants like this Chicken Salad Sandwich and these Croissant Egg Sandwiches. This light and zesty shrimp salad would be make the perfect lunch on a buttery croissant. If you like toast, but are looking for a gluten-free option, try serving it on this homemade gluten-free bread.
Storage Tips
You can store shrimp salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. That said, the dressing can become a little runny. Just give it a stir before you serve, and use a slotted spoon to leave any liquid at the bottom of the container.
Shrimp Salad Recipe FAQs
You can, but the flavor and texture will be better if you poach the shrimp yourself. It only takes a couple of minutes, and you’ll totally avoid that chewy texture you sometimes get with pre-cooked shrimp.
Yes, you can, and preparing the salad a couple of hours in advance helps the flavors melt together nicely. (Chill in the refrigerator during that time.) That said, the dressing loosens over time, so it’s best to serve the salad within a few hours of making it. Wait to scoop onto lettuce cups until just before serving.
Old Bay Seasoning is a beloved Maryland spice blend made with 18 spices including celery salt, paprika, and red pepper. Created over 75 years ago in Baltimore, it’s now made by McCormick and used on everything from steamed crabs to popcorn to Bloody Marys. I use it in lots of my shrimp and crab dishes from my Steamed Shrimp to my Maryland Crab Cakes to my Cold Crab Dip.
Unfortunately, you should not freeze shrimp salad. The shrimp will have a mealy texture when defrosted, and the peppers will become very watery. The mayonnaise/greek yogurt dressing may also separate upon defrosting.
👩🍳 Expert Tips for Maryland style Shrimp Salad
The key to a great shrimp salad is to make sure your shrimp is as dry as possible before folding it into the creamy dressing. Make sure to remove as much liquid as you can after cooling the shrimp in the ice bath.
Other Summer Salad Recipes
There’s nothing better on a warm summer day than a cool salad for lunch. After you’ve tried this creamy shrimp salad, you might want to try one of these summer salads:
If you try this easy Shrimp Salad recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
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Old Bay Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper
- ½ red onion
- 1 ½ pounds large raw shrimp 26-30 count, peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Butter lettuce to serve
Instructions
- Cut bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and stem, then finely chop the flesh.
- Peel and finely chop ½ of a medium red onion.
- Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a gentle boil.
- Add shrimp. Poach for 2 minutes, until shrimp are bright pink and cooked through.
- Drain shrimp, then add to the ice bath. Let cool for several minutes, then drain again. Pat dry very well, using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Cut each shrimp into 2-3 bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, make the dressing by whisking together mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, celery seed, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Then stir in the shrimp, green bell pepper, and red onion.
- Taste, and add more salt, pepper, or celery seed, as needed.
- Chill until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, separate butter lettuce into individual cups.
- Scoop shrimp salad onto butter lettuce cups.
- Season with more Old Bay or celery seed, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this Maryland Shrimp Salad recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
exactly what I was looking for - I've tweaked it a couple diff ways with proportions (same ingredients) and with no mayo (all yogurt and some EVOO) - always comes out good, as written or tweaked - solid basic recipe
So glad to hear that, and yes, it's great for playing around with the ingredients to suit your taste!
I think it's great. I used pre- cooked shrimp, gotm on sale, still very tasty recipe. I used red instead of green pepper, just my personal preference. Now I'm going to serve in lettuce wraps. Thanks for your post, very tasty and definitely recommend
Thanks so much for your comment! So glad you liked this, and love the sub of red pepper in there!