Our Grilled Shrimp Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing is a vibrant and refreshing dish packed with smoky grilled corn, hearty black beans, and creamy avocado. We love using grilled shrimp in all its delicious forms—whether it’s classic grilled shrimp, spicy grilled buffalo shrimp, or sweet and tangy grilled BBQ shrimp—and this salad, bursting with flavor and perfect for any season.
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🍤 The Ingredients
The fresh, vibrant ingredients in this salad come together to create an unforgettable, flavor-packed meal. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below. NOTE: Soy sauce is not shown in the image. It is optional, but we think it adds a nice depth of flavor.
🌿 Substitutions and Variations
- Protein – Shrimp is the star of this salad, but other proteins will work, too. Use the marinade with chicken breasts (or thighs) for a wonderful grilled chicken salad. For a completely vegetarian salad, use the marinade with tofu and then grill it. For the shrimp, we recommend extra-large shrimp, and it’s up to you if you want to leave the tails on or not.
- Veggies – The sky is the limit here. The grilled corn adds an incredible depth of flavor. However, you could also use our roasted corn salsa, which is also amazing. Vary up the vegetables! Cucumbers, radishes, and carrots are wonderful additions.
- Lettuce – We recommend romaine, but green leaf, iceberg, red leaf, or even arugula are all great options.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
The marinade/dressing can be made at least 24 hours in advance. Actually, the flavors will develop even more as they chill in the fridge. However, we don’t recommend marinating the shrimp for more than 1 hour. If you let it go too long, the acid from the lime will begin to “cook” the shrimp and start to break it down. 15 to 20 minutes is perfect!
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Grilled Shrimp Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
- Step 1: Mix the marinade ingredients except for the oil, then whisk in the oil.
- Step 2: Place the shrimp in a baggie and pour half of the marinade over them. Chill for 1 hour.
- Step 3: Grill the corn and then cut the kernels off when cool enough to handle.
- Step 4: Remove the shrimp from the marinade and season them with salt and pepper, then grill until pink.
- Step 5: Mix the vegetables, beans, and avocado. Add lettuce and remaining dressing. Gently toss.
- Step 6: Place on a platter, top with the shrimp, and drizzle on more of the dressing
Expert Tip
For the dressing, place what you didn’t use for the marinade into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Vigorously shake the jar. This will emulsify the oil with the other ingredients. Drizzle a few spoonfuls over the salad. You will probably have some of the dressing leftover. It’s great to have on hand for other uses. It will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
🍽️ How To Serve
- This salad truly makes for a stunning presentation. We love to mound it onto a large platter and let guests serve themselves.
- You can also plate the salad individually and serve the dressing on the side.
- Since it is wonderful served at room temperature, you can make all the components of the salad ahead of time and assemble just before guests arrive!
- If preparing everything ahead of time, be sure to chill each component separately, and then let them come to room temperature 1 to 2 hours before serving. Don’t cut the avocado until the last minute.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Large, peeled, and deveined shrimp work best for grilling as they cook quickly and hold up well on the grill. Leave the tails on or remove them; it’s a matter of taste.
Yes, the dressing can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld.
To prevent sticking, make sure the grill is clean and well-oiled before placing the shrimp on it, and avoid moving them too soon while cooking. You can also use a grill skillet for easy cooking.
The salad is typically mild, but you can easily add spice by increasing red pepper flakes or a spicy seasoning to the shrimp or dressing.
Yes, the shrimp can be baked in the oven or sautéed on the stove for a quick and easy alternative to grilling. Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes (or until pink). Sauté in olive oil over medium heat for about 10 to 12 minutes (or until pink).
Ready to make the best entrée salad of the summer? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Grilled Shrimp Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Video
Equipment
- Grill (or can use skillet on stove or in pan in oven)
- Skewers or grill pan
Ingredients
For the Marinade / Dressing
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 fresh jalapeño cored with seeds and ribs removed
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes or more, for added spice
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 lb shrimp extra-large, deveined and peeled
- 2 ears fresh corn shucked and silk removed
- extra-virgin olive oil for brushing the corn
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium tomato cored and diced
- 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup red onion chopped
- ¼ cup green onions green and white parts, chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
- 1 avocado skin and pit removed, roughly chopped
- 1 Romaine lettuce roughly chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing/marinade in a medium-sized bowl by mixing together the lime juice, soy sauce, jalapeno, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, and cilantro. Slowly whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil.½ cup fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 fresh jalapeño, 3 cloves garlic, Pinch red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 cup fresh cilantro, ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Add the shrimp to a large plastic ziplock bag, or a bowl, and pour enough of the marinade into the bag to fully coat the shrimp. Close the baggie (or cover the bowl with plastic wrap) and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Save the remaining marinade for the dressing (there should be approximately ½ to ¾ cup left).1 lb shrimp
- Heat your grill to medium heat. Brush the oil over the corn and then sprinkle all over with salt. Add the corn to the grill, over direct heat, and cook until the kernels are starting to brown. About 8 minutes, turning the corn over a time or two while cooking. Remove and set aside to cool.2 ears fresh corn, extra-virgin olive oil, Salt and pepper
- Once the corn is cool enough to handle, set one corn upright on a large platter or a shallow bowl, and then with the other hand, carefully use a large knife to cut the kernels from the cob. Repeat with the other ear of corn. Set aside.
- Take the shrimp from the marinade and place them on skewers, careful not to overcrowd each skewer with the shrimp (don't squeeze too many shrimp on a skewer: otherwise, they won't cook evenly). Lightly salt and pepper the shrimp before grilling. Alternatively, cook on the grill on a grill pan, or sear in a skillet over medium-high heat on the stove, or in a cast-iron skillet in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes. Discard the marinade.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the corn, beans, tomatoes, red and green onions, and pepper. Gently stir in the avocado. Gently toss with about ½ cup of the dressing. Save the rest for serving on the side.1 medium tomato, 1 15 oz can black beans, ¼ cup red onion, ¼ cup green onions, 1 jalapeño, 1 avocado
- Place the chopped romaine on a plate and top with the veggies. Place the shrimp over the top of the salad, drizzle on a little more dressing, and serve at once.1 Romaine lettuce
Marilyn says
I love Beans! Although I have a lack of love for Black Beans. Would you offer a couple of substitutes for the Black Beans? Thanks so much for inviting me into your home
Kris Longwell says
Hi Marilyn!! Any kind of bean would work! Pinto, navy, or Great Northern…Garbanzo beans are wonderful, too. Or, you could just omit the beans and still have an amazingly delicious salad! Let us know if you make it and what you think! Best, Kris & Wesley
Barbara says
DELICIOUS! Didn’t need to change a thing.
Kris Longwell says
Woo hoo! We are so thrilled you made the grilled shrimp salad and had such great success!! That salad is what made us decide to start a food blog! It means a lot to us and it means a lot to us that you made it and enjoyed it, too! Thank you so much for sharing and for the GREAT review! Stay in touch! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Jan says
This was amazing! I’ll have to check out more recipes here. A perfect salad on a hot day. Thank you!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Jan! Yay! That is one of our all-time favorite salads and we are so so happy you made it and loved it! Thanks for letting us know and for the awesome review! And YES!! Check out our other recipes! So many yummy ones to sink your teeth into!! Stay in touch!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Mimi Rippee says
Oh my god this sounds wonderful!!! Perfect for this time of year. Love the marinade.
Kris Longwell says
Thanks, Mimi! This is definitely one of our warm-weather favorite salads! We hope you try it! Have a GREAT weekend!
Diane G. says
Wow! This was so good! Farm corn and tomatoes. Perfect for a warm summer night. Thank you!
marta mohan says
Fantastic! absolutely delicious… woke up this morning craving more 🙂 – it does take a bit more than 30 min. to put together – but so worth it!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Marta! Yay! We love this salad so much, too, and we are thrilled you are loving it! Thank you so much for sharing and for the GREAT review. We truly appreciate that so so much! Best, Kris & Wesley
Bonni says
Fabulous!!
Kris Longwell says
YAY!!! You just made our day!! We LOVE this salad so much and we are so happy you enjoyed it, too! And THANK YOU for letting us know!!! xoxoxo Kris & Wesley
Jill Turner says
Just made this tonight for dinner! It was wonderful! Love your site and your recipes.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Jill!! So sorry for the delayed response! That is wonderful and we are THRILLED you loved this salad! It has been one of our favorites for many years and so happy you love it, too. And thanks so much for letting us know and for the wonderful review! That means the world to us!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Lisa Kovarik says
I made this last night and it was delicious!
Unfortunately, I could not find the detailed nutrition information, (just the calorie count per serving was provided). I am on a weight loss program where I need to track not only calories but sugar content, fats, sodium, sugars, etc. Do you have that information available for this recipe!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Lisa! So sorry about that! Not sure why the full nutritional info didn’t publish. We just updated with more complete info. So glad you enjoyed the salad and thank you so much for the wonderful review! This has been one of our all-time favorite salads for many years!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
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