Frozen shrimp is a great, high-protein ingredient to keep stocked in the freezer. If you have some peeled and deveined shrimp, you’re starting off on the right foot for this Dilly Cucumber and Shrimp Salad. You can make the salad for a quick-and-easy lunch or dinner, and leftovers store well for the next day.
The secret to its perfectly balanced bite? Small-dicing all the ingredients so every forkful has the right mix of crunch, creaminess, and zesty flavor. It’s also paired with a simple, creamy dressing that packs a punch with fresh dill and the lemony citrus for added freshness. Make this Dilly Cucumber and Shrimp Salad for your next Whole30 meal.
Serving suggestions:
- Scoop this salad into butter lettuce leaves and wrap it up for crunchy lettuce wraps.
- Spoon it into halved avocados for a stuffed version with extra healthy fats.
- Thin-slice turnips or watermelon radishes and top with the salad for an easy, chilled appetizer.
Tips for recipe success:
- Double up the shrimp—use 2 pounds of peeled and deveined shrimp—to add even more protein and stretch this recipe. The dressing is light and can easily coat the entire salad without additional adjustments.
- Start your salted water boiling, then make your dressing. That way you can cut down on the time it takes to pull this already quick-and-easy recipe together.
- If you don’t care for cucumber skin, use a peeler to stripe or fully peel the English cucumber before finely dicing it.
- Make simple swaps if you don’t have the right ingredients on hand. Swap out the green onions for 1/2 cup red onion, as desired. Use lime juice and zest, instead of lemon, if that’s what you have on hand. Cilantro can stand in for dill, or you can mix and match.
- Bits of cucumber and celery already add a lot of crunch. Amp it up further by adding 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of sunflower seeds into the mix.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp plus ¼ tsp Kosher salt divided
- 1 English cucumber diced small
- 3 stalks celery diced small
- 5 green onions sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup compatible mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ⅙ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- MAKE the dressing by adding a 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp. lemon zest, and 3 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. compatible Dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt, 1/8 tsp. black pepper to a small bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
- ADD water and 1 tbsp. Kosher salt to a 4- or 5-quart pot and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, carefully drop in shrimp and set a timer for 2 minutes. Once the timer goes off, drain the shrimp and run cold water over them to stop the cooking.
- CHOP the shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces and add to a large bowl with cucumber, celery, green onions, and fresh dill. Toss to combine.
- POUR dressing over the shrimp and cucumber mixture and fold in to evenly coat.
- SERVE salad with avocado halves or lettuce leaves to make lettuce cups. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
