We’ve been experiencing quite a heatwave here in Chicago. And when temperatures rise, I tend to reach for salads and other no-cook recipes for meals. This Shrimp & Avocado Cocktail Salad is one I recently prepared, which was a perfect cool meal. Large steamed shrimp and creamy avocado are tossed in a tangy cilantro lime vinaigrette for a colorful and tropical inspired salad…
I especially like how quickly this dish comes together. It’s really just a matter of tossing everything together effortlessly and even still, it’s a dish that comes out looking stunning with the contrast of colors. Although I served this in mini cocktail bowls for our cocktail party, you can certainly serve this in a large salad bowl as is, over a bed of greens if you wanted.
Another idea is to take the same recipe but mincing all the salad ingredients. Once combined with the dressing, you then have a great salad, similar to ceviche, that’s perfect to serve with tortilla chips!
We’ve also used this salad as a filling for tacos – shrimp tacos! For tacos, you’ll just need tortillas of your choice to serve the shrimp and avocado salad in… and no garnishes are even needed. They’re delicious as is.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is the cilantro lime dressing. It definitely brings everything together and flavors the shrimp nicely.
So however you decide to serve this, it’s a great way to beat the heat and enjoy an easy, fuss-free meal!
Shrimp & Avocado Cocktail Salad
dressing recipe from Epicurious
Salad:
2 ripe avocados, peeled pitted & cubed
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 pound cooked shrimp (16-20 size), peeled & deveined
Cilantro Lime Dressing:
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl. combine all the salad ingredients; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve cold in individual appetizer bowls.
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