Shrimp is such a great lean protein source. I’ve definitely realized you either love or hate it–but I love it! With one 3 oz. serving of shrimp, you get 20 grams of protein, essentially no fat or carbs, AND you can cook it in less than 10 minutes – a total win. This Cold Shrimp Salad keeps well in the fridge for an easy lunch or for when you’re in a pinch for some quick protein.
It’s so light and yummy especially when it’s tucked into a gorgeous toasted brioche bun. And of course, if you don’t love shrimp, you can always sub it for chicken!
What You’ll Need for this Healthy Cold Shrimp Salad:
- Raw Shrimp (or cooked if you prefer)
- Olive Oil Spray
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Persian Cucumber
- Celery
- Green Onion
- Fresh Dill
- Greek Yogurt (or sub dairy-free sour cream)
- Low-fat Mayo
- Lemon Zest & Juice
- Dijon Mustard
- Garlic (fresh or frozen)
- Celery Salt
People ask all the time if they can use dried dill instead of fresh, and while you can if you’re in a pinch, the fresh herbs just really make it for me.
How to Make This Macro-Friendly Cold Shrimp Salad:
Toss the raw shrimp with 2 tsp. olive oil, and generously season with Kosher salt and pepper. Roast at 400°F on your favorite baking sheet for about 6 minutes (or air fry for 4–5 minutes) until they are opaque and cooked through.
If you’re using cooked shrimp, throw it in a hot skillet with a spritz of oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper for 1-2 minutes, then proceed.
Allow them to cool, then roughly chop the shrimp, cucumbers, celery, green onion and dill. Then combine in a large bowl.
This alligator chopper is my favorite, so I can get the perfect chop everytime. Of course, a sharp knife and cutting board work too.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour it over the salad. Toss everything well and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
And voila, you’ve got the perfect cold salad!
Is this Cold Shrimp Salad GF/DF?
GF/DF: This is naturally gluten-free. To keep it dairy-free, make sure to use dairy-free yogurt. Swapping Forager Project’s dairy-free sour cream for nonfat Greek yogurt will change the macros by less than 1 gram of any macro.
Also, I’ve been asked what to do to make this egg-free. If you need to make it egg-free–you can try using Greek yogurt instead of mayo and maybe whisk in a little olive oil for fats.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy this salad with crackers, chips, or as a filling for toasted buns, similar to a lobster roll. Of course, you can also choose to keep it lower in carbs and enjoy it with your preferred low-carb wraps, on rice cakes, (or these corn thins), wrapped in butter lettuce leaves, or on its own!
Similar Recipes
Quick and Easy Pickle Chicken Salad
Baked Feta Cauliflower Rice with Shrimp
Macro-Friendly Spicy Shrimp Taco Bowl
Healthy Cold Shrimp Salad
This Cold Shrimp Salad is so easy to whip up and keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days. And having a prepped protein on hand can make eating macro-friendly so much easier. Other great proteins to keep in the fridge are this Quick and Easy Pickle Chicken Salad or these yummy Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Tenderloins.
My cookbooks Planned and LEAT, have even more proteins that you can prep-ahead and use all week long. Of course, you can get more details on each book here.
I’m also always sharing my current favorite ways to get more protein over on Instagram, so follow along there for more macro-friendly meal ideas!
Cold Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Raw shrimp 453g; shells and tails removed
- 2 tsp. Olive oil spray 10g
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 cup Persian cucumber diced (140g)
- ½ cup Celery diced (65g)
- ½ cup Green onion chopped (40g)
- 2 Tbsp. Fresh dill chopped (7g)
For the Dressing:
- 3 Tbsp. Nonfat Greek yogurt 45g; or sub dairy-free sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. Low-fat mayo 30g
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Juice from 1 lemon 30g
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 15g
- 1 Frozen garlic cube or minced clove
- ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp. Celery salt
- ⅛ tsp. Black pepper
Instructions
- Toss the shrimp with 2 tsp. olive oil, and generously season with Kosher salt and pepper.
- Roast at 400°F for about 6 minutes (or air fry for 4–5 minutes) until they are opaque and cooked through. Allow them to cool, then roughly chop.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, cucumbers, celery, green onion, and dill.
- Whisk together the dressing and pour it over the salad. Toss everything well and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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