Crunchy, Cool Cucumber Shrimp Salad with an Herby Lime Dressing You'll Want to Put on Everything
A refreshing cucumber shrimp salad that stays crunchy, tossed in a zesty herby lime dressing. Ready in just 20 minutes, it's perfect for meal prep or a quick summer dinner.
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small bowl or mason jar
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Citrus juicer (optional)
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 English cucumber (or 2 Persian cucumbers), diced
- 1 lb cooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
For the Herby Lime Dressing
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If using frozen shrimp, place in a colander and run under cold water for about 5 minutes until thawed. Pat dry.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Prep the vegetables: Dice cucumber, halve tomatoes, thinly slice onion, and chop herbs. Place everything except avocado in a large bowl.
- Add the shrimp: Toss the dried shrimp with the vegetables.
- Right before serving, dice avocado and add to the bowl. Pour dressing over and gently fold to combine.
- Taste and finish: Adjust salt, lime, or pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use English or Persian cucumbers for best crunch. For meal prep, store dressing separately and add avocado fresh. This salad is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free; omit honey for keto. Leftover undressed salad (without avocado) keeps up to 2 days in the fridge.