Lemon Shrimp Salad
How about a crunchy salad that's good enough for a weeknight dinner, is super refreshing and delicious year-round? Lemon Shrimp Salad is the an absolute favorite!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Aren't we all looking for easy recipes for a light lunch or dinner? I know I am, and shrimp cooked in a saute pan is a good option for those times because it cooks in just 3 minutes! Here are some more reasons:
This homemade lemon ranch dressing will keep in the fridge for a week, and you'll want more of it, trust me.
Make some quick croutons from that stale loaf in the cupboard..tossed with a little olive oil, it makes any salad extra-special.
Crunchy, easy-to-find Romaine or Little Gem lettuce for a refreshing crunch!
Key Ingredients:
Shrimp: Large, peeled and de-veined, one pound
Bread: Stale, with crusts removed
Mayo and Mustard: For the homemade ranch dressing
Lemon: And lots of it
Greens: Crunchy, fresh and organic, if possible
Herbs: Chives are nice, and so would be some fresh dill.
There are a couple of steps to this recipe, so lets go through them:
Make the lemon ranch dressing.
Make the croutons.
Cook the shrimp.
Prep the greens.
Plate and serve.
Use any kind of round artisan bread for the croutons, just make slices then remove the crusts as best you can and cut them into pieces.
Or, just tear off one-inch pieces in a free-form style. It'll work great!
Extra croutons will keep for a week in an air-tight container.
Can I use different lettuces?
Yes! Any fresh greens would be good with this recipe...experiment!
Can I use a different type of dressing if I don't like ranch? A vinaigrette would be great with this recipe!
What if I don't have stale bread?
Fresher bread works too, and an artisan type of load works best. But don't sweat it! Buy some good quality croutons at the grocery store.
Lemon Shrimp Salad
Lemon Shrimp Salad is a light and fresh dinner or lunch!
Course: Salad
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
▢ For the LEMON RANCH DRESSING
▢ ¾ cup Light Mayonnaise
▢ 2 tablespoons Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
▢ 1 tablespoon Water
▢ ½ teaspoon Lemon Pepper
▢ 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
▢ ½ teaspoon Salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon Sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon Italian (flat leaf) parsley
▢ 1 tablespoon Chives, chopped
▢ for the HOMEMADE CROUTONS
▢ 7 slices french bread, cut into 1/2 thick pieces with crusts removed
▢ 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
▢ 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
▢ pinch Salt
▢ for the SHRIMP
▢ 1 pound Shrimp, large, peeled and deveined
▢ 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
▢ ½ teaspoon Salt
▢ ½ teaspoon Lemon Pepper
▢ 3 tablespoons Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
▢ ½ teaspoon Lemon zest, freshly grated
▢ ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
▢ for the SALAD
▢ 8 cups Romaine lettuce, torn
▢ ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
Make the LEMON RANCH DRESSING
Combine mayo, lemon juice, water, lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt and sugar together in a medium sized bowl and whisk together with a fork until smooth.
Add the chopped parsley and chives and combine with a spoon.
Make the HOMEMADE CROUTONS
Combine the cubed bread, olive oil, garlic powder and salt and toss together in a medium sized bowl.
Add the mixture to a medium size non-stick skillet on medium high heat.
Toast the croutons in the pan, turning and shaking the pan occasionally so the croutons don't burn.
If they look too dry, just drizzle a teaspoon or so more olive oil and continue toasting, turning and shaking until golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Cook the SHRIMP
Combine the olive oil, salt, lemon pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic powder and whisk together in a medium sized bowl until combined.
Add the shrimp to the mixture, toss together to combine.
Preheat a large nonstick saute pan over medium high heat.
Add the shrimp and olive oil mixture to the pan, spaced out evenly, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Carefully turn over and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink.
Remove from the pan and assemble the salad.
ASSEMBLE the Salad
Divide 2 cups of romaine per plate.
Drizzle with a tablespoon of Lemon Ranch Dressing.
Divide the shrimp on the plates, about 5 or 6 shrimp each plate.
Add ⅓ cup of the croutons per plate.
Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan cheese.
Serve with additional Lemon Ranch Dressing on the side.
Notes
Use any kind of round artisan bread for the croutons, just make slices then remove the crusts as best you can and cut them into pieces. Or, just tear off 1″ pieces in a free-form style. It’ll work great!
Extra croutons will keep for a week in an air-tight container.