This grilled shrimp salad is one of my all-time favorites! It’s made with romaine lettuce, lots of fresh, grilled corn, and chunks of creamy, ripe avocado. And it’s topped with grilled herb shrimp and drizzled with a balsamic lime vinaigrette.
Grilled Shrimp Salad
This healthy shrimp recipe is simple to make but so satisfying. It’s perfect for serving for lunch or dinner, especially as the weather heats up. And I love making it when corn and tomatoes are in season.
Tips on Making this Grilled Shrimp Salad:
- The Shrimp: I use fresh, large shrimp (not jumbo) for this recipe. I also ask my fish market to shell and devein the shrimp for me, saving me lots of time and effort. If you need to do this yourself, you can check out instructions on how to do this here.
- The Corn: I prefer to use fresh sweet summer corn in this salad. But if you can’t find any, or it’s out of season, you can also use frozen grilled corn (like the Trader Joe’s variety). Just defrost the corn before adding to the salad.
- Add More Veggies: Have any zucchini or asparagus lying around? The more the merrier. Just grill them and add to the salad, if desired.
- Grilling Tips: You can grill both the shrimp and the corn (shucked) on the barbeque or in a grill pan on the stovetop. Both work great. Also, keep in mind that the shrimp grill up super fast (1-2 minutes per side). And if you’re wondering — the shrimp marinade does grill off.
- Make-Ahead: You can grill the shrimp and corn, prep the veggies (except the avocado), and make the dressing ahead of time. When ready to serve, just assemble and add the avocado.
Looking for more summer salads? Try this perfect summer salmon salad.
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Grilled Shrimp, Corn and Avocado Salad with Balsamic Lime Vinaigrette
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Light and refreshing grilled herb shrimp and corn salad with avocado, tomatoes, and a balsamic lime dressing. Serve for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Shrimp:
- 2 pounds jumbo shrimp (about 1/2 pound per person), peeled and deveined
- 1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Salad:
- 2 heads of romaine (or butter) lettuce, cleaned and chopped
- 2 ears of corn, shucked or defrosted frozen grilled corn
- 1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup cilantro, rough chopped
- 1/4 cup basil, roughly torn
- 2 ripe avocados
For the Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey (I suggest using runny honey)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Shimp and Corn:
- In a large bowl, combine the onion, garlic, parsley, basil, mustard, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. Or you can cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Heat the grill or grill pan, and brush the rack with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. While the grill is heating up, skewer the shrimp.
- Grill the shrimp skewers for 1-1/2 minutes on each side until pink and cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes before adding to the salad.
- If grilling the corn, remove husks and silk and then lightly brush the corn with olive oil and add to the grill (you can also wrap the shucked and corn ears in tin foil before adding to the grill, if you prefer).
- Grill the corn, turning frequently until done, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, slice the corn kernels off the cob and add to the salad.
For the Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar with honey and lime juice. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
For the Salad:
- Add the lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs to a large bowl. Lightly dress, reserving at least 1/2 of the dressing, and toss.
- Toss in the grilled corn and the shrimp.
- When ready to serve, dice the avocado and add to the salad.
- Drizzle with reserved dressing and season with salt and pepper, to taste.