avocado shrimp salad

perfect for wraps, rice, lettuce cups and more!

a quick, light salad perfect for the summer! i go through rotations of protein choices by the week, and the past week i was feeling shrimp. i always keep a bag of wild argentine shrimp from costco in my freezer as an easy, weeknight option. that combined with the other half of the avocado from a breakfast avocado toast and i’m practically halfway there. because browning from the avocado, this salad doesn’t keep long. because of the TASTE, it won’t keep long enough for you to worry about that.

healthy & adaptable

the combo of shrimp and avocado is it a great way to add protein and healthy fats to your meal. it will keep you full awhile, but it won’t sit heavy in your stomach either. both shrimp and avocado (and cucumber!) have mild flavors, making it easy to replace the protein with whatever you have at home. shrimp is not cheap; so if you are looking for a more cost-efficient fish flavor, i recommend using canned tuna for a similar soft texture.

you can also try this recipe with tofu to make it vegan!

the numerous ways to enjoy it

one of the best parts of the recipe is how versatile it is. it’s a salad that’s meant to be combined with other foods. in fact, it can look rather… unappetizing on its own LOL. here’s some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• wrap – make a quick lunch using your favorite wheat wrap (pictured in cover photo)
• rice bowl – add salad to a warm bowl of rice along with raw carrot, or other fresh veggies, for a hearty meal
• kimbap – scoop the salad onto a sheet of rice covered seaweed and roll tight!
• lettuce wraps – scoop the salad into lettuce cups or larger leaves and transfer straight to your mouth for a fun summer snack!

the dressing

tangy with a little bit of sweet. here’s today’s salad attire:

• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice – when testing this recipe, i used 2 tbsp of lemon juice and the salad consistency became quite runny, making it difficult to use in a wrap. i prefer the stronger taste of lemon, especially if i’m using sugar, so keep this in mind and taste it as you go!
• 2 tsp sugar – if you don’t want that hint of sweetness, feel free to omit!
• salt & pepper – add a few cracks to taste
• chili flakes – if you prefer a bit of kick to your salad, skip the sugar and use chili flakes instead!

how-to:

prep work — thaw the shrimp if using the frozen kind, then clean and pat dry. wash and dice the cucumber into half-inch cubes. cut your avocado in half and remove the seed. score the insides of each half with a knife, creating small, half-inch squares. peel back the skin, or scoop the cubed fruit into a medium mixing bowl.

cooking — add some olive oil to a skillet on medium heat. cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping halfway. transfer the cooked shrimp to a cutting board and chop into half-inch pieces. add cucumber and shrimp to mixing bowl with the avocado. add in ingredients for the dressing: mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, sugar, and a few cracks of salt & pepper. give the bowl a good mix.

serve — serve in a wrap, with rice, or lettuce cups. optional: sprinkle on some chili flakes for a little heat!

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