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This shrimp Caesar salad is our answer to, “What’s for dinner?” The shrimp cook in just 5 minutes and come out seasoned and juicy, making this a fast and easy dinner idea for weeknights or a simple lunch. Try it with our homemade Caesar dressing, or use purchased in a pinch!
Why we love this recipe
We’re always looking for the answer to, “What’s for dinner?” Here’s a recipe that’s so quick and simple, it’s in our weekly rotation: shrimp Caesar salad! Maybe we sound like a broken record, but Caesar-salad-plus-a-protein is our go-to for weeknight meals. It’s so hearty and delicious, we rarely get tired of it! Our kids love to eat it in a “deconstructed” style with separate lettuce, shrimp, croutons, and dressing for dipping.
If you’re serving eaters of multiple diets, you can serve with canned chickpeas or breaded tofu and vegan Caesar dressing as a plant-based alternative. A friend even suggested adding tortellini to this mix. There are endless riffs (chicken Caesar salad, salmon Caesar salad!), and it’s hard to find someone who will turn it down!
Ingredient notes for shrimp Caesar salad
What we love about shrimp Caesar salad is that it just so quick! The shrimp cook in just 5 minutes, making it a great one to bookmark for those “crap, forgot to think ahead” nights. Here’s what you’ll need for this fast dinner recipe:
- Medium shrimp: Deveined shrimp are best, either shelled or tail on. We prefer tail on for the look, but you’ll want to serve with a bowl for discarded tails. You can use any size, but we like medium, which are usually labeled 41 to 50 count. Use either fresh or frozen; we find fresh shrimp is slightly tastier—if you can, buy wild caught.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cumin are the “secret blend” that makes this sauteed shrimp so flavorful.
- Croutons: Homemade croutons are best, using bread torn into pieces. But often when we make this as a dinner, we use store-bought croutons for efficiency.
- Romaine hearts: Romaine lettuce is the classic leafy green for Caesar salad: its crunch and sweet flavor are irreplaceable, in our opinion. (Of course, you could try kale Caesar, too.)
- Parmesan cheese: Either shreds or shavings work to provide a texture contrast to the other salad ingredients.
- Caesar dressing: You can use purchased or homemade dressing. We love our recipe for Caesar dressing recipe: it tastes incredible. We often use the Greek yogurt variation to keep it fresh and light.
Basic steps for shrimp Caesar salad
Here’s the basic idea for making shrimp Caesar salad. You can swap in purchased dressing to speed up this shrimp Caesar salad and skip Step 1, but the flavor really is best with homemade.
Step 1: Whisk together the Caesar dressing ingredients in a bowl. Store leftovers refrigerated in a covered jar for up to 1 week.
Step 2: Mix the shrimp with the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until cooked through, turning with tongs.
Step 3: Place the romaine in a bowl and toss with the croutons, Parmesan cheese shavings, and dressing. Add the salad to plates and top with the warm shrimp.
Variations, additions, and protein swaps
The fun part of this dinner concept is making it your own! We know so many families who are serving different dietary preferences (and preferences in general!) in one meal. Here are a few ideas for variations:
- Add cooked tortellini to the mix for a fun addition
- Add cherry tomatoes or avocado for a more filling salad
- For vegetarian or vegan, serve with canned chickpeas or breaded tofu and vegan Caesar dressing
- Use chicken for chicken Caesar salad
- Use cooked or canned salmon for salmon Caesar salad
- Serve in a wrap like this chicken Caesar wrap
- Go for the classic side of Caesar salad
Storing leftovers
Leftover shrimp stores refrigerated for 1 to 2 days, but they are best freshly made. Leftover Caesar dressing stores up to 1 week. Store homemade croutons in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Store all components separately, adding dressing immediately before serving.
Dietary notes
This shrimp Caesar salad recipe is pescatarian and gluten-free with croutons omitted or gluten-free croutons. The recipe is vegan and dairy-free with Vegan Caesar Dressing.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make the Caesar dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Shrimp Caesar salad is best eaten fresh, but leftover shrimp will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 day and the dressing stores up to . We do not recommend storing leftover salad, since the croutons become soggy.
Absolutely! You can add other ingredients to shrimp Caesar salad, such as grilled chicken, avocado, or cherry tomatoes.
Shrimp Caesar Salad
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This shrimp Caesar salad is our answer to, “What’s for dinner?” The shrimp cook in just 5 minutes and come out seasoned and juicy, making this a quick and easy dinner idea for weeknights or a simple lunch. Try it with our homemade Caesar dressing, or use purchased in a pinch!
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (tail on or peeled)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (or substitute standard paprika)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cups chopped romaine hearts (about 2 to 3)
- 1 recipe Homemade Croutons (or purchased)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shavings
For the Caesar dressing (makes 1 cup)
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ lemon)
- ¾ cup high quality mayonnaise (or ¼ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup Greek yogurt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil*)
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce (or omit)
- ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together the Caesar dressing ingredients in a bowl. Store leftovers refrigerated in a covered jar for up to 1 week.
- Pat the shrimp dry. In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp with the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just opaque and cooked through, turning them with tongs.
- Place the romaine in a bowl and toss with the croutons, Parmesan cheese shavings, and dressing. Add the salad to plates and top with the warm shrimp.
Notes
Leftover shrimp lasts 1 to 2 days refrigerated, but we prefer shrimp best freshly made. For make ahead, make all components in advance and store refrigerated separately (with croutons at room temperature). Assemble right before serving.
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
