This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
This easy creamy shrimp salad has Greek yogurt, fresh dill, and crunchy celery: it’s light, creamy, and ready in 10 minutes. The best way to use up leftover shrimp!
OK you’ve got to try this creamy shrimp salad! It’s like tuna salad, except it’s with shrimp. The dressing is creamy, tangy and savory, but not too rich. Using Greek yogurt to cut the mayo makes it fresh, herby and utterly delicious.
Personally I don’t love leftover cooked shrimp, so I think the best way to use up leftover shrimp is to make this salad and pile it on toast or a sandwich! You can also make it up fresh for a fancy luncheon or brunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
So my spin on shrimp salad is similar to the 1950’s idea of a shrimp salad, but with less mayo and more fresh ingredients. Here are the ingredients you need for shrimp salad:
- Cooked shrimp: You can cook it up day of; it’s also great for using leftover shrimp. See below!
- Greek yogurt plus mayonnaise: The key to the creamiest, best shrimp salad! The sauce tastes savory and creamy, but using mostly Greek yogurt with a touch of mayo helps to keep it less calorie-laden and rich.
- Celery, red onion, and fresh dill: These fresh ingredients provide the crunch and flavor counterpoint. The fresh dill is especially important for just the right herby flavor.
- White wine vinegar and Dijon mustard: Both are essential to making this taste like deli-style shrimp salad.
Using Leftover Shrimp vs Fresh Cooked
The reason I originally made this recipe was some leftover shrimp in the fridge. I had just made a shrimp boil and had a few leftovers. Cooked shrimp can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge, and I was looking for a way to use it up. Covering the shrimp in a creamy sauce makes it into something altogether new: and delicious!
However, shrimp salad is also perfect cooked up fresh for a luncheon or brunch: it’s great on a croissant or with crackers. If you’re cooking the shrimp the day of, it’s best to boil it: here’s my tutorial for How to Boil Shrimp.
Tips for the Best Shrimp Salad
Here’s my go-to method for the best shrimp salad:
- Chop or leave whole? If you’re serving the salad on a sandwich, wrap, or toast, you can chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces so every bite is consistent. If you’re serving over greens or in an avocado half, you can leave the shrimp whole so it looks a little more interesting.
- Pat your shrimp dry. A quick dab with a paper towel before mixing keeps your dressing thick.
- Let it chill. You can absolutely serve this right away, but the flavor deepens after about 30 minutes in the fridge.
How to Serve It
Cook the shrimp, mix it with the sauce and veggies, and voila: you’ve got a deliciously classic shrimp salad! Again, if you’re planning to use it for crackers or on a sandwich, chop the shrimp into smaller pieces before making the salad.
- Over greens. Place the shrimp salad over butter lettuce and it makes a stunning main dish salad.
- As a shrimp roll! Just like a lobster roll on a toasted bun. Go to Shrimp Rolls!
- On a sandwich. On bread like a tuna salad sandwich, but with shrimp.
- On toast. Throw it onto toast and it’s a quick and easy dinner recipe.
- With crackers. Use it as a dip for crackers or crostini.
- On a croissant. This is great for a brunch or luncheon.
- In an avocado. A great way to make a gluten-free meal.
3 More Classic Salads
Fun fact: the type of salad made with mayo is actually called a “bound salad”: it’s bound together with a thick mayo-based sauce. Here are some more in this category:
- Egg Salad: Same concept, but with hard boiled eggs! Try it in an egg salad sandwich.
- Tuna Salad: My best tuna salad! Try it in a sandwich, as tuna salad with egg, a healthy avocado tuna salad.
- Chickpea Salad: Same concept, but with chickpeas! This vegan version of shrimp salad is ultra delicious.
How to Store It
Shrimp salad keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that, the shrimp start to soften and the dressing thins out, so I plan to finish it within that window. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Dietary Notes
This shrimp salad recipe is pescatarian and dairy-free.
Shrimp Salad (New & Improved!)
Creamy shrimp salad pairs celery, dill and lemon with this tasty shellfish! A spin on tuna salad, it’s the best way to use up leftover shrimp.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound* cooked shrimp (about 20 medium shrimp or more small)
- 1 rib celery
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Use leftover cooked shrimp or boil the shrimp.
- Thinly slice the celery. Chop the onion. Chop the dill.
- In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp with the vegetables, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Stores up to 2 days refrigerated.
Notes
*Double this to serve 4 for serving at a luncheon or brunch.
