Keto Shrimp Salad Recipe

This Keto Shrimp Salad is a wholesome and delicious salad packed with juicy grilled shrimp, avocado, tomatoes, pickled onions, and more! It's easy, fresh, and ready for dinner or lunch in under 30 minutes.

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This shrimp salad recipe is perfect for the summertime, but it can be enjoyed any time of year. It's packed with flavor, only 6 net carbs per serving, and is naturally gluten-free, so it's suitable for lots of different diet types!

Have some extra shrimp lying around and need quick-dinner ideas? You may also enjoy this New Orleans BBQ shrimp, this keto shrimp and broccoli skillet, or these smoked sausage and shrimp skewers.

If you're in the mood for more filling salads, try our steak salad, this Big Mac salad, this keto antipasto salad, or this burrata and prosciutto arugula salad.

💗Why We Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy. Who doesn't love a simple meal that's ready in 30 minutes or less?
• Flavorful & refreshing. This recipe is packed with delicious seasonings and aromatics that elevate the flavor.
• Refreshing & filling meal. This meal is light but still contains plenty of protein. All of the veggies paired it shrimp make it light and fresh, but it will keep you going all day!

🥗Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used to make this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.

• Raw shrimp. Any size would work, we tend to opt for larger shrimp whenever possible. Look for 16-20 count per pound or larger, and keep in mind that the lower the count, the larger the shrimp! Purchase them peeled and deveined to save time.
• Pickled red onions. You could use regular red onions, cut really thin if you'd prefer. A quick pickle is not only easy to do, but just brings a whole new level of flavor to this salad. We'll show you how easy it is to do at home!
• Seasonings. We used a mixture of Kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Dressing. Serve with whatever you like. We served it with our homemade Wingstop ranch, but it would be great with this honey lemon vinaigrette, this creamy balsamic dressing, or this pesto vinaigrette!

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions

Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.

• Use a different acid. You can swap this for lime juice or white wine vinegar for a little acidity.
• Swap the cooking oil. You can use any cooking oil of your choice. Avocado oil or any neutral oil would be a great suggestion.
• Use dried herbs. You can substitute any fresh herb for dried, just make sure to use ⅓ the amount of dried as you would of fresh, as dried herbs have a lot more concentrated flavor.
• Swap in other herbs. You can also swap out basil for your favorite hers! One of our favorites is dill, like in our Swedish shrimp toast. Parsley and cilantro would also be great options.
• Swap the greens. Spinach, spring mix, romaine, and iceberg lettuce all work here. Use whatever you'd like.

✨Variations

• Cajun flair. Season the shrimp with Cajun seasoning, like in our Cajun seafood boil for an extra kick of flavor. You can also try adding in some celery to go along with it, use a green bell pepper, and keep the onions raw for Cajun flavor. The holy trinity of onion, green bell pepper, and celery is at the base of nearly every Cajun dish!
• Add more veggies. It never hurts to add more vegetables! Try adding some cucumbers, artichokes, olives, or some grilled zucchini for even more vegetables.

🔪Prep Work

• Thaw, peel, and devein shrimp if necessary. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Wash and dry produce.
• Cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters.
• Thinly slice the avocado and red onions.
• Dice the bell pepper.
• Zest and juice the lemon.
• Measure out the remaining ingredients.
• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

Quick pickle the onions (optional)

This step is optional but recommended. Start with this first, so they can sit and develop flavor while you cook the shrimp.

Combine apple cider vinegar, water, sweetener of choice (we used granular erythritol), and salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly to dissolve the sweetener. (Image 1)

Add red onions to a large shallow bowl, and pour the pickling liquid overtop. Press down on the onions with a spoon to make sure they're fully submerged. (Image 2)

Let sit for at least 30 minutes, stirring every so often to ensure the onions are submerged. (Image 3)

Cook the shrimp

Meanwhile, while the onions are pickling, prepare the shrimp.

In a mixing bowl, combine shrimp with seasonings, some of the olive oil, and lemon juice. Toss to combine and coat well. (Image 4)

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add more olive oil to a skillet, then add in shrimp, if necessary, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Sear for 1-2 minutes on each side, being careful not to overcook the shrimp. (Image 5) Once seared on both sides, remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

*Pro tip: Your cooking time will also depend on the size of your shrimp. The smaller the shrimp, the faster they will cook. An instant-read thermometer can help you monitor when the shrimp has reached at least 120°F.

Assemble the salad

To the plate, add the arugula and butter lettuce, then begin layering on the tomatoes, bell peppers, pickled red onions, basil, and avocado slices. (Image 6)

Add the shrimp, Drizzle with ranch dressing, and a squeeze of lemon if desired. (Image 7)

Enjoy!

✨Tips & Tricks

• Cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp. Shrimp tend to cook very quickly, so keep a close eye on them to avoid overcooking! An instant-read thermometer can be really helpful to determine that your shrimp has reached a safe-to-eat temperature of 120°F before enjoying.
• Layer ingredients to get a bit of everything in each bite. The best salads have all of the toppings in layers so that every bite is delicious!
• Don't add the dressing until right before serving. Dressing that sits for a while will make the salad soggy. Don't add any dressing until it's time to serve.