Shrimp salad is one of those recipes people remember their mom making every summer. Cold shrimp and celery in a mayonnaise dressing, piled on a soft roll or a bed of lettuce for lunch.
It’s stuck around all these years for a reason. Shrimp feels like a treat. Mine is dill and lemon instead of the seafood seasoning most versions reach for. I think it makes a huge difference. It’s cold and light. The shrimp is the star. It’s not buried under spice.
Dry the Shrimp or the Salad Turns Watery
This is the whole difference between a shrimp salad that holds together on the fork and one that leaves a puddle in the bowl, so it’s worth the extra minute.
Precooked shrimp come out of the bag wet, and thawing adds more water. Stir them in like that and the water has nowhere to go but into the dressing.
Some recipes will tell you the dressing might look a little watery and not to worry about it. I would rather it not happen in the first place.
- Lay the thawed shrimp on a clean towel.
- Press the tops dry.
- Do it before the shrimp goes anywhere near the mayonnaise.
I do the same thing with the lemon, for the same reason. I use the zest instead of the juice. The zest gives you all the lemon flavor without adding liquid to a dressing you just worked to keep thick.
It’s a small change and a big part of why my recipe doesn’t go watery.
No Cooking, as Long as You Buy the Right Shrimp
This shrimp salad is what I make when lunch should feel a little more special without turning on the stove.
I can make it in about 15 minutes of actual work by grabbing a bag marked cooked, peeled, and deveined. I use a pound of the 35 to 40 count size. Thaw them however the bag says, usually a cold water bath or a night in the fridge, then pull the tails off. That amount is big enough to taste like shrimp in every bite without one piece taking over the fork. Any leftover shrimp can be used to make my shrimp fried rice.
Raw shrimp works if that is all you can find and you cook it first, but then it isn’t a 15-minute recipe anymore.
Why There’s No Old Bay in This Recipe
Most shrimp salads use Old Bay or another seafood seasoning. Mine does not, and that is on purpose.
- Dill and lemon keep this shrimp salad fresh and bright instead of tasting like a spice tin.
- Use fresh dill if you can. If you only have dried dill, use only about one third as much.
- The Dijon sits underneath and adds just enough tang to keep the mayonnaise from tasting flat.
- Add finely diced green pepper or some sliced green onion for crunch. If you like more bite, add extra red onion.
Serve It Cold
This shrimp salad is best straight from the fridge. The shrimp firms up as it chills and tastes better cold than at room temperature, so give it an hour in the fridge before serving if you have the time.
From there it goes almost anywhere. Pile it on a soft roll for a sandwich, the same way I do with my egg salad sandwich and my chicken salad sandwich.
Spoon it into butter lettuce cups for something lighter, lay it over greens, or put it out with crackers to scoop like you would a shrimp dip. If you are serving it with crackers, chop the shrimp smaller so it sits on one without rolling off.
It also holds up for a crowd. Make it the day before, keep it cold, and pile it onto split croissants when people arrive. It earns a spot on the table next to the rest of my summer salads.
Making It Ahead
You can make this a few hours before you need it, and it keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days. It’s best on the first day, while the shrimp is firmest.
Do not freeze shrimp salad. The dressing separates and turns grainy once it thaws, and the shrimp goes rubbery. There is no bringing it back after that.
How This Recipe Was Tested
This post was originally published in May 2022. In March 2026, my independent recipe tester, Angela, tested this for me. Her notes confirmed the two things the post is built on: dill and lemon are the flavors you taste first when eating this shrimp salad. She also said it is better cold, once the shrimp has firmed up, than at room temperature.
Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Shrimp
- 1 pound frozen precooked shrimp, about 35 to 40 count (They should be pre-cooked, peeled and deveined. Once the shrimp is thawed and rinsed, remove the tails. Lay the rinsed shrimp out on some towels and allow them to dry completely before adding them to the dressing.)
- ½ cup celery, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion, finely diced
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, fresh chopped dill, lemon zest, cracked black pepper, and kosher salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
- Stir in the shrimp, chopped celery, and red onion until completely coated.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Notes
- When thawing the shrimp, always follow the package directions. Make sure to wash your hands before and after handling seafood.
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After removing the tails and rinsing the shrimp, I placed paper towels on a piece of parchment paper on the counter laying the shrimp out flat. I then placed more paper towels on top of the shrimp, patted them dry and then left them between the towels to completely dry. Adding damp or even wet shrimp to the dressing may cause the shrimp salad to become drippy instead of creamy.
- Make sure your red onion is diced nice and fine if you don’t like large chunks of onion in your dish.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
Comments
Sarah says
So good!
Suzzanne says
What process is used when cooking the Shrimp for this salad?
Amy Tandiko says
Hi Suzzanne, we used pre-cooked shrimp from the grocery store for our recipe. You can usually find bags frozen, or look for fresh cooked shrimp at the seafood counter. Hope that helps!