Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad

This Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad is a fresh and satisfying meal made with seasoned grilled shrimp, black beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes and crisp lettuce. Everything is tossed with a bright lime vinaigrette that brings all the Southwestern flavors together.

If you love the ingredients, spices and herbs used in Southwestern cuisine then you will love this grilled shrimp salad.

The shrimp are coated in a simple marinade made with lime zest, chili powder, ground cumin and coriander, garlic and a touch of honey, then quickly grilled until tender. The result is a hearty salad that's packed with flavor and easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, while still being perfect for a casual lunch or summer gathering.

This salad recipe comes together in about 30 minutes which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.

How to Make a Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad

This Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad is full of fresh flavors. Sweet corn, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes and black beans pair beautifully with the seasoned grilled shrimp.

The lime vinaigrette is bright, tangy and lightly spiced. The homemade dressing adds plenty of flavor to both the salad and the shrimp and tastes even better if you make it ahead of time.

Prepare the marinade for the shrimp and marinate at least 20 minutes before grilling.

Ingredients Overview

For the Shrimp

• Shrimp: Use peeled and deveined.
• Olive oil
• Honey: Adds sweetness.
• Lime zest and juice: Adds fresh citrus flavor.
• Chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt and pepper: Gives the shrimp its Southwestern inspired flavor.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic adds another layer of savory flavor
• Salt and pepper: To season the shrimp.

For the Southwestern Vinaigrette

The vinaigrette combines extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, red onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, honey and a few spices. It's bright, tangy and lightly spicy, and complements both the grilled shrimp and the fresh ingredients in the salad.

For the Salad

You'll need lettuce, black beans, corn, avocado, tomato and red onion. The combination gives the salad a nice mix of textures and flavors. For serving, add crumbled goat cheese or Feta, the grilled shrimp skewers and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro if desired.

Variations:

• You can also use boneless and skinless chicken breast or thighs instead of shrimp. Just make sure to use about the same amount of chicken (as the shrimp in the recipe) or else adjust the marinade ingredients for the amount of chicken you have.
• Add a handful of toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to the salad.
• Add a chopped sweet pepper, I like to use a red, orange or yellow pepper.

Enjoy!

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More Salad Recipes to Enjoy

• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
• Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
• Lebanese Tabbouleh
• Spinach Apple Cranberry Salad

Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad Recipe

Author: Adapted from Fine Cooking

This Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad is made with simple and healthy ingredients and makes a fantastic meal loaded with lots of flavor. This recipe can be prepared in just about 30 minutes which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.

4.84 from 18 votes

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Prep Time 24 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4 As a side salad, 2-3 as a main course

Calories 439 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the shrimp:

• 200 to 225 grams peeled and deveined shrimp (Approximately 7 to 8 oz.)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. lime zest
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• 1 clove small garlic minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Southwestern Salad Vinaigrette:

• 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped red onion
• ½ small jalapeno finely chopped
• 1 clove small garlic minced
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp. honey
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ⅛ tsp. chili powder
• ⅛ tsp. ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the salad:

• 6 cups of mixed spring lettuce or lettuce of your choice
• ¾ cup canned black beans rinsed
• ⅔ cup corn kernels (canned or frozen and thawed or kernels from grilled corn on the cob)
• ½ medium avocado sliced or cubed
• 1 ripe tomato sliced
• 1 tbsp. finely diced red onion
• 4 tbsp. crumbled goat cheese optional
• cilantro leaves for garnish optional

Instructions

 

For the Shrimp Marinade:

• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, add the shrimp, mix well and set aside while you prepare the salad.

For the Southwestern Salad Vinaigrette:

• Combine all the ingredients together in a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake well and set aside to let the flavours meld.

For the Salad:

• Pile on the salad ingredients starting with the lettuce, beans, corn, avocado, red onions, and tomatoes.
• Top salad with fresh cilantro leaves and some crumbled goat or Feta cheese.

To Grill the Shrimp:

• Heat grill to medium-high heat.
• Thread shrimp on wood or metal skewers.
• Place shrimp on grill, grill shrimp 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked.
• When shrimp skewers are ready you can top the salad with skewers, or remove shrimp from skewers and add to salad.
• Shake the salad dressing well and drizzle on salad and shrimp.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 19gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 703mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 7175IUVitamin C: 23.4mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 4.4mg

Keyword Grilled Shrimp Salad, Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad

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