What Salad Goes With Shrimp? 15 Best Salads

If you’re wondering what salad goes with shrimp, you’re in the right place.

I’ve rounded up 15 of the best salads to serve with shrimp.

Whether you are looking for a light and refreshing salad to serve as a starter or a hearty main dish salad to serve as a meal, there is sure to be something on this list that you’ll love.

So go ahead and give one (or all!) of these salads a try the next time you make shrimp!

See Also: Top 10 Salads to Serve with Shrimp Scampi

What Salad Goes With Shrimp? 15 Best Salads

Grilled shrimp, boiled shrimp, shrimp scampi – no matter how you cook them, shrimp are a delicious and versatile seafood.

But when it comes to what salad goes with shrimp, the options can seem a bit limited.

You don’t want a salad that is going to overpower the delicate flavor of the shrimp, but you also don’t want something that is going to be lost in the mix.

Fortunately, there are a number of great salads that pair well with shrimp.

Here are 15 of the best salads for shrimp:

Salad Caprese

Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad made of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.

It’s a perfect summer salad because it’s light, refreshing, and can be made in under 10 minutes.

Plus, it looks beautiful on a plate!

Pro Tip: To make this salad even more special, use heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella balls.

Substitutions:

• If you can’t find heirloom tomatoes, use cherry tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes.
• For the fresh mozzarella balls, you could also use feta cheese or goat cheese.
• If you’re not a fan of basil, try using mint or cilantro instead.

Nicoise Salad

This salad usually consists primarily of olives, tomatoes, anchovies, tuna, and beans (typically green beans, but any type of bean would work), making it a great source of healthy fats, protein, and fiber.

I love that it’s a complete meal in one dish, and it’s so easy to customize based on what you have on hand.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have any anchovies, you could use capers or olives for a similar salty flavor.

Three substitutions you could make are swapping the green beans for roasted red peppers, using feta cheese instead of goat cheese, and adding grilled chicken for extra protein.

Cobb Salad

This protein-packed salad is perfect for a light lunch or dinner.

It’s filled with healthy ingredients like chicken, eggs, avocado, and bacon.

And it has a great balance of flavors – salty, savory, and slightly sweet from the dressing.

Plus, it’s super easy to make ahead of time and pack for lunch during the week.

Pro Tip: Make sure to use rotisserie chicken or cook the chicken in advance so that it has time to cool before adding it to the salad.

Substitutions:

• Swap out the chicken for shrimp or tofu
• Use hard boiled eggs instead of poached eggs
• Add in any other veggies you have on hand – diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper

Ceaser Salad

With a rich and creamy dressing, crunchy croutons, and salty Parmesan cheese, this salad has everything you could want.

The best part?

It comes together in under 10 minutes!

Pro Tip: For an extra flavorful dressing, add in a tablespoon of anchovy paste.

Substitutions:

• Instead of Romaine lettuce, try using baby spinach or kale.
• To make your own croutons, simply cut up some stale bread into cubes and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, and salt. Then bake at 400 degrees until crispy.
• If you’re not a fan of Parmesan cheese, try using another type of hard cheese like Pecorino Romano or Asiago.

Waldorf Salad

This salad was originally a simple apple-celery-mayo combo (which is delicious on its own, by the way), but over the years it has evolved into the complex and flavor-packed salad we know today.

The addition of grapes, nuts and a tangy dressing takes this salad to the next level.

Pro Tip: If you want to save some time, you can buy pre-chopped celery and apples.

Substitutions:

• If you’re not a fan of mayo, you can use Greek yogurt instead.
• For a nut-free version, swap out the peanuts for sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
• To make this salad gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta or quinoa in place of the wheatberries.

Thai Chicken Larb Salad

This salad is a boldly flavored and healthy dish that is perfect for a light lunch or dinner.

The salad is made with ground chicken, red onions, cilantro, mint, fish sauce, lime juice, and chili peppers.

It is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken, and it can be easily made vegetarian by substituting the chicken for tofu.

Pro Tip: For an extra boost of flavor and nutrition, add some chopped peanuts or cashews to the salad.

Substitutions:

• For a less spicy dish, omit the chili peppers.
• If you don’t have fish sauce on hand, soy sauce can be used as a substitute.
• Mint can be replaced with basil if you prefer.

Tabbouleh Salad

This salad goes great with shrimp – for example, I grilled some shrimp and put them on top of this salad and it was amazing.

The salad has a lot of parsley in it, which I love, and the dressing is really light and refreshing.

Pro Tip: If you want to make this salad ahead of time, leave out the tomatoes until you’re ready to serve.

Otherwise, they’ll get mushy.

3 Substitutions:

• Swap out the parsley for mint
• Use quinoa instead of bulgur wheat
• Add feta cheese

Russian Olivier Salad

This salad is perfect as a side salad for a holiday feast, a bbq, or really any time you want to show off your culinary skills.

It’s a bit time-consuming to make, but it’s so worth it when you take that first bite.

The salty ham, the creamy dressing, the sweetness of the peas… it all comes together perfectly.

Pro Tip: To save time, you can use frozen peas instead of fresh peas. Just be sure to thaw them before adding them to the salad.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Instead of ham, you could use bacon or sausage.
• For a lighter dressing, you could use Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
• If you’re not a fan of peas, you could swap them out for corn or green beans.

Greek Salad

If you love fresh vegetables, savory feta cheese, and kalamata olives (I could eat them all day, every day), then you’ll love this Greek salad.

It’s so simple, but the flavors really pop. I also love that it can be served as a side dish or a main course.

Pro Tip: If you want to make this salad ahead of time, wait to add the dressing and feta cheese until right before you serve it.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Use any type of cheese in place of the feta cheese.
• Swap out the kalamata olives for green olives or black olives.
• Add cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu to make it a heartier meal.

Asian Slaw

With just a few ingredients, this salad is not only healthy and flavorful, but also incredibly easy to make.

The key to this salad is in the dressing – a simple mix of rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey and soy sauce.

This sweet and tangy dressing brings all the flavors together and makes this salad irresistible.

Pro Tip: To save time, you can use pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix.

Substitutions:

• If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Sesame oil can be replaced with vegetable oil or olive oil.
• Honey can be omitted or replaced with sugar or agave syrup.

Broccoli Salad

Fresh and colorful broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits (optional) all come together in this awesome salad.

The dressing is a simple mixture of mayonnaise, white vinegar, and sugar.

This salad is perfect for potlucks, barbecues, and picnics because it can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Pro Tip: For extra flavor, add a minced onion to the dressing.

Substitutions:

• If you don’t like broccoli, you could use cauliflower or Brussels sprouts instead.
• If you don’t have dried cranberries, raisins or chopped grapes would work as well.
• Any type of nut would be a good substitution for sunflower seeds.

Healthy Brussels Sprout Salad

I love adding cranberries and pecans to this salad for a little sweetness and crunch.

The Brussels sprouts are roasted which brings out an incredible flavor, and the goat cheese adds a creaminess that ties everything together.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have time to roast the Brussels sprouts, you can easily substitute them for raw kale or spinach.

Pasta Salad

This classic pasta salad is made with tri-color rotini, vegetables and cheeses in an Italian-style dressing.

See Also: What to Serve with Chicken Pasta Salad? 15 Best Side Dishes

It’s the perfect dish to bring to a potluck or picnic, and it’s always a hit!

Pro Tip: To save time, you can use pre-cooked rotini noodles.

Just be sure to rinse them with cold water before adding them to the salad, so they don’t stick together.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Use any type of pasta you have on hand – shells, elbows, or even penne would work well in this salad.
• Swap out the Italian dressing for your favorite vinaigrette. Balsamic vinegar would be especially delicious!
• Add in some protein with cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu.

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad (Gluten Free + Vegan)

This yummy orzo pasta salad recipe uses a rainbow of veggies and a bright, herby dressing.

It’s the perfect side dish for a summer BBQ or potluck.

I love that it’s gluten free and vegan, so everyone can enjoy it!

Pro Tip: To make this salad even more flavorful, add in some crumbled feta cheese or chopped olives.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Swap the orzo for another type of pasta, like shells or rotini.
• Use a different type of cheese, like goat cheese or mozzarella.
• Add in some protein, like grilled chicken or shrimp.

Taco Salad

Your whole family will love this EASY, healthy, one-dish meal!

It’s perfect for a busy weeknight because it comes together quickly, and you can customize it to your liking.

I always use ground turkey in my taco salad, but you could easily swap in ground beef or chicken.

And if you’re looking for a vegetarian option, black beans would be delicious in this as well.

Pro Tip: For extra flavor, try roasting your own corn! Just toss some fresh corn on the cob with olive oil and chili powder, and roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

3 Substitutions You Could Make:

• Swap the ground turkey for ground beef or chicken.
• Use black beans instead of meat for a vegetarian option.
• Add roasted corn for extra flavor.