Southwest Shrimp Salad
Fresh and flavorful Southwest Shrimp Salad is made with grilled shrimp, black beans, corn and a zesty Creamy Avocado Dressing. This easy Southwest salad recipe is perfect for a hearty summer dinner.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the salad
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1½ cups frozen corn thawed and pan-roasted
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 green onions sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese optional
For the grilled shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
For the Creamy Avocado Dressing
- 1 large avocado
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt as a substitute
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ jalapeño seeds removed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup water more to thin, as needed
Instructions
Make the Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Add all ingredients except water to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- To thin the dressing, add water 2 tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Set aside.
Grill the shrimp
- Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder and lime zest until evenly coated.
- Thread onto skewers (about 6 shrimp per skewer).
- Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until opaque and lightly charred (4 to 6 minutes total).
Assemble the salad
- In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, corn, black beans, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and cheese (if using).
- Add shrimp from the skewers.
- Drizzle with about half of the Creamy Avocado Dressing and toss gently to evenly coat. Add more dressing to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You also can serve this salad with the dressing on the side. This will allow for easy meal prep or for leftover ingredients to be stored individually for use the next day or two.