Description
A vibrant and nutritious Shrimp Avocado Salad with a creamy tahini dressing, combining juicy sautéed shrimp, charred corn, fresh vegetables, and herbs for a flavorful and satisfying meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup plain sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons tahini paste
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, tightly packed
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 3 green onion sprigs, green parts only
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, stemmed and cored
Shrimp Salad:
- 2 pounds large shrimp (21–25 per pound), raw, deveined, peeled, tail off
- 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 ears of corn (or frozen corn thawed and cooked)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup seedless cucumber, diced
- 1/4 large red onion, finely chopped (or sumac onions: red onion mixed with 1 teaspoon sumac and 1/4 teaspoon salt)
- 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine sour cream, tahini, water, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, sumac, salt, black pepper, green onions, honey, olive oil, garlic, and jalapeño. Blend until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 24 hours.
- Season the Shrimp: Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Toss with Cajun seasoning, olive or avocado oil, salt, and black pepper ensuring even coating.
- Cook the Shrimp: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Corn: Remove corn kernels from cobs. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil over medium heat. Sauté corn kernels for 5-7 minutes until slightly charred. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Prep Vegetables and Herbs: Halve grape tomatoes, dice cucumber, finely chop red onion (or prepare sumac onions by mixing red onion with sumac and salt). Chop romaine lettuce, mince garlic, chop chives, dill, and flat-leaf parsley. Peel, pit, and slice avocados.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine, grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, red onion, charred corn, and shrimp. Gently fold in diced avocados.
- Add the Dressing and Toss: Pour the prepared tahini dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
Notes
- Use frozen corn if fresh is unavailable; thaw and cook before adding.
- Sumac onions add a tangy flavor and can be substituted for plain red onions.
- Adjust the spice level by using more or less jalapeño.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute sour cream with a plant-based alternative.
- The salad can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours but is best served fresh.
