Classic Shrimp Louie Salad
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Classic Shrimp Louie Salad is a refreshing blend of chilled shrimp, creamy avocado, and hard-boiled eggs on a bed of lettuce, all drizzled with a tangy Thousand Island dressing. Perfect for seafood lovers seeking a light dinner that is refreshing and delicious.
If you love shrimp as much as we do, then you must check out these delicious shrimp recipes too! Shrimp Scampi Pizza, Double Shrimp Pasta, Southern Shrimp and Grits, Shrimp Grilled Cheese, and Shrimp Tostadas.
The origins of Crab Louie salad, the “King of Salads” and Shrimp Louie are often traced back to San Francisco, California, around the early 1900s. Which chef created the first Louie salads is up for debate, but both are west coast classics and listed on restaurant menus across the country.
Each cold seafood salad is served with a creamy Louie dressing that is similar to Thousand Island, and again there are multiple versions. I decided to stick with my traditional thousand island recipe, and surprise surprise, is not made with ketchup.
I realize that most people do not make their own salad dressing, especially when busy, so substitute your family’s favorite.
Note: I always use my Instant Pot to make Hard-Boiled Eggs. It’s super simple and the peels fall right off.
What you’ll need
For the shrimp
- Large or jumbo shrimp – peeled and deveined
- Lemon – Half for poaching, and half for serving
- Bay leaves
- Black peppercorns
- Cold water and ice cubes for an ice bath
For the salad
- Crisp Romaine lettuce, chopped – Substitute iceberg or butter lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes – Halved
- Avocado – Sliced
- Hard-boiled eggs – Peeled and sliced in half – see my egg peeling hack below
- Thousand Island Dressing – French Dressing – Citrus Vinaigrette – Salad dressing of your choice
- Fresh chives or green onions
Check out the printable recipe card below for the complete recipe and detailed instructions.
Tools used
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- Medium Saucepan
- Cutting Board & Chefs Knife
- Big Platter – Rectangle with handles or Oval for serving
How to make Shrimp Louie Salad with poached shrimp
To poach the shrimp
Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl by adding ice cubes and enough water to cover the shrimp. Set aside.
Fill a medium size saucepan (2.5 – 3 quarts) three-quarters full of water (about 5-6 cups).
Squeeze the lemon juice from one lemon half into the pan, then add the salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
Bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat.
Remove from heat and wait for the water to stop boiling.
Add the shrimp and cover with a lid. Allow to sit off the heat for about 4 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
Remove the shrimp with a spider strainer or slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath to cool (about 5 minutes).
Assemble the salad
Place the lettuce on a large serving platter. Add the avocado slices, halved eggs, cherry tomato halves, lemon wedges, and shrimp. Drizzle with some of the dressing, and sprinkle with chives and fresh cracked black pepper.
Serve in individual salad bowls with additional dressing on the side, and some crusty bread.
This beautiful salad is perfect for summer parties, Mother’s day luncheons.
Store leftovers in an airtight container, and use within a day or two for best flavor.
Egg peeling hack
When I use eggs with white shells, they peel right off. The cage-free brown shells are thicker and tend to put up a fight. But I have come across the perfect solution!
All you need to do is put your egg in a glass mason jar, cover with water, secure the lid, and shake. It doesn’t take much, the shells start falling off in the water.
It works best with a wide mouth jar, my hand doesn’t fit in the regular size. You can use tongs, but you risk denting the perfectly peeled eggs.
You can add two eggs to these 32-ounce jars and get done in half the time!
FAQ’s
You can use either small salad shrimp or larger shrimp, depending on your preference. Make sure you use peeled, deveined, and cooked shrimp that are chilled before adding them to the salad.
Absolutely! Thaw them thoroughly overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Traditional choices include crisp, sturdy lettuces such as iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce. You can also use other varieties such as butter lettuce or mixed greens if you prefer a different texture or flavor.
Yes. You can cook the shrimp, boil the eggs, make the dressing in advance, but it’s best to assemble the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and fresh.
Add ingredients like green beans, cucumber slices, asparagus, olives, sliced bell peppers, fresh crab meat, or even bacon for extra flavor and texture.
Looking to add some heat? Add some chili sauce, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes to your dressing
More delicious seafood salad recipes
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Enjoy!!
Classic Shrimp Louie Salad
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined – 21-25 count
- 5-6 cup water
- 0.5 lemon juice of
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- cold water and ice for water bath
To assemble salad
- 2 heads romaine lettuce or 3 romaine hearts
- 1 large avocado sliced – or 2 small
- 4 hard-boiled eggs cut in half
- 5 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half – about one cup
- 0.5 lemon cut into wedges
- .75 cup thousand island dressing or dressing of your choice
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
Instructions
For the shrimp
- Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl by adding ice cubes and enough water to cover the shrimp. Set aside.
- Fill a medium size saucepan (2.5 – 3 quarts) three-quarters full of water (about 5-6 cups). Squeeze the lemon juice from one lemon half into the pan, then add the salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
- Bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat. Remove from heat and wait for the water to stop boiling.
- Add the shrimp and cover with a lid. Allow to sit off the heat for about 4 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
- Remove the shrimp with a spider strainer or slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath to cool (about 5 minutes).
To assemble salad
- Place the lettuce on a large serving platter. Add the avocado slices, halved eggs, cherry tomatoes, lemon wedges, and shrimp. Drizzle with some of the dressing, and sprinkle with chives and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Serve in individual salad bowls with additional dressing on the side, and some crusty bread.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container, and use within a day or two for best flavor.
- You can use either small salad shrimp or larger shrimp, depending on your preference. Make sure you use peeled, deveined, and cooked shrimp that are chilled before adding them to the salad.
- If using frozen shrimp, thaw thoroughly overnight in the refrigerator.
- Substitute other varieties such as butter lettuce or mixed greens if you prefer a different texture or flavor.
- To prep ahead: You can cook the shrimp, boil the eggs, make the dressing in advance, but it’s best to assemble the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and fresh.
- See post for variations and substitutions.
