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salad with serving utensils and dressing

Blackened Shrimp Salad


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  • Author: Steve Peters
  • Total Time: 27 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

In this vibrant Blackened Shrimp Salad, shrimp are seasoned with a flavorful blend of spices and quickly cooked to perfection under the broiler. They're nestled on a bed of fresh greens with tangy pickled onions, creamy avocado slices, juicy orange segments, and crumbled feta cheese, then finished with a refreshing lime and ginger vinaigrette.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 3 small oranges, such as Mandarins
  • 2 ripe avocado, sliced
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 16 ounces lettuce mix
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup pickled red onions (see note)
  • 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep the oven and shrimp. Set an oven rack to the second highest position from the top of the oven or your broiler. Preheat the broiler to high. Place the shrimp on a rack set inside a baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a small bowl to brush the shrimp. Use about half of this to coat the top of the shrimp.
  2. Make the spice mixture. Mix the salt, cinnamon, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Adjust the amount of cayenne based on how much heat you prefer. Sprinkle this over the shrimp.
  3. Cook the shrimp. Place the baking sheet of shrimp on the rack in the oven and broil for 5-6 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and move the oven rack up to the highest setting. Flip the shrimp over to the other side, brush with the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture. Place the tray back under the broiler for about 3 minutes or until the shrimp are fully cooked and lightly charred. Remove from the oven when done.
  4. Prep the other salad ingredients. Peel the oranges, separate the segments, and set them aside. Cut the avocados, remove the pits, and slice them into pieces. Make the dressing by whisking the vinegar, lime juice, honey, mustard, and ginger. Then slowly stream in the oil as you whisk to combine.
  5. Make your salads. To assemble the salads, place the greens on plates and top them evenly with the shrimp, oranges, avocado, cilantro, black beans, pickled onions, and feta cheese. Spoon over the dressing and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Notes

I try to keep quick pickled red onions on hand in the fridge at all times. They're delicious and great for tacos, salads, sandwiches, and more. They make everything better, take just 5 minutes to prep and stay good for weeks in the fridge. Here's a good recipe on how to prep them.

Don't stray far from the oven as the shrimp are broiling, as they can quickly burn if left for too long. This is especially important because broilers can all cook a bit differently, so use the cooking time as a suggestion.

This is a salad, so you should feel free to add or leave out ingredients to your liking. 

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: Broiling