Get ready to meet your new favorite salad: Shrimp Avocado Salad with Tahini Dressing! This vibrant, flavor-packed salad is bursting with juicy shrimp, creamy avocado, and a medley of fresh veggies, all tied together with a luscious tahini dressing. It’s light, refreshing, and perfect for those sunny days when you want a dish that’s delicious and super satisfying.
What is Shrimp Avocado Salad with Tahini Dressing?
Our shrimp avocado salad with tahini dressing is a vibrant and delicious salad that brings together all the best flavors of summer in one bowl! We take juicy, perfectly seared shrimp and pair it with charred corn, creamy avocado, herbs, veggies, and lettuce.
And let’s talk about the tahini dressing—it’s what makes this salad stand out! This creamy, nutty dressing is made with tahini paste, zesty lime juice, a hint of honey, and a touch of cumin and sumac for a little extra flavor. Drizzle it generously over your salad, and you’ve got a deliciously unique dish that’s perfect for a light lunch or a fun dinner. Whether you’re looking to impress at a party or just treat yourself, this salad is guaranteed to be a hit!
Ingredients You Need
Seafood –
- Large Raw Shrimp, Deveined, Peeled, and Tail Off – These bad boys are the stars of the show, bringing that juicy, ocean-fresh flavor that takes this salad to the next level!
Produce –
- Avocados – Creamy and dreamy, these slices add butter goodness to the salad.
- Chopped Fresh Chives – A sprinkle of chives adds a subtle oniony kick that keeps things interesting.
- Ears of Corn – Sweet and crisp, corn brings a burst of sunshine to every bite.
- Fresh Dill, Chopped – Dill’s bright herbal flavor gives the salad a fresh, slightly tangy lift.
- Flat-Leaf Parsley – Parsley adds a pop of green and a fresh, earthy flavor.
- Grape Tomatoes – These bright little gems burst with sweet tanginess and add a juicy bite of goodness to the salad.
- Juice of a Large Lime – Lime juice brings a zesty punch that brightens up the whole dish.
- Red Onion or Sumac Onions – A bit of sharpness from the onion keeps your palate on its toes!
- Romaine Lettuce – Crisp and refreshing, romaine is the crunchy base that ties this salad all together.
- Seedless Cucumber – We love the refreshing and satisfying crunch from cucumbers!
Shrimp –
- Cajun Seasoning Blend – This gives the shrimp a spicy kick that makes them sizzle with flavor!
- Olive Oil or Avocado Oil – Smooth and rich either of these oils is the perfect partner to help those seasonings stick.
- Black Pepper – A little peppery heat helps to keep things lively.
- Sea Salt – Sea salt enhances all the natural flavors and makes everything pop.
Dressing –
- Plain Sour Cream – Creamy and tangy, it’s the luscious base for our dressing.
- Honey – Honey adds a touch of sweetness that balances the tang and spice.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Smooth and rich, olive oil brings everything together with a silky finish.
- Tahini Paste – Nutty and rich, tahini adds a luxurious depth to the dressing.
- Water – Just the right amount of water helps to achieve the perfect dressing consistency.
- Fresh Cilantro – This herb adds vibrant flavor to the salad.
- Freshly-Squeezed Lime Juice – The zesty tang of lime juice brightens up every bite.
- Ground Cumin – Warm and earthy, cumin gives a little smoky depth.
- Sumac – Tangy and tart, sumac adds an unexpected zing.
- Fine Sea Salt – Bring out all the flavors of the dressing with just a pinch of salt.
- Freshly-Cracked Black Pepper – A little kick keeps things interesting!
- Green Onion Sprigs – Mildly oniony and fresh, green onions add a nice bite and a pop of flavor.
- Garlic Cloves – Bold and punchy, garlic brings the whole dressing to life.
- Jalapeno – This pepper adds a little heat to spice things up!
How to Make Shrimp Avocado Salad with Tahini Dressing
- Prep and Cook the Shrimp. Place the shrimp in a colander and rinse before patting them dry and coating them with Cajun seasoning, oil, salt, and pepper. Then, place them in a pre-heated skilled and sear until cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to a plate to cool.
- Make the Corn. Using a sharp knife, slice the corn kernels off of the cobs before adding them to a skillet that has been pre-heated and drizzled with oil. Place the kernels in the skillet and saute until browned. Transfer to a bowl.
- Prep the Veggies. Chop the herbs, lettuce, and red onions, slice the tomatoes in half, and dice up the cucumber. Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl.
- Whisk Up the Dressing. Stir together the oil, lime juice, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, chives, dill, parsley, and water in a small bowl.
- Put the Salad Together. Add the charred corn and cooked shrimp to the bowl of vegetables and toss before folding in the diced avocados.
- Finish and Serve. Add the dressing to the salad and gently toss to coat all of the ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate briefly before serving. If not serving immediately, wait until you’re ready before adding the avocado and dressing.
Variations
- Spicy Mango – Add diced mango and a dash of hot sauce for a sweet and spicy twist that’ll make your taste buds tingle.
- Mediterranean – Toss in some kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
- Citrus Basil – Swap the lime for a mix of lemon and orange juice, and add fresh basil for a bright and zesty flavor combo.
- Shrimp and Quinoa Power Salad – Mix in cooked quinoa for a protein-packed, hearty version that’s perfect for a filling lunch.
- Asian-Inspired – Add shredded carrots, edamame, and a sesame ginger dressing for a fresh, Asian twist.
- Tropical – Include pineapple chunks and toasted coconut flakes for a refreshing, island vibe.
Can I Store Leftovers?
You can absolutely store leftovers but be sure to keep the components separate so that the greens don’t get soggy!
To refrigerate, store the components of the salad separately in airtight containers for about three days.
While you can store the cooked shrimp for up to 3 months in the freezer, we don’t recommend freezing the other ingredients of the salad.
More Scrumptious Salad Recipes
Looking for more salads that are bound to make your mouth water? We have all of the recipes for salads that you’ll be craving over and over!
Shrimp Avocado Salad
This shrimp avocado salad with tahini is exploding with fresh veggies, tender shrimp, and a creamy dressing!
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- 1 Blender or Food Processor
- 2 Skillets
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup plain sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons tahini paste stirred
- 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 21-25 per pound raw shrimp, deveined, peeled, and 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 option to use frozen corn that is 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
- In a blender or food processor, combine the sour cream, tahini, water, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, sumac, salt, black pepper, green onions, honey, olive oil, garlic, and jalapeño. Process until smooth and creamy.1/2 cup plain sour cream, 1 Tablespoon honey, 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons tahini paste, 2 Tablespoons water, 1 cup fresh cilantro, 3 Tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 3/4 teaspoon sumac, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper, 3 green onion sprigs, 2 garlic cloves, 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper
- Cover and refrigerate until salad is ready or for up to 24 hours.
- Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Season with Cajun seasoning, 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil, salt, and pepper.2 pounds large, 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend, 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side or until pink and opaque. Set aside to cool.
- Remove the corn kernels from the cobs. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until slightly charred. Set aside to cool.3 ears of corn
- Halve the grape tomatoes, dice the cucumber, finely chop the red onion, and chop the romaine lettuce. Peel, pit, and dice the avocados. Mince the garlic, and chop the fresh chives, dill, and parsley.1 cup grape tomatoes, 1 cup seedless cucumber, 1/4 large red onion, 6 cups romaine lettuce, 2 avocados, 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives, 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, 2 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, 2 garlic cloves
- In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, red onion, charred corn, and cooked shrimp.
- Gently fold in the diced avocados.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.