Shrimp Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This deli-style shrimp salad gets a boost from Old Bay, so the flavors really pop. It’s a great one to keep in the fridge for quick lunches or simple entertaining.
This shrimp salad, made with perfectly cooked fresh shrimp, crunchy celery, scallions, and a creamy dressing, is a protein-packed favorite in our house. We love it on a toasty roll, but it’s incredibly versatile: try it tucked into a flour tortilla, piled over romaine for a lighter meal, or chopped up and served as a dip with crackers.
The secret to its standout flavor is Old Bay seasoning. This Maryland staple—a savory blend of celery salt, paprika, and dry mustard, to name just a few—is the ultimate seafood companion, especially in dishes like crab cakes and boiled shrimp, but we Marylanders put it on everything from popcorn to fried chicken. Whether you’re making a sandwich or serving it in lettuce cups, it really takes this salad up a notch.
“My husband and I made this for New Year’s Day and are delighted to tell you it’s the best shrimp salad we have ever tasted!”
What You’ll Need To Make Shrimp Salad
- Large shrimp (shell-on, deveined; thawed if frozen) – I recommend buying frozen shrimp for the freshest quality (most shrimp are flash-frozen shortly after being caught); thaw overnight in the fridge or under cool running water. Cooking them in the shell gives better flavor and texture.
- Mayonnaise – The creamy base that brings everything together. I recommend using a good-quality brand, such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Old Bay seasoning – Gives the salad that classic savory, slightly spicy flavor; usually in the spice aisle, often near the seafood seasonings.
- White wine vinegar & Worcestershire sauce – Adds a little acidity and depth to balance the richness.
- Celery & scallions (light and dark parts) – Lends crunch and fresh, mild onion flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the shrimp. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until bright pink and opaque, about 1½ minutes.
Step 2: Chill and peel. Drain the shrimp in a colander and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let sit for 15 minutes until chilled, then peel and set aside.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip the ice bath! It ensures the shrimp don’t overcook and stay plump and snappy rather than becoming rubbery.
Step 3: Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Old Bay, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
Pro Tip: Whisking the dressing in a bowl large enough to hold the entire salad saves you from washing an extra dish and ensures every shrimp gets perfectly coated.
Step 4: Toss and season. Add the cooked shrimp, celery, and scallions to the dressing. Toss well, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 5: Chill and serve. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle with the dark green scallions and a dash of Old Bay. The salad keeps for two days, covered, in the fridge.
Pro Tip: If the dressing feels a bit thick after sitting in the fridge, a tiny splash of the white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice can brighten things up.
More Lunch Salads You May Like
Shrimp Salad
This shrimp salad recipe brings together perfectly cooked shrimp, a bit of crunch, and a creamy, well-seasoned dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large raw shrimp (31-35 per pound), shell-on and deveined, thawed if frozen
- ½ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellman's or Duke's
- 1½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ¼ cup finely sliced scallions, light and dark green parts separated
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and set next to the sink.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright pink and cooked through, about 1½ minutes (the water needn't return to a boil).
- Drain the shrimp in a colander and then immediately plunge them into the ice water to shock them and stop the cooking process. Let sit until chilled, about 15 minutes. Peel the shrimp and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Old Bay, wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the shrimp, celery, and light green scallions. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Before serving, transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the dark green scallions and a dash of Old Bay. The salad will keep for 2 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 244
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Sugar: 0g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 21g
- Sodium: 979mg
- Cholesterol: 198mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
So good! and easy to put together!
Very yummy. I made some changes based on my in house ingredients. Omg. Soooo good.
I used precooked crawfish tails instead of shrimp. Added maybe 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard & Worcestershire to Mayo mix. Used balsamic vinegar instead of white. Added a bit of slap ya mama along with recommended old bay, and a bit of garlic powder. I also used the celery greens because my celery had them. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Best ‘shrimp’ salad I’ve made! Yum yum
Nice flavors. I’ve made this several times – it’s now on rotation in our household. As mentioned by someone else, I cut up the shrimp to make it more manageable in sandwiches for my husband. I have my portion on top of a mixed green salad. Always delicious!
I folliwed this recipe yesterday with high hopes (having just purchased Old Bay for the first time). The only change I made was to use cold, precooked shrimp from Costco also purchased same day. The overwhelming saltiness made it impossible to enjoy; I wouldn’t serve it to family or guests. Next time, I’ll use other spices. I threw the heart attack waiting to happen away…such a waste of good shrimp…
As everyone else said…this is a great recipe! I used red wine vinegar and fresh squeezed lemon juice….it was a wonderful dressing for my shrimp salad for dinner!
We are eating this salad as part of our Christmas meal right now. It is phenomenal! The secret is old bay spice and cooling shrimp in its shells! Thank you for posting it!
This looks wonderful – I’m planning on making this as an appetizer for Christmas, but in a deconstructed form. Tossing chopped romaine with the celery as the base. Topped with the shrimp (I’m using small bay shrimp). Lightly adding the dressing (possibly with a vessel on the side if folks want more dressing). And the scallions on top.
Hi Jenn,
For some reason, I guess I confused this recipe with another that was more like at a dip. But, since I know Jenn’s recipes, are always right on the money, I made this shrimp salad.
I needed some thing as a filling in croissants, so I did chop up the shrimp to make it more manageable for my husband as my shrimp were larger than recipe called for.
As usual, it went over, extremely well, flavor was well balanced.
Thank you again, Jenn for your forever recipes.
Carol
What seasoning could be substituted for the Old Bay seasoning…. For those who might not be fans of that particular flavor?
Hi Marianne, I’d suggest paprika, salt, and pepper. If you like any of these (which are also in Old Bay), feel free to add a pinch: cayenne pepper, dry mustard, ground mace, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, and ginger. Hope that helps!
Another delicious recipe from you! So easy. We planned to serve them as sandwiches on brioche rolls so I tore the shrimp in half after peeling them. So good. I didn’t adjust seasonings at all but we had only 12 oz of shrimp so the sauce ratio was increased. We liked that!
Another winning recipe. Absolutely delicious!!! And, it couldn’t have been easier to prepare. Thank you Jenn