Citrus Shrimp Spring Salad

Simple, but flavorful Citrus Shrimp Spring Salad. This light, spring salad consists of mixed greens, crunchy spring vegetables, fresh herbs, creamy avocado, sweet peas, crisp radishes, and pan-seared citrus shrimp, all tossed together with an easy, light dressing.

This amazing spring salad is delicious with Fruit Salad or all on its own.

There is just something about spring that makes whipping up these veggie packed salads a must. And when drizzled with a simple, homemade, but vibrant dressing, and paired with the perfect beverage, it is no wonder this becomes a go to lunch around here.

What’s To Love

This salad is absolutely fantastic, and flavor packed, and easy to make, but there is so much to love about it:

Easy Double-Duty: One of my favorite things about it is how easy it is. You cook the shrimp ahead, but fortunately this does not mean extra ingredients or time. Rather, the dressing doubles as the cooking sauce for shrimp. Whip up one batch, use half for the shrimp and half to drizzle over the salad. So simple.
Customizable: You can add whichever fresh spring veggies and herbs you love. The combo shared in this recipe is my personal favorite, but if you are at the local market or store and see something that looks great, why not toss it in?
Creamy, Crunchy, Fresh: This salad hits all the right notes. You get the citrus shrimp, the creamy avocado, the crunchy spring veggies and pistachios, and the bright and vibrant dressing, making it a total part on your palette.
Pairs well with Lipton Green Tea Citrus: And it is the perfect fresh, light salad, to complement Lipton Green Tea Citrus. There is just something about iced tea and spring salad that is a match made in heaven.

Pair with Lipton® Green Tea Citrus

I have been making this Citrus Shrimp Spring Salad on repeat, and even served it to my book club ladies at our monthly brunch. It was a huge hit. Especially since I paired it with Lipton Green Tea Citrus.

I was at my local grocery store, in the iced tea aisle, where I saw Lipton Green Tea Citrus. I was still trying to decide what to serve at brunch, and it was just the inspiration I needed for this salad. The citrus on the shrimp, the crunch of the vegetables, and the creaminess of the avocado pairs perfectly with this green tea variety, and the citrus in it. Plus, Lipton offers a new 64 oz. bottle size, which is ideal size for sharing with friends and family over a meal.

The Lipton® Green Tea Citrus pairs so well with a citrusy recipe, with the light, vibrant flavors. And the new 64 oz. Bottle size of Lipton Teas can be found in any local grocery store iced tea aisle, and can be picked up during your weekly shopping trip. New Look, Same Great Taste. And with 100% Daily Value Antioxidant Vitamin C per 12 fl.oz. you just can’t go wrong with this pairing.

Save $0.50 when you buy 1 (ONE) Lipton Iced Tea 64oz now through 6/31/2021 at supporting national retailers.

What You Need to Make Citrus Shrimp Spring Salad

This salad is customizable, so start with fresh spring vegetables and herbs, and add what you love from there. Here are the base ingredients:

Salad

- Spring Vegetables: asparagus, peas, radishes
- Fresh Herbs: chives, basil, mint
- Salad greens: Spring mix
- Fats: avocado and pistachios
- Seasonings: Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Wild Shrimp

Dressing

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped fine
1 teaspoon minced garlic clove
1 teaspoon white sugar (optional)
2 tablespoon lemon juice, plus ½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as desired
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Citrus Shrimp Salad

Prep Ingredients: Wash and chop all your herbs, slice the avocado, slice the radishes, and defrost your peas, or slice fresh spring peas.

Mix up Salad Dressing: Put all of the dressing ingredients together in a jar or bowl, and shake or whisk to mix together. Taste, and adjust seasonings to preference.

Cook asparagus: Bring a medium sauté pan of water and to a boil. Add the asparagus to the sauté pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and then slice the asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Cook Shrimp: In now empty medium sauté pan, add ½ the prepared dressing mixture, and cook over medium-high heat 5-6 minutes, until starting to thicken and reduce. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, cook until pink, 4-6 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Assemble: Toss salad greens with shrimp and any remaining sauce from the pan, and then top with remaining ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and serve paired with Lipton Green Tea Citrus.

What Type of Greens Should I Use in This Shrimp Salad?

I mentioned this salad is super customizable, and that includes the greens. I love using a spring mix, because it is neutral flavored, and offers a seasonal flare. But as I have been making it on repeat, I have tried it with other greens as well. So here is what I recommend, in order of deliciousness. But honestly, use whatever you prefer, or is available. They all taste great and pair well with the Lipton Green Tea Citrus.

Spring mix: A variety of neutral flavors and textures.
Arugula: offers a peppery taste, delicious with the citrus
Baby spinach leaves: Neutral, easy, substantial, and holds the dressing well.
Romaine lettuce: Crunchier and heartier lettuce.

Tips for the Best Shrimp Salad

Making this salad is eazy peazy, but the following tips will help you get delicious, consistent results every time:

Scale: this salad serves 4, but is great for gatherings as it is light and refreshing, so simply scale it up if you want to serve a group.
Shrimp: Choose the best shrimp you can find. I am land locked, so mine are usually from the freezer section. If you can get fresh, awesome. But frozen works great. I opt for jumbo because I love the size, but no matter what size you get, look for peeled and deveined shrimp and remove the tail. You don’t want those eating the salad to have to remove the tails as they go.
Serve Fresh: This salad is best served fresh. If you want to make it ahead, prepare each aspect separately, and assemble just before serving. The shrimp is great chilled or warm on this salad. But don’t try to mix it up ahead of time, or store leftovers.

Serving Suggestions

This salad is the perfect light meal. It has enough heft to it with the avocado, pistachio, and vegetables, that you won’t be left feeling hungry later, but it is always nice to pair it with a few things to make it feel like a complete meal.

Lipton Green Tea Citrus: the perfect light and refreshing ice tea that highlights and complements the citrus and spring flavors found in this salad.
Focaccia or breadsticks: Add some staying power to the meal by serving it with a side of bread. My recommendation is focaccia.

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