Cucumber Shrimp Salad (Print Version)

Crisp cucumbers meet succulent shrimp in a zesty citrus herb dressing for a refreshing light meal.

# Ingredient List:

01 - 14 oz cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

02 - 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced

03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

04 - 1 avocado, diced

05 - 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

06 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

08 - 3 tbsp olive oil

09 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard

11 - 1 garlic clove, minced

12 - Salt and pepper, to taste

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the sliced cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes, avocado, dill, and parsley.

02 - Add the cooked shrimp to the bowl with the vegetables and herbs.

03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well blended and emulsified.

04 - Pour the dressing over the shrimp and vegetables, and toss gently to combine without crushing the avocado.

05 - Chill for 10 minutes before serving for enhanced flavor melding. Garnish with extra dill or lemon wedges and serve immediately.

01 -

The combination of cool cucumber and juicy shrimp hits differently on hot days when you can't bear heavy food
You can prep everything ahead and just toss before serving, which means more time with friends and less time stressing in the kitchen

02 -

I learned the hard way that adding the avocado too early turns it into brown mush—dice and fold it in right before serving if you care about how it looks
Letting the salad chill for even 10 minutes lets the flavors marry, but don't go much longer than 30 minutes or the cucumber starts releasing water and everything gets watery

03 -

A pinch of red pepper flakes in the dressing adds this subtle warmth that makes the whole salad feel more sophisticated and interesting
Pat your shrimp completely dry with paper towels before adding them—excess water will make your dressing separate and turn the whole thing sad and watery