Mango, Avocado and Shrimp Salad
Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 5 minutes · Total: about 25 minutes
When you need a refreshing salad for a hot day, this one does the job without feeling like rabbit food. Cold shrimp, juicy mango and avocado make it filling, while quinoa, nuts and seeds give it enough crunch to keep every bite interesting.
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups mixed lettuce or spring greens
- 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
- ½ cup cooked tri-color quinoa, completely cooled
- 6 to 8 large cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ ripe mango, peeled and sliced
- ½ large avocado, sliced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 2 to 3 cashews, roughly chopped
- Small handful shredded carrot, optional
- Small handful parsley, roughly chopped
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Lemon-honey dressing
- 2½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- A few grinds of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon water, if needed
Instructions
- 1
Make the dressing
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon, salt, and black pepper. Add a teaspoon of water if it tastes too sharp.
- 2
Prepare the shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry. Keep them chilled until you assemble the salad. If using raw shrimp, season lightly with salt and sauté in a little oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until opaque.
- 3
Dress the greens
Add the lettuce and cabbage to a large bowl. Toss with about half the dressing.
- 4
Build the salad
Transfer the greens to a wide serving bowl. Scatter the cooled quinoa over the top rather than mixing it all the way through.
- 5
Add the toppings
Arrange the shrimp, mango, avocado, and cherry tomatoes over the greens.
- 6
Finish
Sprinkle with the almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, carrot, and parsley. Spoon over more dressing as needed and serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe notes
Cook’s notes
- Shrimp: rotisserie chicken, salmon, tofu, chickpeas, or edamame.
- Mango: peaches, pineapple, oranges, or crisp apple. Quinoa: brown rice, couscous, farro, or cauliflower rice.
- Cabbage: romaine, kale, or broccoli slaw. Almonds and seeds: any toasted nut or seed mixture you have on hand. Parsley: cilantro, mint, or basil.
- Honey: maple syrup or a pinch of sugar. Dijon: leave it out, or use ½ teaspoon mayonnaise.
Swaps & substitutions
- Shortcuts: thawed frozen cooked shrimp, a microwave pouch of tri-color quinoa, pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix, and pre-cut mango turn this into an assembly job. A packaged salad-topper mix can stand in for the separate nuts and seeds, and a bottled lemon vinaigrette brightened with fresh lemon works in place of the dressing.
Make ahead & storage
- Make ahead: cook the quinoa, mix the dressing, and prepare the shrimp up to a day in advance. Add the avocado, mango, nuts, and dressing just before serving so the salad stays fresh.
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