Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad with Avocado

It can be tricky to find an easy lunch entree that serves a 6-8 people, that can be made a whole day ahead, and looks beautiful too!

I made this salad for a garden lunch with friends and prepared all of the ingredients the day before. I assembled everything right before the party in about 10 minutes! I also made a gorgeous tomato bruschetta and pesto farro side dish that everyone loved!

The shrimp is pan-sautéd, it takes just 4-6 minutes to make, and the only other cooked ingredients are seared asparagus and microwaved (or grilled) corn. Everything else is simply sliced and arranged on the platter.

The recipe is easy to adjust for the amount of guests you have. I find the only thing I need to adjust is the amount of shrimp for anywhere between 4-8 guests, but everything else will stay the same.

For example, if I have 4 guests, I’ll choose between 15-20 shrimp, 6 guests = 20-25 and 8 guests = 30-35 shrimp. There are plenty of veggies for 4-8 people in this recipe, so you don’t need to adjust the amounts. Just adjust shrimp accordingly.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It easily feeds a crowd – With just 1 or 2 sides, you’ll have a beautiful lunch that feeds 6-8 people!

It’s beautiful – This recipe gets “Oooos” and “Ahhhs” every time! If you really want to impress someone (or everyone at the table), this is the recipe to make!

You can prepare almost everything a whole day ahead – This is my favorite part. I prep all the ingredients that have to be cooked the day before, then assemble the entire thing in 10 minutes or less before the party. I cover it with cellophane, pop it in the fridge then simply unveil it before my guest’s starry eyes.

The Process

First, we’ll season and pan-sauté the shrimp for 4-6 minutes with minced garlic. We’ll cover and refrigerate.

Next, we’ll sear asparagus, microwave the corn, and refrigerate those as well for at least an hour.

Then, we’ll slice avocado, corn and snap peas, and arrange them on a platter with asparagus and greens.

Finally, we’ll place the shrimp on top and drizzle with salad dressing.

Ingredient Notes

raw shrimp – If you can only find cooked shrimp, it’s not the end of the world. They’ll just be a bit tough when sautéd, but still tasty. Simply spend less time sautéing. Instead of sautéing for 4-5 minutes, sauté only for 3-4 minutes.

corn – I used corn on the cob for this recipe because I love adding big chunks of sliced corn to the platter. It’s just so satisfying. You can also use canned corn, but just be sure to use a nice brand and fully rinse it first.

sugar snap peas – You can also use snow peas, but I love snap peas to add a little crunch to the salad.

asparagus – You can pan-sear or roast asparagus for about 12 minutes. See my recipe for roasted lemon asparagus if you prefer to roast instead of pan-sear.

mixed greens – I used a lovely spring mix, but feel free to use any kind of green you like! If you want to add a little more color, feel free to add some thinly sliced purple radicchio or endive too!

cilantro – Use the freshest you can find.

lime – Only use fresh lime juice, not juice from a bottle.

avocado – Find one that’s medium-firm. It will be easier to slice if it isn’t soft.

Old Bay seasoning – If you don’t have Old Bay, substitute with a little paprika, salt and cayenne pepper. 

chili pepper – You can also use chipotle chili pepper if you want to give it a little smokey flavor.

garlic – You’ll only need about 3 large cloves.

How to Make This Recipe – Step by Step

1. Mince 3 garlic cloves.

2. Finely chop 1 tbsp. cilantro.

3. Rinse and dry 20 raw shrimp with paper towel. Remove tails. Add 1½ tbsp. olive oil and shrimp to a sauté pan. Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning and chili pepper. Sauté on MEDIUM-HIGH for 3 minutes without moving. Add minced garlic and flip shrimp. Sauté shrimp and garlic for 2-3 minutes more.

4. Turn off heat, add chopped cilantro and juice from 1-2 limes. Give everything a little stir. Place shrimp in a container with a lid and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

5. Slice the woody ends off of 1 bunch of asparagus.

6. Add 1½ tbsp. olive oil to sauté pan and turn heat to MEDIUM-HIGH. Lay asparagus flat, season with salt & pepper, and don’t move it for 4-5 minutes, until it has a nice sear down each side. Once seared, flip and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Place asparagus in a container with a lid and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

7. Place 1 corn on the cob into a microwave with the husk still on. Microwave for 4 minutes. You can also boil it for 2-3 minutes, or grill for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove when done (it will be hot!), and refrigerate for 1-2 hours with the husk still on.

8. Once ready to serve, remove husk from corn and carefully slice down the sides. You want some nice, big chunks of corn to stay intact.

9. Slice 1 avocado in half, remove the pit and peel the skin.

10. Slice each half into half-inch slices.

11. Place 5 oz. mixed greens onto your serving platter. Surround with 8 oz. snap peas and endive leaves (optional – not pictured). Place cold asparagus in small bunches in a cross shape (or however you choose).

12. Carefully fan sliced avocado by spreading apart the slices and place each fanned half on 2 sides of the salad. 

13. Place cilantro lime shrimp in a nice pile right in the center.

14. Add lovely corn chunks equally around, then sprinkle with the rest of the kernels. Drizzle with dressing and serve. See recipe card below for optional dressing recipe.

A Few Recipes to Pair with This Salad