Shrimp Louie Salad is perfect for serving at a weekend brunch or lunch. A creamy, signature dressing made with mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcester sauce and spices is drizzled over a bed of crispy Romain lettuce topped with Cajun-spiced shrimp, diced avocado, cherry tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs.
It’s always good to have some easy, flavor-packed dishes to serve to guests, and this is one of my favorites. It also makes a great healthy lunch if you want to swap out the sandwich for something lighter with less calories.
What is shrimp louie?
Shrimp Louie salad is a classic shrimp salad originating in San Francisco in the early 1900’s. The salad starts with a bed of greens, and is usually topped with avocado, hard-boiled eggs, tomato, and shrimp, with a signature dressing (that’s similar to Thousand Island) drizzled on top.
Ingredients you'll need
- Shrimp- I use large, raw shrimp for this recipe. You can buy the shrimp in the frozen seafood aisle of your grocery store or at the fish counter of your local market.
- Oil- I use good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Cajun seasoning- A flavorful seasoning used in Louisiana cooking. Find this in the spice aisle.
- Paprika- Use plain paprika in this recipe (other types include smoked hot, Hungarian and smoked sweet). Find it in the spice aisle of your grocery store.
- Mayo- A pantry staple.
- Ketchup- A pantry staple.
- Sour cream- You can use either full fat or low fat.
- Lemon juice- I squeeze straight from the lemon for best flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar- A pantry staple.
- Brown sugar- A pantry staple.
- Worcester sauce- A fermented sauce found in the condiment aisle of your grocery store.
- Lettuce- This recipe calls for romaine, but use your favorite lettuce if you prefer. It’s traditionally served on iceberg lettuce, but a romaine, butter lettuce or spring mix works well.
- Tomatoes- I use cherry tomatoes, but you can cut a large tomato into wedges, take out the seeds and chop into dice.
- Avocado- Use a ripe avocado that yields to firm, gentle pressure and cut into cubes.
- Hard Boiled Eggs- You can make these ahead of time and store in the fridge. A great timesaver is to buy a bag of already hard boiled eggs from the grocery store. You can find them in the dairy department beside the regular eggs.
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP LOUIE SALAD
- Prepare the avocado, tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs and wash the lettuce if it’s not pre-washed. Set aside.
- For the dressing. Whisk by hand, combine the mayo, ketchup, sour cream, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, paprika, Worcester sauce, and salt in a bowl.
- For the shrimp Thaw if necessary (see below). Peel the shrimp if you bought shell-on. Season the shrimp with Cajun seasoning and sauté in olive oil for about 4-5 minutes, until pink and opaque.
- Assemble the salad. This step includes laying down a bed of lettuce and arranging the avocado, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and shrimp on top.
- Drizzle with the dressing right before serving. Keep any leftover dressing in a sealed container in the fridge.
HOW TO THAW FROZEN SHRIMP
If your shrimp are frozen, you have two options for thawing. One option is to let them thaw overnight in the fridge. Another option is to take the shrimp out of the package, put it in a bowl of cold water (or a colander), and let a light stream of cold water run into the bowl while excess water goes down the drain. It will take about 15 minutes for the shrimp to be ready to cook.
HOW TO BOIL EGGS
- Fill a small or medium pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Gently add the eggs and boil for 10 minutes.
- Drain when done and let cool before peeling.
- You can make the eggs a day or two before you make the salad. Store in the fridge with the peels on until ready to use.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE OTHER INGREDIENTS FOR THE SHRIMP?
You can swap out the shrimp for lump crab meat. In fact, some restaurants serve Crab Louie salad. If you want a vegetarian option, replace the shrimp with a can of chickpeas.
HOW TO SERVE SHRIMP LOUIE
There are many ways to serve this epic salad. You can arrange lettuce in individual salad bowls with the rest of the ingredients on top.
If you're serving a crowd, get a large bowl and toss in the lettuce with the rest of the ingredients arranged in rows on top.
You can also arrange the ingredients on a large platter and put the bowl with cooked shrimp right at the center.
WHAT OTHER INGREDIENTS GO WITH SHRIMP LOUIE SALAD?
- Cooked beets
- Parsley
- Olives
- Tabasco
- Baby potatoes
- Asparagus
- Sliced zucchini
- Lemon wedges
- Green beans
TO MAKE AHEAD OF TIME
The hard-boiled eggs can be made up to 1 week ahead of time.
The dressing can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can pre-cook the shrimp and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Wait until right before serving to drizzle the salad with dressing. You want the lettuce to be crisp, not soggy.
This post has been updated with new images and minor helpful changes to the text. The recipe remains the same.
