This is not your basic side salad. It’s jam-packed with big flavors that start with spiced and grilled shrimp, plus grilled peppers and onions (I mean why not, the grill is already hot)—then all these grilled items get served on a base of romaine with lots of fresh vegetables and some Cotija cheese. A tangy cilantro vinaigrette then ties everything together. The salad is filling and light at the same time, if that makes sense. It’s also very fast to make, especially if you prepare some of the stuff in advance, which is fine to do. It makes for a healthy and delicious weeknight salad dinner and leftovers are fine for in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. Hello, hearty lunch salad.
How to Prep Shrimp for This Salad
To make the shrimp for this salad, you can use fresh or frozen shrimp. If you use frozen, make sure to thaw them slowly in the fridge before peeling and grilling. After peeling I season them well with chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. A good drizzle of olive oil will help them from sticking to the grill. I like to use 25-30 count shrimp for this recipe which means there are at least 25 shrimp per pound. That means they aren’t huge shrimp, but big enough to not fall apart on the grill. I like peeling the shrimp before grilling because it makes them easier to serve and I love the direct heat char that you get on the shrimp, but it does mean that the shrimp will cook faster, so you need to keep an eye on them.
Grilling Some Vegetables for Your Grilled Shrimp Salad
To make great grilled vegetables, keep them in big chunks so they don’t fall through the grates and are easier to flip. Drizzle them with oil and season well with salt and pepper. Once the vegetables are on the grill, don’t mess with them too much. Let them get charred nicely on one side before flipping. You can grill many of the vegetables in this salad, but I think the peppers, onions, and jalapenos are particularly good on the grill.
Make Ahead Tips
You can make many of the components of this salad in advance, like the vinaigrette, and chopping and preparing the vegetables. I wouldn’t pre-grill the vegetables or shrimp though since they are best right off the grill. If you have everything else done though, it really is a fast process to toss them on the grill and dinner is done!
More Glorious Grilled Shrimp Recipes
Grilled Shrimp with Chermoula Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Pepper Couscous Grilled Shrimp with Tomato Olive Salsa Grilled Garlic Shrimp Skewers Grilled Shrimp Taco Bowl
1 lime, juiced 2 tablespoons minced cilantro 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon sugar 1/3 cup olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste
For the grilled vegetables
1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered 1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered 1/2 red onion, cut into quarters 1 jalapeno, halved (remove seeds for less heat) 1 tablespoon olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste
For grilled shrimp
1 pound shrimp (25-30 count), peeled and deveined 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped 1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 avocado, pitted and chopped 4 scallions, thinly sliced 4-6 ounces Cotija cheese
The vinaigrette can be made in advance and stored in the fridge. It’s best served at room temperature. If you have leftover dressing, it will keep fine in the fridge for a week. Grill the vegetables for 4-5 minutes per side until they are well charred and tender. Using tongs, remove from the grill and let cool. Roughly chop the vegetables for the salad. Serve. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!
