Ingredients
Gathering the ingredients for this salad is like picking out the colors for a beautiful painting — each one bringing its own unique hue and flavor to the dish. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ripe avocados, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups arugula or mixed greens
- Juice of 1 lime
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
If you don’t have smoked paprika on hand, regular paprika works just fine. And for those who prefer a bit more heat, feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Instructions
Creating this salad is as simple as it is rewarding. Let’s walk through the steps together:
- In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until well-coated.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they turn pink and are cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the diced avocados, cherry tomatoes, and sliced red onion.
- Add the cooked shrimp to the bowl, and gently toss everything together with the greens.
- Drizzle the lime juice over the salad and give it one final toss to combine all the flavors.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves before serving.
Remember, the key to this salad is not overcooking the shrimp. They should remain juicy and tender, adding a delightful texture contrast to the creamy avocado.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International