Ensalada de Camaron is a Mexican shrimp salad that’s perfect for leftover shrimp.
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I served pre-cooked shrimp with cocktail sauce at a game day get together and had plenty of leftovers. That’s how this recipe was born.
It’s a take on Ensalada de Pollo which is always a big hit with my family.
Creamy, mildly spicy, and so delicious! An easy dinner for when you don’t feel like cooking.
Table of Contents
🦐 Ingredients
- shrimp
- frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
- frozen corn (thawed)
- celery
- Pickled Jalapeno + juice
- red onion
- mayonnaise
- yellow mustard
- salt and black pepper
The dressing is mayo based. Not a fan of mayo? Use olive oil or sour cream instead.
A good substitute for red onion is green onion. Sprinkle in a pinch of ground cumin for a little more flavor.
We’re using frozen vegetables that have been thawed. Feel free to use a drained can of mixed vegetables. Or cook fresh corn and other desired veggies.
🥣 Instructions
- Place the raw shrimp in a stock pot.
- Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Once the shrimp turn pink, turn them off immediately. You do not want to overcook the shrimp, or they will get rubbery.
These are large deveined shrimp. Jumbo shrimp, small shrimp, size really doesn’t matter since they will be chopped into small pieces once cooked.
If you buy already cooked shrimp, skip this step and go straight to making the salad. That’s the easiest way to make other Mexican food favorites like Coctel de Camaron and Shrimp Michelada.
- Let the shrimp cool slightly.
- Chop into small 1-inch size pieces.
Here, we are making this salad using shrimp, but it can also be done with lobster, scallops, or a combination of seafood.
This is a great recipe to make on hot summer days or take to a potluck.
- Place everything in a large bowl or serving container.
- Mix until well combined.
This Mexican shrimp salad recipe is very versatile. Change it and make it your own.
➕ Additions
For a hint of freshness, add lemon juice, some some lemon zest, and herby cilantro.
Consider adding: drained can of black beans, diced ripe tomatoes, chopped baby spinach, or cotija cheese or queso fresco.
Use fresh avocado to give it a creamy texture.
🌶️ Adjusting the Heat
- For a spicier dressing, add more pickled jalapenos, use 1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, or diced habanero pepper.
- To reduce the heat, omit the chile altogether or use red pepper flakes.
🫙 Storage Instructions
Place in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best results, consume right away.
🍴 Serve with
Ensalada de Camaron is a vibrant dish bursting with fresh flavors, featuring succulent shrimp tossed in a creamy dressing.
Keep in the fridge before serving with totopos (tortilla chips) and Mexican hot sauce. Or for a low carb option, serve with romaine lettuce.
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Ensalada de Camaron
Ingredients
- water (to cook the shrimp)
- 1 lb shrimp
- 1 frozen peas and carrots thawed
- ½ frozen corn thawed
- ½ celery stick diced
- ½ cup pickled jalapeno diced (plus the juice)
- 1 red onion diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise (or sour cream)
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimp and place in a stock pot.
- Cover with water and cook until pink.
- Immediately turn off the heat and drain the water.
- Let them cool slightly.
- Then, chop into small 1-inch pieces.
- Add the shrimp to a large bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
- (including the pickled jalapeno juice)
- Taste for salt. Adjust if necessary.
- Serve with chips and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For a hint of freshness, add lemon juice, some some lemon zest, and herby cilantro.
- Consider adding: drained can of black beans, diced ripe tomatoes, chopped baby spinach, or cotija cheese or queso fresco.
- Use fresh avocado to give it a creamy texture.
- For a spicier dressing, add more pickled jalapenos, use 1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, or diced habanero pepper.
- To reduce the heat, omit the chile altogether or use ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
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