Shrimp cobb salad
Shrimp Cobb salad has always been a crowd favorite, but this version takes it up a notch with juicy shrimp, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and a tangy homemade honey Dijon dressing.
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 1 pound raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the salad:
- 5 cups romaine lettuce (About 1 head, rinsed and chopped)
- 6 hard-boiled eggs halved or quartered
- strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta or bleu cheese
For the honey Dijon dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, and garlic in a small bowl or jar.
- Whisk or shake until the mixture is smooth.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and keep aside until ready to serve.
Cook the shrimp:
- Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
- Sprinkle on garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Toss until the shrimp are evenly coated.
- Warm a skillet over medium heat and arrange the shrimp in a single layer.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Assemble the salad:
- Spread the chopped lettuce on a serving platter.
- Neatly arrange the eggs, bacon, tomatoes, avocado, onion, and cheese over the top.
- Add the shrimp as the finishing touch, with optional fresh dill as garnish.
- Serve with the honey Dijon dressing on the side, or drizzle and toss before serving.
Notes
- Frozen peeled and deveined shrimp are convenient and often fresher than “fresh” shrimp sold at the seafood counter, which are typically thawed in-store. Thawing at home gives you more control.
- Shrimp can be served warm or cooled; just know that very hot shrimp might cause the lettuce to wilt slightly.
- Smoked paprika works nicely in place of regular paprika.
- Romaine can be swapped for green leaf, red leaf, or another sturdy lettuce variety. Pre-chopped bagged lettuce is fine in a pinch, but freshly chopped has the best texture.
- Eggs and bacon can be omitted if needed.
- White onions may be used instead of red onions.
- Cherry tomatoes can be replaced with grape tomatoes or diced Roma tomatoes.
- For a nice avocado presentation, peel carefully and fan out thin slices across the salad.
- Use whichever cheese you enjoy most; feta or blue cheese.
- If you prefer, use a store-bought or different homemade dressing.
- Offering multiple dressing choices is a good idea when serving a crowd.
- The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.
- Best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the ingredients in advance and store them separately in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Leftover dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Stir or shake before reusing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
