One of my ALL time favorite foods is Shrimp. It sounds funny when I say that but I honestly love anything with shrimp in it! I especially love putting it in a salad for dinner or lunch and I think I finally perfected my go to shrimp salad recipe. It’s super simple and there’s nothing really groundbreaking about it but I think these ingredients make the perfect summer salad that is also super filling! Ryan and I were so full we didn’t even finish everything on our plates. Here’s a little rundown of what I include and why.
Ingredients
5 oz Arugula or Spinach
1 1/2 lb Fresh peeled shrimp
1 lb Farro (cooked)
1 Can of Sweet Corn or Corn peeled off the cob (1 cob per person)
2 Large hand fulls of cheery tomatoes
1 – 2 Avocados
8 oz Crumbled feta cheese
Balsamic or Italian Dressing of Choice
* This should be enough for two people
Arugula:Obviously you need greens for a salad and I usually go with Arugula simply because I prefer the taste and texture of arugula compared to spinach. It also has really great health benefits. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants it is also high in calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium which are all great to help your overall health especially if you’re trying to improve your workout performance. You can of course use spinach, kale or mixed greens for this depending on what you prefer.
Shrimp: Now, the most important ingredient! I always buy the fresh shrimp at Whole Foods that is not cooked or pre frozen but make sure they are peeled! That is not a fun process to do at home. I leave the tails on but you can take them off to cook if you want I just think it’s easier to do it after you cook them. To cook the shrimp, I just head olive oil in a sauté pan and season the shrimps with salt, pepper and some Italian seasoning.
Farro: Because we were eating this for dinner I wanted to include a grain that would help make this salad a little more filling. I love Farro in general and think they are great in salads. They don’t get too mushy and they are substantial enough to add some depth to a salad but not so much where it feels like you’re eating a full pasta dinner. Farro also has some great health benefits similar to Quinoa. It has tons of fiber and antioxidants and it’s high in protein. I love finding any way I can to add extra protein to a salad!
Sweet Corn: I also am a big fan of corn. Corn on the cob is another one of my favorite foods. I love adding it to a salad to give it a bit of sweetness. I know that using corn from a can isn’t the best option so if you do have some leftover corn on the cob or have time to cook some fresh corn I would suggest going that route but if you don’t want to take the time to do that you can use canned corn. Just be sure to get organic sweet corn without sugar or salt added!
Cherry Tomatoes: This is just an easy item to add. We alway shave Cherry Tomatoes on hand at home because I just love snacking on them. They are also just so good when in season during the summertime. I love the gourmet medley that comes with various color and size tomatoes.
Avocado: I like to add avocado to any salad that I’m using a super simple dressing on because it adds a little bit of creaminess to the salad when you mix it up. Also, who doesn’t love avocado. I think it pairs so well with the salty taste of shrimp.
Balsamic or Italian Dressing: To keep it as healthy as possible and since there are so many delicious flavors in this salad already, I just use a super simpble balsamic or Italian dressing.
Feta Cheese (Optional): Did you know that Feta Cheese is one of the healthiest cheeses? If I want to add cheese to a salad I almost always try to use feta for that reason. I also think it just tastes really good in most salads! I didn’t have any when I made this shrimp salad otherwise I would have added it.
Hope you enjoy this easy dinner recipe! I enjoy it with a glass of white wine. This Liquid Farm Chardonnay is a bit pricey but it was very delicious!