What shrimp should I buy?

Buy large shrimp because the article gives cooking instructions for shrimp of this size, about 3 minutes of cooking time. The article says that uncooked and cooked Patagonia pink shrimp are pink, so color is not a reliable way to judge doneness. Other sizes of shrimp do not have different cooking times listed. All shrimp of the same size will cook evenly when poached in hot water.

Yes, you can leave out the dill. The salad prepared without dill will not have the same flavor as the one called for in the recipe. Dill is noted as a traditional herb for shrimp recipes and is used generously in this recipe. Other herbs are not mentioned in the article. Consider tasting the salad when you omit the dill to balance the lemon and mayonnaise flavors.

Can I make shrimp salad ahead?

Yes, the dish can be made ahead of time. The article suggests refrigerating the dish for one hour to enhance taste. Use a lid or other cover when refrigerating the salad to help the flavors meld without spoiling. The article says a salad that has been refrigerated can be stored for up to three days. Stir the salad lightly before serving if the dressing has settled.

Why did my shrimp turn tough?

Tough shrimp may result from longer preparation times than those recommended here. To poach shrimp, place them in a pot of seasoned boiling water. Take the pot off the heat and add the shrimp. Do not reboil the shrimp after adding them to the pot. Jumbo shrimp are thought to require about three minutes of poaching in seasoned boiling water. Prepare other salad ingredients in advance so you can toss them with poached shrimp quickly.

What should I serve with shrimp salad?

Saltine crackers are the first suggested food choice to serve with this cold shrimp salad. Other sandwich alternatives include buttered rolls, like those used to make a lobster roll. Lettuce and endive leaves are other options for eating the shrimp salad. Choose a serving method right before serving to provide contrast in textures along with fresh vegetables.

Shrimp Salad with Creamy Lemon Dill Dressing and Crisp Vegetables

By Mason BrooksOct 9, 2026

Cook

3 min

Total

3 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Use jumbo shrimp in this cold shrimp salad; poaching them helps retain moisture and tenderness. Use a mayonnaise-based dressing for the shrimp salad and season the shrimp with lemon juice and fresh dill, and add sweet bell peppers, celery, and green onions for extra taste and texture.

Shrimp Salad with Creamy Lemon Dill Dressing and Crisp Vegetables

Bell peppers, celery, and green onions provide flavor and texture contrasts to the shrimp. Mayonnaise adds body and creaminess to the dip. Lemon juice and dill add flavors typically paired with shrimp. The recipe allows for the use of precooked shrimp but recommends cooking shrimp for this dish. Choose high-quality store-bought or homemade mayonnaise for this recipe.

Once the water is boiling, the crucial part of this recipe is to remove it from the heat before adding the shrimp. Poach large shrimp for three minutes or so in the hot water to cook them thoroughly without overcooking. There is no guidance on visual cues for cooked shrimp in this recipe. Do not boil the shrimp for longer than three minutes. Overcooking is one of the biggest risks associated with preparing this recipe; shrimp must be cooked for a short time in hot water to prevent overcooking.

Serve the cold salad with saltine crackers and other toppings. Fill rolls with salad. Roll the salad in flour tortillas. Use leaves of lettuce or endive. If you have time, refrigerate the salad, covered, for an hour or so after preparing it to enhance the dill and lemon and other vegetable flavors. Other sauces are not recommended.

Why you'll love this recipe

Large shrimp are the main ingredient, They are poached to minimize toughening caused by cooking, unlike boiling.
Fresh dill is an abundant ingredient in the dressing recipe. It lends a classic dill flavor to the dish, which the recipe suggests using with shrimp.
Bell peppers and celery and green onions provide sweet and crunchy textures and other flavors in every bite of shrimp.
Lemon appears twice in this recipe, One lemon is included in the poaching liquid for flavor, Lemon juice is included in the mayonnaise-based sauce for flavor.
Traditional or homemade mayonnaise provides a smooth flavor without conflicting with the fresh flavors of shrimp and dill and other vegetables in the dish.
An hour in the refrigerator allows the lemon and dill to flavor the other vegetables, You can eat the dish soon after preparing it if you do not want to wait an hour.

Instructions

Bring water to a boil with garlic, lemon, and salt.

Turn off the heat and add the large shrimp.

Poach the shrimp in the hot water for approximately 3 minutes.

Toss the poached shrimp with mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, bell pepper, celery, green onion, salt, and pepper.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flavors develop.

Serve with saltine crackers, in buttered rolls, in flour tortillas, or spooned into lettuce or endive.

FAQ

Yes, the recipe says you can substitute pre-cooked shrimp for poached shrimp. Pre-cooked shrimp will reduce your preparation time. A related article explains that you will have better results if you cook the shrimp yourself. Pre-cooked shrimp should not be added to the poaching liquid, as this will cook the shrimp again. Pre-cooked shrimp should be prepared separately and mixed with mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, and other vegetables for serving.

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Lunch Salads Fish Shrimp Quick Meals

Shrimp Salad with Creamy Lemon Dill Dressing and Crisp Vegetables

Name: Shrimp Salad with Creamy Lemon Dill Dressing and Crisp Vegetables
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: large shrimp; bell pepper; celery; green onion; mayonnaise (good-quality store-bought or homemade); lemon juice; fresh dill; water (for poaching); garlic (for poaching); lemon (for poaching); salt (for poaching and salad); pepper (for salad)

By Mason BrooksOct 9, 2026

Cook

3 min

Total

3 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Large shrimp are the main ingredient, They are poached to minimize toughening caused by cooking, unlike boiling.
Fresh dill is an abundant ingredient in the dressing recipe. It lends a classic dill flavor to the dish, which the recipe suggests using with shrimp.
Bell peppers and celery and green onions provide sweet and crunchy textures and other flavors in every bite of shrimp.
Lemon appears twice in this recipe, One lemon is included in the poaching liquid for flavor, Lemon juice is included in the mayonnaise-based sauce for flavor.
Traditional or homemade mayonnaise provides a smooth flavor without conflicting with the fresh flavors of shrimp and dill and other vegetables in the dish.
An hour in the refrigerator allows the lemon and dill to flavor the other vegetables, You can eat the dish soon after preparing it if you do not want to wait an hour.

Ingredients

Servings4

•large shrimp
•bell pepper
•celery
•green onion
•mayonnaise (good-quality store-bought or homemade)
•lemon juice
•fresh dill
•water (for poaching)
•garlic (for poaching)
•lemon (for poaching)
•salt (for poaching and salad)
•pepper (for salad)

Instructions

1
Bring water to a boil with garlic, lemon, and salt.
2
Turn off the heat and add the large shrimp.
3
Poach the shrimp in the hot water for approximately 3 minutes.
4
Toss the poached shrimp with mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, bell pepper, celery, green onion, salt, and pepper.
5
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flavors develop.
6
Serve with saltine crackers, in buttered rolls, in flour tortillas, or spooned into lettuce or endive.