This incredible Shrimp Avocado Salad is made with juicy shrimp, avocado, sliced cucumber, and fresh greens all tossed in the most delicious homemade creamy miso dressing. Low-carb, so easy to make, and ready in 30 minutes or less.
This shrimp avocado salad is by far the best salad you will ever make. Drizzled with the most incredible homemade miso dressing, every bite of this life-changing salad will fill your mouth with irresistible salty, creamy, umami flavors.
You’ll love it. I’m convinced.
Anyway, first we have shrimp. This salad is filled with lots of fat, and fresh, yummy shrimp. High in protein, and low in fat, shrimp is one of my very favorite protein sources and this salad wouldn’t be the same without them. Next, we have avocado. Creamy, buttery, delicious avocado. I highly recommend at least half an avocado per salad. Of course, more avocado is always welcome. BUT, being that this is a shrimp and avocado salad, I don’t recommend skipping it. Then there are the veggies. I recommend adding all the veggies that you’d like, but definitely stick some crunchy ones in there like lettuce (arugula is my favorite), cucumber, and carrots.
The real magic in this shrimp avocado salad, though? the creamy miso dressing.
Creamy Miso Dressing Ingredients
- White Miso Paste
- Fresh ginger
- Fresh lime juice
- Agave syrup or Honey
- Garlic
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce
- Salt + Black pepper
What is Miso?
Miso is a thick, fermented paste that is achieved by treating a mixture of soybeans with koji. Koji is a mold (don’t worry, cheese is as well) cultivated from rice, barley, or soybeans. For weeks, months, or sometimes even years, the enzymes in the koji (aka mold) team up with the microorganisms in the environment to break down the soybeans into fatty acids, simple sugars, and amino acids (aka stuff we need).
In other words, miso is fermented soybeans.
What Does Miso Taste Like?
Miso is salty, complex, deeply rich, and varies greatly depending on the dish being prepared. For example, in the case of this shrimp avocado salad, the miso balances the strong flavors from the ginger and lime juice, generating a lovely, creamy, and (yes) salty, dressing.
The saltiness, however, is not the same type of salty as, say, table salt. The addition of miso simply intensifies flavors and makes them more complex.
How to Make Shrimp Avocado Salad
1. Combine the creamy miso dressing: This can be made up to three days ahead of time. To make, place all of the ingredients for the dressing into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Season to taste.
2. Assemble the salad bowls: I like to do this before I cook the shrimp that way the shrimp are still warm when I serve the salads. Simply divide the lettuce, avocado, cucumber, carrots, and edamame between the desired number of salad bowls. If desired, sprinkle with chopped cilantro or crushed peanuts.
3. Cook the shrimp: Your shrimp should be thawed before cooking. Cook the shrimp in a single layer with the garlic in butter until fully cooked, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Combine: Divide the cooked shrimp among the salad bowls and drizzle with the prepared miso dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pre-cooked shrimp? Yes. However, for the best flavor, I recommend cooking your own. The texture and flavor can’t be compared. To save time, purchase pre-peeled and deveined shrimp from the grocery store.
Can I cook shrimp from frozen? No. Always thaw your shrimp fully before cooking. To speed up the thawing process, place the bag of frozen shrimp in a large bowl filled with warm (not hot) water. Rotate the bag periodically until thawed.
Is miso paste gluten-free? Sometimes. Always read the label to verify that it is (or is not) certified gluten-free.
Have you tried making this Shrimp Avocado Salad?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Shrimp Avocado Salad with Miso Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound raw shrimp - peeled and tails removed
- 5 cloves garlic - minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 large avocados - pitted, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 medium cucumber - sliced
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup edamame
- 6 cup fresh arugula - or spinach, mixed greens, kale, etc.
- fresh cilantro - for serving
- Peanuts - for topping, optional
For the Dressing:
- 1 1-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoon agave syrup
- 2 tablespoon white miso
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- salt + black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the creamy miso dressing: Place all of the salad dressing ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy. Season with additional lime juice, agave syrup, salt, and black pepper, to taste.
- Prepare the salad bowls: Divide the lettuce, avocado, cucumber, carrots, and edamame between 2-4 salad bowls (2 bowls for very large salads, or 4 bowls for smaller salads). Top each bowl with chopped cilantro and peanuts (optional). Set aside to cook the shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp: Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the raw shrimp and garlic, mixing well to combine. Sprinkle the shrimp with chili powder and cayenne pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is no longer transparent and fully cooked, approximately 2-3minutes on each side.
- Assemble: Divide the shrimp among the salad bowls and drizzle with the prepared miso dressing.
Jessica’s Notes
- Keep leftover miso dressing stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Mix well before serving.
- Optional salad additions: diced red onion, green onions, cherry tomatoes, fresh lemon juice
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Light with fantastic flavors! This salad definitely deserves a spot in our meal rotation.
Thank you for the kind feedback Shelley 🙂
Shrimp and avocado together are heavenly! And you know, I’ve never used miso in anything, but it’s been on my list forever. Clearly it’s time to make it happen!
Ahhh, Ann! How I wish I could make this salad for you! Miso is SO DELICIOUS! If you get a chance to give it a try, I would love to hear what you think 🙂
Creamy, spicy umami flavors! This is going to be our new go to salad this summer for sure.
Oooh, I’d love this for a dinner al fresco, with a nice glass of chilled, dry white, please! The flavors sound so good together!
What a great combination of flavors! I think this would be a great summer dinner, any night of the week!
Wish I had seen this earlier. I have everything to make this with and tomorrow it will be on my table! love it!