Grilled Shrimp Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

If you have never had a grilled salad, let this Grilled Shrimp Salad with Chili Lime Dressing recipe change that! 

If you are new to grilling lettuce, it may seem odd but it is such a fun way to eat your greens and bring on the fun summer grilling vibes. Grilling lettuce creates a wonderfully caramelized, smoky flavor to otherwise bland greens. Plus it really adds great texture — cool, crispy insides contrast gloriously with the caramelized and smokey outside. Plus, it’s just plain easy! Grilling lettuce takes a mere few minutes and your salad just got elevated up a notch.

Now, let’s chat about this Grilled Shrimp Salad with Chili Lime Dressing a bit more. It is packed with chopped grilled veggies like zucchini, bell pepper and onion to add color and, of course, delicious flavor. The, of course, there’s the shrimp which is simply flavored and grills quickly. But the best part? The Chili Lime Dressing! I love the smokey, tangy, and a little bit spicy flavor served over the grilled shrimp, veggies, and lettuce. It’s definitely a fork-and-knife salad, but one you won’t want to stop eating it and it will definitely satisfy your hunger! What more could you ask for with a salad?

5 from 4 votes

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

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For the Chili Lime Dressing:

• ▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 tsp anchovy paste
• ▢ ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ▢ ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ ½ tsp paprika
• ▢ 1 tsp chili powder
• ▢ ½ tsp dried oregano
• ▢ ¼ cayenne pepper
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste

For the Shrimp:

• ▢ 1.5 lb peeled and deveined shrimp 16/20
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tsp pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cumin
• ▢ ½ tsp dried oregano

For the Veggies:

• ▢ 1 red bell pepper halved lengthwise and seeds and core removed
• ▢ 1 zucchini sliced in half lengthwise
• ▢ 1/2 red onion cut into ½-inch rounds
• ▢ 2 large heads of romaine cut in half lengthwise
• ▢ 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ ½ tsp pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp dried oregano

For Serving:

• ▢ Cilantro loosely chopped
• ▢ Cotija cheese sub queso fresco

Instructions 

Make the Dressing:

• Using an immersion blender or high powered blender, add all of your dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside. This keeps well in the fridge for up to 7 days in the fridge.

Prepare the Shrimp:

• Pat dry the shrimp then add to a large bowl. Add the salt, pepper, cumin and oregano then toss until well coated then set aside.

Prepare the Veggies:

• Drizzle the bell pepper, zucchini and onion with 2 tbsp of the olive oil then season with the salt, pepper and dried oregano. Gently toss to coat. Next drizzle the romaine with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil. Set aside.

Begin to Grill:

• Heat grill over medium-high heat (350- 400 degrees F) and oil the grill grates (to do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil, because that's a surefire way to start a good flare-up—a little goes a long way here.)
• Place the red bell pepper, zucchini and red onion on the grill, close the lid and cook for 4 minutes.
• Open the grill, and flip the veggies. Next, add the shrimp and the romaine (cut side down), close the lid and cook until grill marks appear on the first side of the shrimp, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the shrimp and continue to cook until they are just cooked through and are no longer transparent, about 2 more minutes. The romaine only needs a char/grill marks on the one side, about 4 minutes. Remove the veggies and shrimp and set aside.

Assemble the Salad:

• Next, dice the onion and red bell pepper then cut the zucchini into half moons.
• Place each half of the romaine onto its own plate. Evenly top each romaine half with the vegetables then top with the shrimp. Drizzle with the dressing then crumble the cheese over top. Top with the cilantro, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Alex Snodgrass

Servings: 4

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Photography by Eat Love Eats.