These shrimp salad stuffed avocados are perfect for prep-ahead dinner or lunch! Buttery avocados make the perfect serving vessel for this delicious shrimp salad.
My inspiration for this shrimp salad came from the award-winning restaurant Eleven Madison Park. The combination of diced apple and fresh tarragon make this the BEST shrimp salad recipe.
To keep it Whole30 and Paleo-friendly we use an avocado mayo as the base for this salad. We gently cook our shrimp in a flavorful poaching liquid containing lemon, celery, carrots, herbs, and peppercorns.
If you are looking for a new and interesting way to enjoy avocados give this recipe a try. Not only does the shrimp salad pair perfectly with the buttery avocados but it's a great meal prep option as well. Looking to up your salad game? Check out my Citrus Harvest Chicken Salad and my Buffalo Chicken Salad.
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what makes shrimp salad stuffed avocados so good
- Perfect for meal prep. After making this delicious poached shrimp salad it's so easy to stuff multiple avocados for grab-and-go lunches.
- Fresh veggies. We pack this salad with cucumber, peppers, apples, and onions for crunch.
- The use of fresh tarragon. One of most underrated herbs. A little bit goes a long way and it's so refreshing in this shrimp salad.
ingredients
- Shrimp - I like to use the 16/20 gulf shrimp from Whole Foods
- Cucumber - peel the skin and remove the seeds with a spoon before dicing
- Bell pepper - for crunch and sweetness
- Red onion - for color and texture
- Avocado - I like to use haas avocados for there buttery flavor
- Mayo - to make this recipe whole30 and paleo friendly use a brand with avocado oil
- Salt
- Apple - I like to use fuji or Granny Smith apples
- Tarragon - lobster and shrimp love tarragon
- Lime - avocado oil and fresh lime juice create a refreshing shrimp salad dressing
how to make shrimp salad stuffed avocados
1. To make the poaching liquid combine carrots, celery, garlic, parsley stems, lemon slices, and peppercorn to 1 gallon of water.
2. Bring poaching liquid up to a simmer and add shrimp. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.
3. Transfer poached shrimp to a bowl of water and ice. Cool completely then drain away water and set shrimp aside. Cut shrimp into small bit size pieces.
4. In a large bowl combine shrimp, cucumber, red pepper, apple, onion, tarragon, mayo, lime juice, and salt.
5. Toss everything together and taste for seasoning.
6. Cut avocados in half and remove seeds. Scoop out a little bit of the flesh to allow more room for the salad. Stuff the shrimp salad into the avocados.
Hint: Make sure to have your ice bath ready before cooking the shrimp. If you wait until the end to prepare the ice bath the shrimp will overcook.
Substitutions
- Lettuce - instead of stuffing an avocado place shrimp salad over a bed of mixed greens
- Greek Yogurt - use greek yogurt instead of mayo if you are allergic to eggs
- Cilantro - if you can't find tarragon you can replace it with fresh cilantro
Variations
- Spicy - add 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha sauce is you like the heat
- Crab - replace the shrimp for crab meat for another delicious option
- Tuna - another variation is to substitute canned tuna in place of the shrimp
Storage
Shrimp salad stuffed avocados will hold up under refrigeration for 2-3 days.
Another option is to keep the shrimp salad and avocados separate and assemble them right before consuming. Shrimp salad will keep for 7 days in the refrigerator.
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Pro Tip
Poach the shrimp. In any shrimp salad, gently poached shrimp is the best. Baking, broiling, or sautéing don't achieve the same result. Poaching the shrimp brings out the pink color and plump texture of the shrimp.
Make the poaching liquid flavorful. Sure you could just cook the shrimp in water but you are missing out on so much flavor. The name of this poaching liquid is called court bouillon. In French cuisine, they use this poaching liquid to cook fish and shellfish. Water, veggies, garlic, white wine, lemons, and herbs are used in this liquid gold.
Get your ice bath in place. I can't tell you how many times I have overcooked my shrimp because I waited until the end to grab my ice bath. When the shrimp turns to that beautiful pink color chill immediately.
Select the right avocados. Press the top of the avocado near the stem to check the softness. It should feel not hard and not soft somewhere in between is the sweet spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This recipe was created for meal prepping. The stuffed avocados will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Another option is to keep the salad and avocados separate and assemble them right before consuming them.
I like to use 16/20 shrimp. The number means how many shrimp are in 1 pound. So 16-20 shrimp are in one pound. The larger the shrimp the less are in a pound.
The salad has a sour smell if it has started to turn.
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📖 Recipe
Shrimp Salad stuffed avocados
Ingredients
Poaching Liquid
- 1- gallon water
- 1 celery rib
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon juiced, sliced
- 1 bundle parsley stems
Shrimp Salad
- 1 pound 16/20 shrimp
- ½ English cucumber peeled, seeded, diced
- ½ apple peeled, diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoons tarragon chopped
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 avocados halved
Instructions
- Make ice bath. Fill a large bowl full of water and a lot of ice.
- In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the poaching liquid. Bring to a simmer and add the shrimp.
- Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes or until pink. Immediately transfer the shrimp to the ice bath to chill.
- Once the shrimp are completely chilled, drain the water away from the shrimp in a colander.
- Cut the shrimp into bite-size pieces and set them aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine shrimp, cucumber, apple, red pepper, red onion, tarragon, mayo, lime juice, and salt. Mix well.
- Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove a little bit of the flesh with a spoon. Stuff the shrimp salad into the avocado. Enjoy!
Robyn
I especially like the variation and substitution options in this recipe. Yum!