Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Spinach Salad Recipe

Shrimp Spinach Salad

• ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2–3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1–2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (for the bread or cooking)
• 3 slices day-old bread (ciabatta, Italian, sourdough), torn into pieces
• 1½ tsp butter or oil, for sautéing
• 8 oz raw shrimp (fresh or defrosted), peeled and deveined
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Easy Peasy Dressing

• 3 tbsp quality extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
• 2 tbsp red wine or white wine vinegar
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Optional Extras

• Fresh basil leaves
• Sliced avocado

1. Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Chop the tomatoes and thinly slice the red onion and cucumber.
3. Whisk together the dressing: olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the cucumber and onion to the dressing and let them marinate while you prepare the rest of the salad.
4. Line a baking sheet and spread the torn bread pieces in an even layer. Drizzle with a little olive oil, toss to coat, and toast until lightly browned on the edges but still soft inside, about 5–7 minutes.
5. Heat butter or oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes, until opaque and pink. Season with salt and pepper. For extra plump shrimp, add a tablespoon of water to the skillet while cooking and cover briefly.
6. To assemble: pour the dressing with marinated cucumber and onion over the baby spinach. Add the toasted bread pieces and chopped tomatoes, then toss gently to coat. Top with the cooked shrimp and finish with fresh basil or sliced avocado if using. Serve immediately.

The bread toasts while you cook the shrimp, so the active cook time is very short—perfect for busy weeknights. Any size shrimp can be used; large or jumbo work great. If using frozen shrimp, thaw, rinse, peel, and devein as needed. Pre-prepped raw shrimp is also fine to speed things up.

To make this a pasta salad, swap cooked short pasta for the toasted bread pieces. For extra crunch, add toasted nuts or seeds. Adjust seasoning and dressing amounts to your taste.

Calories: 386 kcal, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Protein: 25 g, Fat: 28 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 286 mg, Sodium: 1203 mg, Potassium: 535 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 3408 IU, Vitamin C: 25 mg, Calcium: 212 mg, Iron: 4 mg.

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on ingredient brands and portion sizes.