Grilled Shrimp Salad with Zesty Raspberry Vinaigrette

Crisp salad greens and smoky grilled shrimp make a delicious combination in this grilled shrimp salad with avocado. I added fresh raspberries and hearts of palm for extra flavor and texture, and the result quickly became a favorite. This is an easy, high-protein salad you can assemble in minutes—grill the shrimp ahead of time, chill them, and use for lunch the next day. If you don’t have an outdoor grill, a grill pan or the broiler works equally well.

I once found myself with extra grilled shrimp after a weekend cookout. Rather than let them go to waste, I chilled the shrimp and built a salad for lunch the next day. I combined arugula with chilled shrimp, ripe avocado, fresh raspberries (I love raspberries), and sliced hearts of palm. The colors, textures, and flavors all worked together beautifully—tangy-sweet berries, creamy avocado, tender shrimp, and a bright raspberry vinaigrette.

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Grilled Shrimp Salad Recipe Snapshot

• Shrimp can be grilled ahead of time and chilled for later use.
• Quick to assemble—an excellent high-protein salad for lunch or dinner.
• Raspberry vinaigrette doubles as a marinade for the shrimp and a dressing for the salad.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Grilled shrimp salad

• Shrimp: Large shrimp are ideal; wild-caught is preferred when available.
• Avocado: Use ripe avocado. Gently press the stem end—if it gives slightly, it is ready to use that day.
• Berries: Fresh raspberries work best here; frozen berries tend to be too soft and watery once thawed.
• Hearts of palm: Sold in cans near artichoke hearts. They add a tender, slightly artichoke-like flavor and a pleasant texture to salads.
• Salad greens: Choose peppery arugula, baby lettuces, or a mixed salad blend. Thinly sliced romaine or very tender kale can also work.
• Fresh herbs: Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish and added brightness.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

• Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil gives the best flavor and mouthfeel.
• Vinegar: Raspberry vinegar (a fruit-flavored vinegar) highlights the raspberries in the salad. If you don’t have raspberry vinegar, use another fruit-flavored vinegar or a mild balsamic.

See the recipe card below for exact measurements, plus salt and pepper amounts. For the vinaigrette, plan to make enough for both marinating and dressing—the recipe suggests reserving half for dressing and using the rest as a marinade.

Chef’s tip on shrimp: Buying shrimp with the shell on and cleaning them yourself keeps the flesh tender during cooking and can be more economical. If you prefer convenience, peeled and deveined shrimp are fine. For this salad I like 16–20 count shrimp, which grill quickly and work well as a main component.

Substitutions and Variations

• Swap fresh raspberries for strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries if raspberries aren’t available.
• Any fruity vinegar such as pomegranate, strawberry, or blackberry can replace raspberry vinegar.
• If you only have plain red wine vinegar, a classic French vinaigrette will also be delicious.

How to Make a Grilled Shrimp Salad

Step 1: Heat the grill or grill pan and make sure the grates are clean. You can also cook the shrimp under the broiler if needed.

Step 2: If necessary, peel and devein the shrimp. Make the raspberry vinaigrette and reserve roughly half for dressing. Use the remainder to marinate the shrimp briefly.

How to Clean Shrimp

Peel off the shell and legs, then make a shallow slit along the curved back with a paring knife. Rinse under cold running water to remove any vein or debris, then pat the shrimp dry on paper towels before marinating and grilling.

Marinate and Grill the Shrimp

Use half the vinaigrette to marinate the shrimp for about 30 minutes at room temperature, while you prepare the grill and the salad components. Grill the shrimp over high heat for roughly 2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and are just cooked through. Add the shrimp to bowls of greens with raspberries, avocado quarters, and sliced hearts of palm. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette per person.

What is Hearts of Palm?

Hearts of palm are tender tubes harvested from the inner core of certain palm trees. They are ivory-colored, mild, and slightly artichoke-like in flavor, making them a great addition to salads. They are sold canned in liquid—store any leftovers in an airtight container in their liquid for up to a week.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Marinade and Dressing

Double the vinaigrette amount so you have enough to both marinate the shrimp and dress the salad. Taste the vinaigrette and adjust oil-to-vinegar ratio to your preference; a classic starting point is about 3:1 oil to vinegar. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, a small amount of honey can balance the acidity.

Recipe