Shrimp Salad Sandwich
Inside: How to prepare and cook fresh shrimp for a cold salad that’s perfect for sandwiches, lettuce wraps and more.
If you love a classic shrimp salad sandwich, this one’s for you. Made with tender shrimp, crunchy celery, onion, lemon, dill, and a creamy mayo base with just a hint of heat, it’s easy to make and full of flavor. Pile it on a soft bun, scoop it over greens, or stuff it into a tomato for a light, low-carb lunch.
When the weather heats up, the last thing you want is a heavy meal or a hot kitchen. This easy shrimp salad is light, refreshing, and comes together quickly — no oven required. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll keep on repeat all summer long.
The combination of chilled shellfish, crunchy celery, and a tangy dill-spiked mayo dressing hits all the right notes and this versatile recipe works as a starter or main course, depending on how you serve it.
If you love classic summer seafood dishes, you’ll also want to check out my Sriracha Lobster Rolls and Connecticut Lobster Roll — both tried-and-true reader favorites. Craving something a little different? This Sweet Corn and Crabmeat Salad Recipe is another cool, flavorful option, and Fried Whole Belly Clams with Homemade Tartar Sauce is a seafood shack classic you can make at home.
Why this recipe works:
- Fresh seafood flavor: Lightly poaching the shellfish in a flavorful court bouillon seasons and cooks the shrimp simultaneously. The texture is firm but tender.
- Creamy, balanced dressing: Mayo, lemon juice, dill, and a dash of hot sauce create a tangy, herby dressing with just enough kick.
- Crisp texture: Chopped celery and white onion add a satisfying crunch that contrasts perfectly with the creamy base.
- Versatile serving options: Great as a sandwich, over greens, or stuffed in a tomato for a low-carb twist.
- Quick and easy: Comes together in about 20 minutes — ideal for meal prep or a last-minute lunch and superb for weekend picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients for shrimp salad:
- Shrimp–I always prefer fresh, over frozen shrimp, but I get that it’s not always an option. If you use frozen, it’s best to defrost it before poaching, otherwise it may not cook through completely.
- Court Bouillon Aromatics–a poaching liquid that imparts flavor to any seafood. It includes bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, whole peppercorns, whole cloves, juniper berries and slices of fresh lemon. The whole spices can be optional if you don’t have them on hand.
- Celery–adds a bit of crunch to the salad.
- White Onion–a bit milder and less stinging than yellow onions, they’re my preferred allium if I’m not cooking them.
- Mayonnaise–I recommend Duke’s or Hellman’s. Please don’t use Miracle Whip–it’s not mayonnaise.
- Fresh Dill – gives the salad a fresh, herbaceous quality. You could also use dried dill, but you’ll only need about 1 teaspoon.
- Lemons–for the poaching liquid and juice for dressing the cold shrimp salad.
- Sea Salt–you can also substitute kosher salt, but if you have Morton’s brand, note that it’s saltier by volume, so you’ll need less.
- Black Pepper–freshly ground will add the best flavor.
- Hot Sauce–use your favorite brand (we like Crystal’s) and use as much or little as you like–to taste.
Special Equipment:
- Cheese Cloth–to gather the court bouillon ingredients into and prevent the whole spices from getting caught up in the shrimp.
- Kitchen String– to tie the spices into a bundle.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Peel and devein the shrimp: Start by removing the legs, shell and tail portions. Use a sharp paring knife or bird’s beak knife to make a slit lengthwise down the back of the shellfish to expose the vein (usually a thin brown or black filament-like thread). Gently lift the vein with your fingers and pull it straight out to discard.
2. Prepare the court bouillon: Assemble the bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, juniper berries and cinnamon stick in the cheese cloth and tie them tightly with a string. Add the spice bundle and sliced lemon to a pan of water and bring it to a rolling boil.
3. Turn off the heat and add the prawns, making sure they’re all submerged. Cover the pan with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to poach.
4. Drain the poached shrimp in a colander and run cold water over it to stop the cooking. Transfer the seafood to the refrigerator to chill for about 20-30 minutes or until cold.
5. While the prawns chill, assemble the dressing in a large bowl by combining the minced white onion, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, fresh dill and hot sauce. Mix well.
6. Once chilled, chop the seafood into bite-sized pieces (important if you’ve got larger prawns, but if you’re using a popcorn variety, it’s not necessary) and add it to the dressing mixture.
7. Stir the mixture well to combine and pile it onto brioche buns for an epic shrimp salad sandwich. We like to dress it with peppery arugula and sliced tomatoes.
Pro-Tips:
- For the best seafood, get to know and be friendly with your local fishmonger. They’ll steer you in the right direction and answer any questions you have.
- You can buy pre-cooked seafood; however, cooking it yourself gives you the benefit of knowing it’s fresh.
- Removing the shells before poaching allows the flavor of the court bouillon to infuse into the meat.
Swaps and Variations:
- For a Maryland flavor, add a teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning to the dressing.
- For a spicier shrimp salad sandwich, add a pinch or two of Cayenne pepper or add ¼-½ teaspoon of Creole seasoning.
- Serve them in sub rolls with shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes and a pickle spear for a deliciously dressed Po’Boy.
- Add Dijon mustard (a few teaspoons) for a tangy dressing.
- Substitute red onion for white and/or chopped green onions for extra flavor.
- Add a mixture of fresh herbs such as tarragon and mint, chives or fresh basil.
FAQs
We serve ours with crunchy chips, dill pickle spears and cold beers. You can also spoon the shrimp salad recipe into lettuce cups or hollowed out tomato halves for a low-carb alternative.
I recommend a soft brioche bun, which is enriched with butter and has a slightly sweet flavor to complement the shrimp salad. Another option would be King’s Hawaiian rolls or a croissant. A split-top buttered and toasted bun will give the cold shrimp salad a “lobster roll” vibe. In a pinch, use a hot dog bun.
Make ahead:
- You can make the cold shrimp salad a day or two in advance. Stir it once or twice before serving.
Storage:
- Because it’s a shrimp and mayo salad, you’ll want to store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Keep the salad cold until you’re serving. It shouldn’t sit out for more than 15-20 minutes.
Freezing:
- This recipe doesn’t freeze well.
We make our shrimp salad sandwich using soft brioche buns or potato rolls (IMO, Martin’s potato rolls or King’s Hawaiian are the best). Slices of ripe tomato and a handful of baby arugula round out this sandwich, but to make it feel more like summer vacation, you’ll definitely want chips, dill pickles and a cold beer!
More sandwich fillings:
- Deviled Egg Salad
- Curried Chicken Salad
- Loaded Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe
- The Best Homemade Deviled Ham Spread (Ham Salad)
More sandwich recipes:
Shrimp Salad Sandwich
INGREDIENTS:
FOR POACHING SHRIMP:
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 10 whole peppercorns (optional)
- 2 whole cloves (optional)
- 4 whole juniper berries (optional)
- 2 thin slices lemon
FOR SHRIMP SALAD:
- 1 stalk celery finely minced
- ¼ cup white onion finely minced
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- hot sauce to taste
FOR SANDWICHES:
- 4 brioche buns or potato rolls
- 8 slices ripe tomato
- 1 cup baby arugula
DIRECTIONS:
Poach Shrimp
- Cut a piece of cheesecloth into a medium-sized square and put the 2 bay leaves, 10 whole peppercorns, 2 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick & 4 whole juniper berries in the center. Fold the sides up to form a packet and tie the packet securely with a piece of kitchen string.
- Add 2-3 inches of water to a medium saucepan. Add the spice sachet and the 2 thin slices lemon. Bring the water to a rolling boil and turn off the heat. Add 1 pound medium shrimp to the water, ensuring they're submerged. Place the lid on the pan and set aside for about 5 minutes.
Make Salad:
- While shrimp are poaching, make the salad dressing. In a medium bowl, combine 1 stalk celery, ¼ cup white onion, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons fresh dill, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and hot sauce. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- Drain the shrimp, discarding the lemon and spice sachet. Rinse shrimp with cold running water and refrigerate until chilled – about 15-20 minutes. When chilled, transfer the shrimp to a cutting board. Dab with paper towels if they seem wet. Roughly chop the shrimp into ¼" – ½" chunks.
- Add shrimp to the mayonnaise mixture and toss to coat.
- Slice rolls in half. Divide 8 slices ripe tomato on 4 brioche buns. Divide the shrimp salad among the buns and divide 1 cup baby arugula over the shrimp salad sandwiches, followed by the top of the brioche bun.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
Don’t Forget To “Pin It” For Later!
Great recipe! And a great idea. I like adding a little sour cream to mayo to lighten it up a bit.
This looks and sounds incredible. I love the idea of poaching shrimp and I can only imagine how much flavor this process adds to the shrimp. I’m definitely giving this recipe a try especially since it requires not turning on my oven.
Thank you, Allison! This is a really simple and gentle method for cooking shrimp and yes, the spices add subtle flavor to the shrimp. Let me know how you like it!
Gorgeous sandwich. You’ve done a fantastic job.
OK, first of all, this looks delicious and amazing and I can’t wait to try it. Never tried poaching shrimp before! Second of all, I’m feeling very envious that you live a mile from the beach! We are actually on a mini vacation right now near the beach in the Netherlands, which is not exactly tropical but still extremely lovely, and it’s got my head spinning with all the ways I would decorate my imaginary beach house. 🙂 Of course I’m sure actually living that close to the beach has its pros and cons, as anything does, but I’m glad if you enjoy the plus sides – and obviously are taking advantage of the proximity to great fresh seafood!
Surprisingly, living this close to the beach has not prompted me to decorate my house in any “nautical” or “beachy” theme. And contrary to what you see in my blog pictures, my tastes run more contemporary — LOL!
I love it! No intimidation, plus no huge expense ~ these are genius, and will be on our table this week!!
Enjoy, Sue!
This looks like a perfect summer meal! Fresh and flavorful! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Thanks, Sarah! We inhaled this one!
that is exactly what this reminded me of – a lobster roll! you can always have the similar flavor now… 🙂