Blackened Shrimp and Corn Salad

This Blackened Shrimp and Corn Salad is the perfect summer salad that is flavorful, filling and easily comes together in under 30 minutes! The cilantro lime dressing ties it all together with a bright, zesty finish!

Why You’ll Love This
Ingredients for the Salad
Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Dressing
How to Make Blackened Shrimp Salad
Customize this Salad
Make Tacos or Bowls
Prepping this Salad Ahead of Time
More Shrimp Recipes
More Summer Salad Recipes
Blackened Shrimp and Corn Salad Recipe

This bright and fresh Blackened Shrimp and Corn Salad is the perfect flavor-packed salad that needs to be added to your summer menu. Juicy shrimp coated in a smoky blackened seasoning seared to perfection, sweet summer corn, ripe cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado and crunchy romaine add freshness and texture. The simple cilantro lime dressing ties everything together for the perfect salad that easily comes together in under 30 minutes!

Why You’ll Love This

Flavorful – this blackened shrimp salad recipe has the perfect balance of bold flavor, fresh crunch and satisfying protein in every bite.
Quick and easy – this salad may have a lot of components, but it truly is so easy to throw together. The shrimp cook in minutes and you can char the corn right in the same pan!
Healthy – packed with protein, healthy fats, and made with fresh ingredients that will leave you full and satisfied. This salad is also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and can easily be adjusted for low-carb or keto diets.
Perfect for summer – you will love the fresh, crisp and zesty flavors of this salad making it great to serve at summer parties and cookouts!

Ingredients for the Salad

shrimp – you can use fresh or frozen shrimp that is thawed. Just make sure you use peeled and deveined shrimp. Only use raw shrimp, not pre-cooked shrimp.
veggies – you’ll need about 2 ears of fresh corn (or you could use frozen corn that is thawed), grape tomatoes, mini cucumber slices, avocado and green onions.
lettuce – I used crisp romaine lettuce in this salad, but you could also use mixed greens, baby spinach, kale or even shredded cabbage for a slaw-like twist.
olive oil – I like to use a good olive oil that doesn’t have to be expensive, you just want to make sure to use an oil with a high smoke point. You could also use canola oil, vegetable oil or even a little peanut oil for extra flavor.
blackened seasoning – a delicious spice blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, dried thyme, lemon zest, salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper for the perfect amount of spice.

Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Dressing

cilantro – this is truly the star of this dressing and will give it that vibrant green color! Feel free to leave the stems on because they just add more flavor and will be blended up anyway.
avocado oil – I just love the subtle flavor of avocado oil in this dressing which allows the other flavors to truly shine, but you could of course use olive oil for a more rich flavor.
lime juice – this adds such a bright, fresh taste and goes amazing with the cilantro so make sure to use fresh lime juice and not bottled lime juice. You could also use lemon juice in place of lime juice, if needed.
red wine vinegar – just a teaspoon to help maintain that tangy flavor, you can also use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
garlic – you can use fresh chopped garlic cloves or minced garlic from the jar.
honey – adds a nice sweetness and helps to balance out those tangy flavors, you could also use maple syrup or a little brown sugar.
seasonings – combination of ground coriander, kosher salt and black pepper to really make these flavors pop.

How to Make Blackened Shrimp Salad

Make the dressing. Combine all the ingredients for the cilantro lime dressing in a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare the shrimp. In a large bowl, toss together the shrimp with the blackened spices until fully coated. Let the shrimp marinate while you char the corn.
Char the corn. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add corn kernels and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until corn starts to brown. You can also char ears of corn on the grill. Remove corn and set aside.
Cook the shrimp. In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is nice and hot, add the shrimp and cook in an even layer, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until shrimp are opaque with a nice color. Remove shrimp and set aside. You could also grill the shrimp on skewers.
Assemble the salad. To make the salad, assemble all the ingredients in a large serving bowl and drizzle with the cilantro lime salad dressing. Sprinkle with extra cilantro, serve and enjoy!

Customize this Salad

Extra protein – feel free to add in some black beans or chickpeas for additional protein and fiber or you can swap out the shrimp with chicken, fish or tofu for a vegan option.
Extra veggies – other veggie options include cherry tomatoes, carrots, red onion, roasted bell peppers, zucchini, kalamata olives or charred poblano peppers for more smoky goodness.
Swap the greens – we are using crisp romaine lettuce, but you could also use mixed greens, baby spinach, kale or even shredded cabbage for a slaw-like twist.
Add cheese – crumbled feta, cotija or queso fresco would add a salty, creamy bite that pairs perfectly with the smoky shrimp and sweet corn.
Make it creamy – mix in a spoonful of Greek yogurt, mayo or a ripe avocado with the dressing for a creamy twist. This creamy avocado ranch dressing would taste amazing on this salad!
Make it spicy – add in some chopped jalapeño to the dressing to give this salad some heat or you could add some extra cayenne, chili powder or a dash of hot sauce in with the shrimp.

Make Tacos or Bowls

Taco night – spoon the salad into warm corn tortillas for blackened shrimp tacos topped with avocado, salsa or a drizzle of crema. You may also like these cilantro-lime chicken tacos.
Burrito bowls – serve this salad over cilantro-lime rice or quinoa or make a hearty burrito bowl with all your favorite toppings!

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Prepping this Salad Ahead of Time

The great thing about this salad is that all the elements can be easily made ahead of time at the beginning of the week and stored separately in containers until assembling.

The shrimp and corn can be cooked up to 2 days ahead of time and tastes great warm or cold on the salad. To reheat the seasoned shrimp, warm them in a skillet for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat until just heated through or warm up in the microwave.
The cilantro lime dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed mason jar or sealed, airtight container. When ready to use, give it a good shake to mix everything up.
The romaine lettuce can be washed and stored in a container in the fridge until you are ready to prepare the salad.
The tomatoes and cucumbers can be sliced ahead of time and stored in separate containers until ready to assemble the salad.

More Shrimp Recipes

More Summer Salad Recipes

Hope you all enjoy this Blackened Shrimp Salad! If you love this as much as we do, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! Follow for more healthy recipes!