Crunch Time Recipe: Zesty Shrimp Salad

Crispy Quinoa and a simple spicy avocado dressing!

I’m always on the lookout for healthy and fast recipes that can do work for multiple meals. Maybe it’s a packed lunch or a lighter dinner? This salad is a special one because it’s super-flavorful and has some really delicious add-ins. You can, of course, customize it to your liking, but as written it’s pretty darn good!

This recipe is only found here on the Crunch Time Club substack so be sure to save it if you want to find it later!

The Avocado Sauce

The sauce on this salad is kind of a hack. Basically it’s tomatillo salsa blended with avocado, lime, and a pinch of salt. It’s acidic and creamy at the same time and works great as a slightly thicker salad dressing.

Make sure you blend it really well and feel free to add a little olive oil or water to it to thin it out if it seems too thick. Taste and adjust for salt levels.

Making Crispy Quinoa

This part of the recipe is best if you make it in advance. It takes a bit to make crispy quinoa because you have to cook it, cool it, and then cook it again.

One very important step to crispy quinoa is to make sure you don’t overcook the quinoa. I recommend boiling it and tasting it until it’s tender and then immediately drain it and return it to the pot and let it steam for a few minutes.

Once the quinoa is dry and cool, you should toss it with some olive oil and salt and then either bake it at 400˚F for 25-30 minutes OR you can pan-fry the quinoa in a little olive oil. I prefer the pan fry method which is much faster, but both work!

Zesty Shrimp Salad Recipe

Makes 4 large salads
Total Time: 20 minutes assuming you make quinoa in advance

Ingredients:

• 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 5 ounces salad greens

• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin

• Sweet peppers, sliced thin

• 2-4 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled

• Crispy Quinoa (see below)

Avocado Sauce:

• 1/2 cup salsa verde

• 1 medium ripe avocado

• 1/2 lime, juice only

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Pinch of salt

• Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. For crispy quinoa, cook a cup of quinoa in boiling water for about 15 minutes until tender. Then drain in a wire strainer and return to hot pot. Cover and steam for a few minutes. Then cool.

2. When quinoa is cool and dry, toss quinoa with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and add to a skillet over medium heat. Cook quinoa until browned and crispy. Stir occasionally.
   SUBSTITUTION: If this quinoa seems like too much work, you can substitute crispy corn chips or corn strips. You just want something crunchy in the salad.

3. To make sauce, add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Spoon over salad.

4. To make shrimp, toss peeled shrimp with oil, cumin, paprika, and salt. Sautee in a skillet for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through.

5. Assemble salads with greens, crumbled cheese, sliced onion, peppers, cooked shrimp, crispy quinoa, and a drizzle of sauce. Serve immediately!

The most involved part of this recipe is actually the crispy quinoa, but it adds a nice crunch to this healthy salad. You can substitute it though without much loss to flavor.

Give this Zesty Shrimp Salad a shot if you are looking for something healthy and FAST for dinner!