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Grilled Shrimp Salad with Citrus Mint Dressing, Avocado and Orange

By 17 Comments

Grilled Shrimp Salad Recipe. Sweet grilled shrimp are tossed with avocado, petite tomatoes and red onion that have been marinated in a lively citrus mint dressing. You’ll want to make this fresh, delicious and oh-so healthy salad over and over.

If you’re looking for more shrimp salad recipes, take a look at this Blackened Shrimp Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette. A recipe from a popular Denver restaurant.

Grilled shrimp salad with avocado, orange wedges, mint and cherry tomatoes

The flavors in this healthy shrimp salad are absolutely fresh and divine. The citrus and mint dressing that soaks the sweet cherry tomatoes and the bright red onion is so very tasty.

And with a lively surprise of hot sauce, you’ll fall in love.

The crispy grilled shrimp are sweet and luscious. And the garnish of fresh orange wedges and healthy avocado, you’ve got a fabulous main course seafood salad.

One of the keys to this grilled shrimp salad is sweet orange slices. Orange slices that have had the white bitter pith properly removed. You find instructions on how to supreme an orange below.

How To Remove White Pith From An Orange

Before we get to the recipe, I want to show you how to “supreme” an orange. That means, to cut the rind off the orange to remove the white bitter pith. And create orange wedges that are clean, pleasant to the eye and the palate. A technique I learned at Culinary School.

How to peel an orange to remove the white pith. How to supreme an orange.
  • With a sharp knife, slice the two ends off of the orange.
  • Turn the orange onto one of the ends, and angle the knife so that you can slice the first piece of rind from the orange.
  • Move the knife downwards and along the curve of the orange.
  • Don’t be shy with this, you want to make sure you’re cutting off that white pith.
  • Continue slicing the skin from the orange until you have a completely naked piece of fruit.
  • You’ll then find those thin white lines that mark where the segments are.
  • Using the tip of your knife, cut along those lines and remove the pieces of orange into wedges.

Voila, clean orange slices that have no flavor indication of that white bitter pith flavor.

Culinary School Tip: Tip: hold the peeled orange over a bowl to separate the wedges and capture the juice for a vinaigrette.

Now that we’ve got that beautiful clean orange, let’s make this grilled shrimp salad.

Let’s Make This Grilled Shrimp Salad

This fresh citrus shrimp salad recipe is one that can most certainly grace your dinner table year round. With the containers of orange, red and yellow petite tomatoes that are available to us, you can have Summer in a bowl, year round.

This shrimp salad is a great recipe for clean eating during the Winter and Summer months. Use your outdoor grill in the warm months and grab that stove-top grill pan during the Winter.

Raw shrimp in a white bowl with a marinade of orange juice and cilantro

15 minute marinade for grilled shrimp

We’ll first marinate the shrimp.

  • Simply place raw, deveined and peeled shrimp in a deep bowl.
  • Add olive oil, hot sauce, orange juice and mint.
  • Let this sit for about 15 minutes.
  • You can leave or remove the tails. I like to leave them.
Salad dressing for grilled shrimp salad with red onion, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and olive oil and hot sauce

Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes, the onions and chop the cilantro. Place this in another bowl and add lime juice, olive oil and more hot sauce. Set aside and grill the shrimp.

Stove-Top Pan Grilled Shrimp for Salad

Is your grill covered in snow most of the Winter like mine? Just grab your stove top grill pan. It works beautifully to sear shrimp. Let’s take a look:

  • I simply spray the pan with Pam. Or you can use a silicone brush to coat the pan with olive oil. Heat grill pan over medium high heat.
  • Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp.
  • Most importantly, don’t let the shrimp touch. You need air to circulate around each piece. If you crowd the pan, you’ll find moisture building. This will prevent the shrimp from getting that perfect sear with those perfect grill marks.
  • Cook shrimp in batches if you need to.
  • Let the shrimp cook about 2 minutes per side.
  • Shrimp have a built in pop-up timer – as soon as they turn pink, they’re cooked.
  • Done!

To grill the shrimp outdoors, coat the grates of a grill with oil and heat to medium high. Add the shrimp and watch them closely. Grill 1 – 2 minutes per side. I like to use a slotted grill pan for shrimp. With the cost of premium quality shrimp, I don’t want to lose any between the grates.

Assemble The Salad

  • To plate the salad, add a big spoonful of the onion and tomato dressing to a plate.
  • Add orange slices and sliced avocado and top with the grilled shrimp.
  • I’ve added some garnish of frisee lettuce for garnish.

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Orange

I hope you give this grilled shrimp salad recipe a try. It’s truly a very special main course shrimp salad recipe.

And don’t miss my Seafood Category. You’ll find lots of great recipe ideas. And don’t miss the most popular shrimp recipe on my site. It’s an appetizer recipe for Campechana. Mexican shrimp cocktail.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Grilled shrimp salad with avocado, orange wedges, mint and cherry tomatoes
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Avocado, Orange and Citrus Mint Dressing

Sweet grilled shrimp are tossed with avocado, petite tomatoes and red onion that have been marinated in a lively citrus mint dressing.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Resting time15 minutes
Course: Main Course Salad
Cuisine: Amerian
Servings: 4
Calories: 368kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 oranges
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 Tablespoon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 24 large shrimp shelled and deveined, about 1 ½ pounds
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ small red onion thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 1 pinch dried oregano preferably Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 Hass avocados cut into thin wedges

Instructions

  • With a knife, peel one orange to remove the bitter pith.
  • Using a juicer, squeeze the 2nd orange and place the juice in a small bowl.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of the hot sauce into the orange juice. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the mint. Whisk and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the shrimp and with a large spoon, gently toss to coat the shrimp with the marinade. Let this sit for 15 minutes.
  • In another bowl, place lime juice, the remaining ¼ cup of oil. Add the remaining teaspoon of hot sauce and brown sugar. Whisk to emulsify then add the tomatoes, onion, cilantro and oregano, Season lightly with salt. Toss to combine with a large spoon to combine.
  • Oil the grates of the grill. Or preferably coat a grill basket with Pam. Heat grill to medium high heat. Or coat a stove top grill pan with Pam. Heat the grill pan over medium high heat.
  • Once the pan or grill is hot, add the shrimp. Don't over-crowd shrimp. Cook the shrimp in batches if necessary. Crowded shrimp will build mositure and not sear properly.
  • Grill the shrimp over high heat for about 4 minutes, turning once or twice until lightly charred and cooked through.
  • To plate, place a large spoonful of the tomato dressing on plates. Add the sliced avocado and orange slices. Top with grilled shrimp. Garnish with frisee lettuce (optional)

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 763mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Orange…It’s what’s for Dinner

Grilled Beef Sirloin Steak with Zesty Caper Relish

By 6 Comments

A relish made with pepperoncini, capers and sun-dried tomatoes is a zesty rich and bright accompaniment to succulent grilled sirloin. This beef sirloin steak recipe is easy enough for your weeknight meal rotation.

Sliced sirloin steak on a cutting board topped with pepperoncini and caper relish and sprinkled with Maldon sea salt.

Sirloin Steak Facts

A good beef sirloin steak is one of my favorite choices for a steak dinner. It’s readily available at the grocery store, and it’s affordable. Beefy in flavor and if cooked right, tender, juicy and delicious.

The sirloin steak is a primal cut. The sirloin is divided further into the sirloin top butt and the bottom butt. The top butt is tender enough to be cut into boneless sirloin steaks.

The bottom butt, which is tougher, gives us the tri-tip steak, sirloin tips, or ground beef. So what sirloin steak is best?

I always look for and purchase USDA labeled Top beef sirloin steaks. Even though they are less tender than ribeyes, T-bones, or strip steaks, they're juicy and flavorful when grilled or pan seared.

How to Grill Sirloin Steak, Indoor or Pan Grilled

During the Winter months, a cast iron skillet or a good heavy bottomed grill pan will cook a beef sirloin steak to perfection.

Since they're relatively lean, sirloin steaks should not be overcooked. Grab your favorite marinade or rub, a sirloin will soak up marinades better than more expensive cuts.

Don’t cook sirloin past medium or they’ll taste dry. A quick sear and a cut against the grain is a sirloin’s best friend.

I love a good steak from the outdoor Weber, but I also love a good pan seared Sirloin steak straight from the stove top.

How To Make Pan Seared Steak: Pan-searing sirloin on the stovetop is one of the quickest and easiest methods. It allows you to keep an eye on your steak while it cooks. Sear steak over high heat until a brown crust forms, about 1-2 minutes per side. Then reduce heat to medium and cook to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for rare. 135 degrees is recommended.

But what stove top pan should you choose for this beef sirloin steak recipe?

A French Steel, a cast iron, or a stove top grill pan. All have properties that distribute heat very well, insuring a quick reliable crispy sear.

Follow this same theory for your outdoor grill. Heat grill to 500 degrees to get the grates nice and hot. Turn the grill down to 350 degrees and place the steak on the hot grates. Cook3 – 4 minutes per side. Remove from grill, let rest 10 minutes, tented in foil and then slice against the grain.

What’s in Your Fridge?

A 55 gallon drum of pepperoncini peppers perhaps? Yup, I’m one of those Costco shoppers who upon occasion will purchase a very large container on the premise that it’s only 50 cents more than a container a fraction of the size at the grocery.

End result? That Costco container takes up prime refrigerator real estate for far too long.

With that said, I’ll be looking for ways to use pepperoncini. Let’s start with this sirloin steak recipe.

Why This Sirloin Steak Recipe Works

For so many reasons.

First of all, about 10 minutes of prep, and about 10 minutes of cook time, 10 minutes of rest time and your steak is ready to eat.

Brown sugar and paprika steak rub for a sirloin steak

The rub for this sirloin steak is a combination of sweet paprika, brown sugar, salt and pepper. The sugar not only seasons, but it helps with browning and crust formation.

The flavors in the zesty relish of which consist of tangy pepperoncini, savory rich sun-dried tomatoes, and briny capers blend very well together and compliment the savory/sweet flavor of the steak. Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce is added to the relish for an extra delicious level of flavors.

Sirloin steak pan grilled and sliced on a cutting board. Topped with pepperoncini, caper, dijon, sun-dried tomato relish

Recipe for Pan Grilled Beef Sirloin with Caper Relish

I hope you give this pan seared beef sirloin recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite pan grilled steak recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

For a fresh steak meal, I usually don’t serve anything more than a tossed green salad with a grilled steak. But if you’re looking for ideas:

What to serve with Sirloin Steak

My first choice is to serve this with Ina Garten’s Mac and Cheese with Tomatoes. A great combination of flavors to compliment that steak. Here are some other choices.

More Pan Seared Steak Recipes

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Beef Sirloin with Pepperoncini and Caper Relish

A relish made with pepperoncini, capers and sun-dried tomatoes is a zesty rich and bright accompaniment to succulent grilled sirloin.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Resting Time10 days
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 378kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds sirloin steak 1 ¼ inches thick
  • ¼ Cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • ½ Cup sweet onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon sage fresh, or ¼ teaspoon dried sage
  • 2 Tablespoon capers drained and rough chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons Pepperoncini peppers seeded and chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil, cjopped
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine paprika, sugar salt and pepper. Pat over steak on both sides.
  • In a small skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onion and sautee until soft, about 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and keep warm to steep the flavors while you grill the steak.
  • Heat grill, or spray a cast iron or grill pan with Pam. Heat the pan heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Add the steak.
  • Cook steak about 7 minutes total, turning once. Meat thermometer should read around 135 degrees for medium rare. Let steak rest for 5-10 minutes tented with foil. Slice against the grain and top with relish.

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 763mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 552IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 4mg

Beef Sirloin with Pepperoncini and Caper Relish…It’s What’s For Dinner

Overnight Flank Steak Marinade, Southwestern Style

By 6 Comments

This overnight flank steak marinade is a tangy spicy savory mix for flavor that comes alive on your grill. This Southwest inspired Flank Steak marinade is just what Summer ordered.

If you love cooking with flank steak, don’t miss another one of a favorites for Tangy Flank Steak with Horseradish Sauce. Another great marinade idea for grilled flank steak.

Grilled flank steak topped with sliced green onions

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Grilled flank steak is about the easiest and most reliable beef steak you can cook.

It only takes about 5 – 6 minutes per side to cook on the grill. Does grilling life get any better than that? Plus it’s a lean cut of meat, so my waist line says, “thank you very much.”

And finding a great overnight flank steak marinade is worth it’s weight in gold. This flank steak marinade includes some of your favorite ingredients for a big bam of flavor. The aroma from this flank steak when it hits that grill is intoxicating.

Over the years flank steak has been pretty much our go-to when Summer grilling season is in full swing. When prepared properly, flank steak is cut of meat that laps up about any marinade concoction you throw its way.

And preparing an overnight flank steak marinade, not only imparts incredible flavor into the beef, but saves time when you’re ready to start cooking dinner.

A recipe from one of our Colorado Junior League Cookbooks, this is a Southwestern themed marinade. The title of the recipe reads San Juan Flank Steak.

Let’s Take a look.

Table of contents

Overnight flank steak marinade ingredients.
  • Olive oil: Olive oil will keep the meat moist during this long marinade process.
  • White Vinegar: Putting vinegar in marinades will help flavor and tenderize the meat. The acidity in vinegar helps break down connective tissue and make the meat softer.
  • Hot Spices: We’ll use Tabasco Sauce and New Mexico Red Chile Powder to bring some spicy heat to the meat.
  • Aromatics: Mexican Oregano and Garlic

Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It's peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don't have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Whisking ingredients in a bowl for overnight flank steak marinade.
Placing flank steak and marinade ingredients in a plastic bag to marinate overnight.
  1. Step 1: In a small bowl use a whisk to mix together the marinade ingredients until well blended.
  2. Step 2: Place the steak into a gallon sized zip lock bag. Add the marinade ingredients and seal, pushing out as much air as you can. Use your hands to squish the bag around several times to make sure the beef is fully coated with the marinade. Place in refrigerator and marinate overnight.

How To Marinate Flank Steak

Marinating flank steak is as easy as falling off a log. But there are a couple of techniques to keep in mind.

Flank steak is flavorful, lean and a somewhat tough cut of meat that benefits from an overnight soak that includes an acid such as vinegar, lime or lemon juice. This helps break down the connective tissue to produce a tender cut of meat, once cooked.

Along with your choice of acidic liquid Just throw in some of your favorite seasonings.

I’ve seen recipes that instruct one to score the meat with a sharp knife to encourage the flavor to penetrate the steak. Which seems to make sense.

However, I’m sticking by the golden rule of never piercing your meat. You want the end result to be as juicy and flavorful as possible. Any kind of piercing, jabbing as you cook, or cutting will release valuable juices.

Please use tongs when turning your meat.

All you need for this overnight flank steak marinade are simple ingredients and a zip lock gallon bag.

How Long Can You Marinate Flank Steak?

Culinary School offered this advice and flank steak marinade time. Flank steak can be marinaded for as short of time as 2 – 3 hours, or up to 12 hours to enhance flavor and tenderness. A 24 hour marinade is discouraged, especially when acids like lemon juice, or lime juice are involved. They can encourage the steak to become mushy.

Does Flank Steak Have to Be Marinated?

To marinate or not to marinate? That is the question. Although marinating is fine for a flank steak, it most certainly isn’t a requirement.

I have grilled many flank steaks that have produced very tender results without a marinade. The secret is to make sure you don’t overcook the steak, and then slice it thinly in the opposite direction to how the grain of the meat is running.

And in leu of the marinade, just rub the flank steak with your favorite seasonings before grilling. A good example is this recipe for Grilled Flank Steak with Caramelized Sweet Corn. A simple seasoning of salt and pepper is all you need.

Sliced grilled flank steak served with a kale salad

Overnight Flank Steak Marinade Recipe

The marinade in this recipe provides plenty of flavor for the flank steak. However, who can resist a sauce to liven things up a bit. I’d suggest serving this with a gorgeous Horseradish Cream Sauce, or send it south of the border with this Roasted Hatch Chile Sauce or a sweet and spicy salsa like Jalapeno Pineapple Salsa. For a more restaurant quality feel, drizzle this steak with Balsamic Fig Glaze = luscious.

Side Dish Recommendation Zucchini and Potato Skillet with Thyme. This is a great side for any grilled steak recipe.

I hope you give this Overnight Flank Steak recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating, and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. Your input is valuable to me.

More Flank Steak Recipes

Don’t miss my Beef Category for more beef and flank steak recipes. That’s where you’ll find the most popular flank steak recipe on my site for Beef Tagliata. A fabulously flavorful and easy Italian steak recipe.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

A grilled sliced flank steak that's been marinated overnight.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Overnight Flank Steak Marinade

This Grilled Flank Steak Recipe is just what Summer ordered. Flank steak is marinated overnight in tangy spicy savory mix for flavor that comes alive on your grill.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinate1 day
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: Amerian
Servings: 4
Calories: 481kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds flank steak
  • ½ Cup olive oil
  • ¼ Cup white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
  • 2 teaspoons New Mexico red chile powder or Ancho Chile Powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced

Instructions

  • In a small bowl use a whisk to mix together the marinade ingredients.
  • Place the steak into a gallon sized zip lock bag. Add the marinade ingredients and seal, pushing out as much air as you can.
  • With your hands, squish the bag around several times to make sure the beef is fully coated with the marinade.
  • Place in refrigerator and marinate over night.
  • Preheat grill to 600 hundred degrees. Lower heat to medium, or 350 degrees.
  • Remove flank steak from marinade. Grill 5 – 6 minutes per side. Let rest 5 minutes tented wtih foil. Then slice the meat across the grain. Top with sliced green onions for presentation. Serve immediately.

Notes

The marinade for this recipe provides plenty of flavor for the flank steak. However, who can resist a sauce to liven things up a bit. I’d suggest serving this with a gorgeous Horseradish Cream Sauce, or send it south of the border with this Roasted Hatch Chile Sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 315IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3.3mg

Overnight Flank Steak Marinade … It’s Whats for Dinner

Inspiration for the name San Juan Grilled Flank Steak Recipe

The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. In my opinion some of the most outstanding scenery in our state. The area around Ouray, Telluride, Durango Creed and Lake City has provided us with several stunning vacation memories. Photo below.

Photo of Uncompahgre Peak in the San Juan Mountains Southwest Colorado from Slumgullian Pass
Uncompahgre Peak, San Juan Mountains Southwest Colorado Taken from Slumgullian Pass

Blackened Shrimp Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

By 6 Comments

Blackened Shrimp Salad is a refreshing entree that’s light but in a hearty way. Blackened shrimp on crisp artisan field greens, sprinkled with applewood smoked bacon, hard boiled eggs, heirloom petite tomatoes all splashed with a champagne vinaigrette. It’s healthy and it’s irresistibly delicious. A perfect Summer entree salad.

Blackened shrimp over spring greens with cherry tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, bacon and champagne vinaigrette

About This Shrimp Salad Recipe And Why It Works

I’m sure I’m not special in possessing a desire to copycat a meal that I’ve enjoyed at a restaurant. We’ve all been there. Taking a couple of bites then announcing, “I’ve got to make this at home.”

And why not. The cost is always about half of what you pay in the restaurant. I enjoyed this beautiful shrimp salad recipe at a cost of around $12 for two salads at home as opposed to $23 for a single entree at the restaurant.  So there ya have it.

So, blackened shrimp salad is my latest project. This “Farmer’s Salad” from a popular local restaurant was divine with flavor, and I knew it would be easy to recreate in my own kitchen.

It’s a wonderful shrimp salad recipe with a Cajun flair, some bacon and brightened with wedges of hard boiled egg = yes please. One of our favorite recipe for spicy shrimp, along with this Easy Gumbo Recipe.

No need to interrogate the wait staff for this recipe. This recipe is very straight forward. It was just up to me to come up with a blackened shrimp seasoning recipe that didn’t totally overwhelm the delicate sweet flavor of shrimp.

It took a few trial runs and some tinkering. The Champagne vinaigrette was easy, as I have a killer recipe from Culinary School. With that said, I’m feeling confident that I got these shrimp salad flavors just right.

Spring greens, blackened shrimp and orange petite cherry tomato on a gold fork.

Blackened Shrimp Seasoning

We made a couple of blackened seasoning mixes at Culinary School, one for shrimp and another for fish fillets. Digging through my notes, I found the ingredients from both classes, and came up with a combo of these favorite seasonings for my final recipe.

If you’re a regular reader, you know that I cook with a lot of chili powders and chili seasoning. The Culinary School combos involved both but not used together. I’ve got a great recipe for homemade chili seasoning, so chose to go that route. Brown sugar was a must, and the rest is pretty standard. I just needed to get the proportions right. You’ll find my final recipe below.

With the perfect amount of spice, when the shrimp hit that sizzling pan, the aromas were intoxicating.

The Champagne Vinaigrette comes with no alterations and from the recipe we used at school. I loved it then and I love it now. A delicious combination of flavors for the ingredients in the salad.

Tips to Make This A Great Blackened Shrimp Salad

  • Please purchase Wild American Shrimp as opposed to farmed shrimp from overseas. There's a world of difference in both flavor and texture. It's the right thing to do and it just flat out tastes better. It’s shrimp that tastes like shrimp. And the texture is more pleasing.
  • Buy large or jumbo shrimp. Larger shrimp are much easier to manage while cooking and less apt overcook and dry out.
  • To know when shrimp are cooked properly: straight shrimp are undercooked, shrimp curled into a "C" are done, shrimp closed in a tight curl are overcooked.
  • When deveining shrimp, I like to cut a pretty deep swath down the back of the shrimp. I like how they look after they’re cooked. And they cook more evenly and there’s more flesh for the seasoning.
  • Purchase quality thick sliced bacon. Preferably applewood smoked. Preferably from your favorite butcher case. Even though commercial packaged bacon is labeled “thick sliced.” I find a reputable butcher will offer thicker bacon with a better flavor.
  • Use a Spring greens mix that doesn’t include a bitter lettuce such as radicchio. The strong flavor will distract from the delicate fresh flavor of the Champagne Vinaigrette.
  • Look for orange petite tomatoes. A great contrast color for this salad.
Blacked shrimp salad in a large wide rimmed salad bowl with hard boiled eggs, spring greens, and applewood smoked bacon. With champagne vinaigrette.

Recipe for Blackened Shrimp Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

I  hope you give this shrimp bacon salad recipe a try and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite way to use Blackened Shrimp, let me know, I’d love to give it a try. I’m thinking there’s a great blackened shrimp pasta recipe out there.

More Main Course Salad Recipes Worth a Look

And, you won’t want to miss this recipe for Heavenly Halibut. It’s the most popular seafood recipe on my site. Not surprising, it’s easy, it’s delicious and it’s well … heavenly. Looking for more seafood recipes, you’ll want to visit my Seafood Category.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Blackened shrimp over spring greens with cherry tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, bacon and champagne vinaigrette
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Blackened Shrimp Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

Blackened Shrimp Salad is a refreshing entree salad that's light in a hearty way. Blackened shrimp on crisp artisan field greens, sprinkled with applewood smoked bacon, hard boiled eggs, heirloom petite tomatoes all splashed with a champagne vinaigrette. It's healthy, and it's irresistibly delicious. A perfect Summer entree salad.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 746kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 6 slices Bacon Thick cut, applewood smoked, cooked and cut into chunks.
  • For The Champagne Vinaigrette
  • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • ¼ cup champagne vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 dashes hot sauce Tabasco works well here
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • For the Salad
  • 16 petite heirloom tomatoes preferably orange in color
  • 4 cups spring salad greens
  • 3 hard boiled eggs peeled and quartered
  • 4 Tablespoons Blue Cheese Crumbled
  • For the Blackened Shrimp
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds shrimp uncooked peeled
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon either in the oven or in a skillet. Drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, cut in chunks. Set aside.
  • In a glass bowl, add all ingredients for the Champagne vinaigrette. Whisk well and set aside.
  • Peel and devein shrimp. When deveining, cut a wide slit down the shrimp to expose more flesh. Place on a sheet pan.
  • In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the blackened seasoning.
  • Sprinkle the seasoning over the shrimp and with your hands, mix well to coat the shrimp on all sides.
  • In the meantime, prepare and gather the ingredients for the salad. Wash and dry the lettuce. A salad spinner works well here. Slice the heirloom petite tomatoes in half. Peel and quarter the hard boiled eggs. Place the greens in a large salad bowl and set aside.
  • To Cook the Shrimp: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Once the skillet is hot, add the oil. When the oil is shimmering quickly add the shrimp in a single layer. Turn down heat a bit so you don't burn the shrimp. You want them crispy not burnt. Cook in batches if necessary. You don't want to overcrowd the shrimp. Cook two minutes. Then quickly turn the shrimp with tongs, and cook an additional two minutes on the other side. Remove to paper towels.
  • Toss the salad greens with the vinaigrette.
  • To serve, place the dressed greens in 4 shallow salad bowls. Arrange the salad ingredients over the greens. Sprinkle with the blue cheese, cooked bacon and arrange shrimp over the salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 746kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 596mg | Sodium: 2700mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2490IU | Vitamin C: 34.9mg | Calcium: 343mg | Iron: 6.5mg

Blackened Shrimp Salad … It’s whats for dinner.

No-Bake Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Brie Appetizer

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A no-bake brie appetizer recipe that everyone will love to dig into. It’s easy, and it’s make ahead. Brie is stuffed with a luscious mixture of sun dried tomato and basil. Sounds like a perfect appetizer for your next Italian Wine Tasting Party doesn’t it? 

Brie appetizer stuffed with sundried tomatoes and topped with basil

Neighborhood Wine Tasting Party

It’s been nearly five years since we moved into our new home in Tresana. And I’ve loved every single minute of living here. We only moved a couple of miles from where we built our original house 27 years ago. We’ve left behind a neighborhood bustling with young couples with young families and traded for a community better suited for us. A large percentage of our neighbors are retired. Perfect! So are we.

Our May wine tasting party was hosted by Beth, and being a good Italian, she chose wines from Italy. We brought a red wine from Sicily, a 2017 Cusumano Nero d’Avola. My appetizer for our Italian Wine Tasting party was this no-bake stuffed brie appetizer recipe.

It was easy to prepare and even though the travel time was only two houses away, it traveled beautifully and looked very impressive in an Italian sort of way. And it traveled home even easier, as the plate was picked clean.

I know, I know, Brie is a French cheese, but the filling for this appetizer was so very Italian. This is a super easy appetizer recipe to make. It’s showy, and it’s delicious. Let’s take a look at this stuffed brie appetizer.

How to Make This Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Brie Appetizer

Two halves of a wheel of brie cheese on a wooden cutting board.
  • Start with an 8-ounce wheel of brie cheese. A couple of hours before the party, place the brie cheese in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
  • When ready to prepare, remove from the freezer, remove the box and the paper from the brie, and with a sharp sturdy knife, slice the brie into two halves horizontally. 
  • With brie’s creamy texture, the brie must be very cold for a clean slicing experience.
Basil leaves and sun dried tomatoes in a food processor
  • In a food processor, add fresh basil leaves, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, garlic cloves, lemon juice and black pepper.
Sun-dried tomato basil spread for stuffed brie appetizer
  • Process into a rough paste. The paste must be spreadable, so if it’s too dry, add a little more oil from the sun-dried tomato jar.
A mixture of sun dried tomatoes and basil spread on half of a wheel of brie cheese.
  • Spread half the mixture onto the bottom half of the sliced brie. Don’t you just love that rich color and rich texture?
Sun dried Tomato appetizer with basil and garlic stuffed in a wheel of brie cheese surrounded by water crackers.
  • Place the other half of the brie onto the mixture and press firmly.
  • Spread the remaining sun-dried tomato mixture over the top and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Your stuffed brie appetizer is ready to serve with water crackers and Mini Croccantini artisan crackers.

Two halves of a wheel of brie cheese topped with sun-dried tomatoes in oil and served with water crackers and garnished with fresh basil leaves

Provide a good sharp spreading knife for guests to easily slice and scoop a hearty wedge for their cracker.

Done! An easy and delicious appetizer for any party you’ve been invited to.

Stuffed sundried tomato brie on an artisan cracker

Questions You Might Have

Can You Eat The Rind Of Brie Cheese?

Absolutely! The rind is a white mold, called Penicillium candidum, which cheesemakers inoculate the cheese with. This edible mold blooms on the outside of the paste and is then patted down, over and over again, to form the rind. This process gives Brie its distinctive taste.

Recipe for No-Bake Savory Brie Appetizer

Make sure to buy sun dried tomatoes in oil to keep this spread nice and spreadable … and luscious.

And since the brie is not baked, but served room temperature, buy quality brie to keep it as creamy as possible.

I hope you give this Brie Appetizer Recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating, and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite Italian Appetizer recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

More Appetizer Recipes For Theme Wine Tasting Parties

And if you’re looking for more appetizer recipes, don’t miss my appetizers category. Lots of fun and tasty ideas. And one of the easiest and most popular make ahead appetizer is a beautiful cheese platter, which always includes my idea for a Smoked Salmon Platter.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Two halves of a wheel of brie cheese to make stuffed brie appetizer.
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Brie Appetizer Recipe

A brie appetizer everyone will love digging into. Easy, and it's make ahead. Brie is stuffed with a luscious sun-dried tomato mix. Simply serve with crackers
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 10
Calories: 83kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • ½ cup fresh basil
  • 12 sun-dried tomatoes drained and oil reserved
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper fresh ground
  • 8 ounce brie cheese a wheel, ½ pound, thoroughly chilled
  • fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

  • Remove brie from refrigerator and cut in half horizontally. Brie must be thoroughly chilled to make this possible.
  • In a food processor, combine basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, pepper and lemon juice.
  • Process until a rough paste forms. Add the oil that dripped from the sun-dried tomatoes. Add a tad more from the jar if the mixture seems dry. It should be spreadable, but not too thin.
  • Spread the bottom half of the brie with half of the sun-dried tomato mixture. Top with the remaining brie half, pressing together firmly. Top the brie with the remaining sun-dried tomato mixture.
  • Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with water crackers. May be made a day in advance. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

Nutrition

Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 0.4mg

No Bake Brie Appetizer … It’s What’s For An Italian Wine Tasting Party