Citrus & Sesame Shrimp Salad

This simple no-cook Asian inspired salad is full of flavor and comes together in just minutes. We use frozen shrimp, loads of veggies, fresh citrus and a sugar-free sesame dressing to pack a flavorful punch without a lot of work.

Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!

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The Peel household is a meal prep household. We both work and we want to eat healthily, but honestly through the week, I am pretty lazy when it comes to cooking.

I am always trying to create new recipes that have minimal or no-cook time and come together in under 30 minutes. Which is why we love this shrimp salad!

The idea came from a "healthy" sesame-ginger dressing I bought at the store. It tasted great but was loaded with sugar. I created my own version with orange juice and an extra kick of ginger.

Sesame Shrimp Salad Ingredients and Substitutions

One of the great things about this salad is how flexible it is. Let's start with the dressing.

• Orange Juice- Fresh squeezed or from a bottle, just make sure it has no added sugar.
• Rice Wine Vinegar- This an ingredient you either always have or never buy. Try red wine vinegar or cider vinegar if that is what you have on hand.
• Sesame Oil & Sesame Seeds- Good quality, and watch the expiration date. Sesame oil has a tendency to turn rancid if not stored properly. For the seeds, you can use white, black, or a mix.
• Tamari- AKA gluten-free soy sauce. Soy sauce is typically made of more wheat than soy! If you aren't concerned about gluten then use your preferred soy sauce.
• Aromatics & Seasonings- Fresh is best here. Powdered ginger is great for baking and dry rubs. Not so good for salad dressing. If you want a punchier flavor, add minced shallot as well.

Note that on the salad dressing we salt to taste. Different brands of soy sauce/ tamari vary widely in the amount of sodium. Even though we typically use a low-sodium tamari I never salt this dressing.

For the salad, there is a lot of wiggle room in terms of what veggies and fruits you use. But first, let's start with the shrimp.

• Shrimp- I typically used frozen peeled and deveined pre-cooked shrimp that just need to be thawed out. But if your shrimp is uncooked simply salt and pepper the thawed shrimp and cook with some EVOO in frying pan until opaque. Not a shrimp fan? You can substitute crab, chicken or even fried tofu.
• Green Leaf Lettuce- We prefer romaine or butter lettuces. You can use any lettuce you like but spinach, napa cabbage, and other light leaves work better than strong flavors like arugula or kale.
• Red Cabbage- You can use any type of cabbage but we love the bright color red cabbage brings to the shrimp salad.
• Sugar Snap Peas- Using these uncooked may be new to some people but they are crunchy and delicious. You can substitute frozen peas or snow peas if you live.
• Carrots & Bell Peppers- Any color will do. Not much to report here.
• Cilantro- You either love it or think it takes like soap. If you are in the soap category substitute Thai basil, regular basil or parsley. Maybe even a little mint if you are feeling crazy.
• Oranges- I prefer blood oranges, so that is what I use. But any variety will due, even canned mandarin oranges.
• Scallions- I prefer scallions on this dish. But red onion works as well.

Tips & Tricks for a Perfect Salad

This salad is very simple to make but here are a few tips and tricks.

• Don't dress the salad greens with the dressing. The citrus breaks down the lettuce very quickly making for a very soggy salad by the end.
• Skip the EVOO, and don't substitute for the sesame oil. It just isn't the same.
• If you want to meal prep the salad, keep the dressing separate until you are ready to eat. We love these little sauce cups for transporting salad dressing to work.
• The sugar-free sesame dressing will keep for a week in the fridge.
• Make it spicy by adding crushed red pepper to the sesame dressing.

Try some of our other favorite quick & easy recipes:

• Lemon Artichoke Zucchini Noodles
• Crockpot Citrus Shredded Beef (perfect for taco night!)
• Sheet Pan Pork Chops with Acorn Squash

If you try this recipe, be sure to post a photo on Instagram with #peelwithzeal! Follow Peel with Zeal on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook for the latest posts.

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Sesame Shrimp Salad

Easy Asian salad bursting with bright veggies and citrus.

Prep Time12 mins

Total Time12 mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Gluten Free, shrimp salad, sugar free salad dressing

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

Sugar Free Sesame Dressing

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp tamari soy sauce or sub regular
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted black or white
• kosher salt

Asian Shrimp Salad

• 3 cups green leaf lettuce, chopped or torn into pieces
• 6 oz cooked frozen shrimp, thawed
• 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 orange, peeled and sliced
• 2 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
• sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

For the Sesame Dressing

• Combine all ingredients (except salt and pepper), whisk until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the Shrimp Salad

• Divide the lettuce between two large plates.
• In a mixing bowl combine all the shrimp, cabbage snap peas, carrots, bell pepper, cilantro and prepared sesame dressing. Gently toss to combine.
• Garnish with orange slices, scallions and sesame seeds.

Notes

• For a spicy kick add 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper to the salad dressing.
• Salt proportion is not provided due to the vary content of sodium in different brands of tamri and soy sauce. 
• See full post for directions on cooking raw shrimp, if needed.