Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Spicy Dressing
The shrimp come off the pan hot. Everything else on the plate stays cold. That contrast — warm paprika-crusted shrimp on crisp raw bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, and red onion — is the whole point of this plate.
The dressing takes ten seconds: mayo, a pinch of paprika, a shake of chili powder. Total damage: 568 calories, 48 grams of fat (most of it from avocado and olive oil), and 15 minutes from freezer to fork.
The shrimp come off the pan hot. Everything else on the plate stays cold. That contrast — warm paprika-crusted shrimp on crisp raw bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, and red onion — is the whole point of this plate.
The dressing takes ten seconds: mayo, a pinch of paprika, a shake of chili powder. Total damage: 568 calories, 48 grams of fat (most of it from avocado and olive oil), and 15 minutes from freezer to fork.
Ingredients
- shrimp (frozen) 3 ounces
- cucumber 0.5
- bell pepper 1
- avocado 0.5
- red onion 0.25
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- paprika (ground spice) 1 teaspoon
- chili powder 1 pinch
- mayonnaise 1 tablespoon
- mixed salad 1 handful
Method
-
Thaw the shrimp if frozen. Dice the cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, and red onion into small pieces.
-
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, paprika, and chili powder to make a spicy oil.
-
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and pour the spicy oil over them. Cook the shrimp for about 2-3 minutes on each side until they are pink and cooked through.
-
While the shrimp are cooking, arrange the diced vegetables and mixed salad on a plate or in a bowl.
-
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise with a little paprika and chili powder to create a spicy dressing.
-
Place the cooked shrimp on top of the salad and drizzle the spicy dressing over everything.
Lay the shrimp flat in a single layer and resist the urge to move them for the full 2-3 minutes per side. The paprika-chili oil needs undisturbed contact with the hot pan to form a proper spice crust. Flip once, and only when the underside is visibly pink and slightly caramelized at the edges.
Behind this recipe
Can I use fresh shrimp instead of frozen?
Yes. Fresh shrimp cook slightly faster, so check after 90 seconds per side instead of the full 2-3 minutes. The spice crust forms the same way. If using frozen, thaw them fully and pat dry with a paper towel before cooking. Excess moisture prevents the paprika oil from sticking.
Is 48 grams of fat too much for one meal?
Most of the fat comes from avocado and olive oil, both dominated by monounsaturated fatty acids. A pooled analysis of over 57,000 people found that total dietary fat intake does not independently predict whether you gain body fat when calories are controlled. The type of fat and the total calories of your day matter more than the fat grams in a single sitting.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I swap the mayonnaise for something lighter?
Greek yogurt mixed with paprika and chili works as a lower-fat alternative. The texture changes from creamy-thick to tangy-thin, so start with a teaspoon and adjust. The macros on this page reflect the recipe as written with mayonnaise.
