Discover Joanne Gallagher's Creamy Shrimp Salad Recipe Loved by Fans

Some recipes become instant favorites, not because they're complicated, but because they strike the perfect balance of fresh, flavorful and foolproof. We all have those recipes that we make on repeat, but if you want to add another to your rotation, we just ran across a shrimp salad recipe that has people talking.

Food creator and recipe developer Joanne Gallagher, who founded the @inspiredtaste blog with her husband, Adam, shared her "all-time favorite" shrimp salad , and her followers have been raving about it ever since, calling it "outstanding" and admitting they've been making it "on repeat."

And honestly, I can see why! It's creamy, bright and full of texture, making it ideal for everything from a light lunch to a make-ahead party dish. It's also the ideal dish for this time of year: satisfying but light, comforting but not too rich and the perfect thing to eat at a picnic, a cookout or at the beach.

Related: Al Roker's New Orleans-Style Shrimp Moves a Classic Dish To the Grill

How To Make Great Shrimp Salad

The foundation of this salad is perfectly cooked shrimp and the key to tender, juicy, never overcooked shrimp is poaching. To infuse the seafood with flavor, Joanne adds a halved lemon, smashed garlic cloves, a bay leaf, salt, pepper and some Cajun seasoning to the poaching water. Joanne says the Cajun seasoning is optional, but I will definitely be using it.

Poaching cooks the shrimp gently and quickly (it only takes three minutes), creating firm but not rubbery shrimp. Once the shrimp are cooked, they're drained, cooled and ready to be the star of the salad—the dressing.

Related: You'll Want To Pour This Buttery, Garlicky Shrimp Scampi Sauce Over Everything

The Dressing That Makes the Dish

What sets this shrimp salad apart is its dressing. Joanne combines creamy mayonnaise with freshly squeezed lemon juice for brightness, a sprinkle of sea salt and a few twists of freshly ground pepper. This dressing is light enough to let the shrimp shine, yet flavorful enough to tie every ingredient together.

Into the mix goes crisp diced red bell pepper, crunchy celery and mild, fresh green onions. A generous handful of fresh dill adds a fragrant note that makes the whole salad taste like summer in a bowl. The combination of the creamy mayo and the fresh, bright, crunchy mix-ins pairs so well with the shrimp and brings the whole dish together.

Once everything is gently tossed together, the salad is ready to chill—or it can be enjoyed immediately if you just can't wait!

Related: How To Make the Best Shrimp Scampi of Your Life, According to Martha Stewart

Why You'll Love This Shrimp Salad

The beauty of this recipe lies in its balance. The shrimp are succulent and flavorful from their poaching liquid, the vegetables add crunch and color, the dill gives freshness and the creamy lemon dressing pulls it all together without being heavy. It is all a masterclass in balancing textures and flavors in a single dish.

It's versatile, too. You can serve it over greens, tuck it into lettuce wraps, spoon it into a buttery toasted bun or simply enjoy it as is with a fork.

And the best part is that it's easy enough to whip together for a weeknight dinner, but it's also impressive enough to serve to guests for a Sunday lunch. No wonder the comments section is full of people declaring it their go-to shrimp salad recipe!

Whether you're making it for a casual lunch to bring to work or you want to serve it at a weekend gathering, this shrimp salad is the kind of dish that will have people asking for the recipe before they've even finished their plate.

Related: My Husband Cracked the Code to the Best-Ever Peel-and-Eat Shrimp

This story was originally published by Parade on Aug 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food & Drink section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.