Mango and Shrimp Salad with Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

Make the best-ever Mango Shrimp Salad, full of bright flavors: creamy avocado, tender shrimp, sweet mango, crunchy bell pepper, and a zesty honey-lime dressing. One bite and you’ll fall in love.

This salad feels like summer on a plate. I often serve it with buttered grilled corn or alongside grilled salmon or skewers. It works equally well as a light main or a colorful side dish.

Shrimp is so versatile — you can swap sizes, add rice for a heartier bowl, or turn up the heat with extra seasoning. If you enjoy shrimp salads, try my Shrimp Avocado Salad, Deviled Eggs with Cajun Shrimp, or Pan Seared Shrimp for more inspiration.

Mango Shrimp Salad

This colorful salad combines fresh summer produce with simply cooked shrimp and a lively dressing. It’s light yet satisfying, offering a pleasing mix of textures: creamy avocado, crisp peppers and onions, juicy mango, and seasoned shrimp.

The honey-lime dressing enhances the mango’s sweetness while adding acidity and brightness. I usually use one small avocado and medium shrimp, but the recipe is flexible — add more avocado or change the shrimp size to suit your taste.

Why You’ll Love It

• Nutritious: This salad delivers healthy fats from avocado and protein from shrimp, plus fiber and several key vitamins and minerals.
• Quick to prepare: Prep takes about 15 minutes and cooking the shrimp only a few minutes. You can pre-chop veggies or make the dressing ahead to save time.
• Delicious: The combination of fresh ingredients and the honey-lime dressing creates a bright, balanced flavor that’s hard to resist.

Ingredients Needed

Fresh, simple ingredients make this salad shine. For the salad:

For the dressing, you’ll need lime, honey, and olive oil:

Notes on key components:

• Shrimp: Use raw shrimp that are peeled and deveined. Thaw frozen shrimp before cooking.
• Mango: Diced fresh mango gives the best texture and flavor — look for ripe mangoes with a little give.
• Bell pepper: Red bell pepper adds color and crunch.
• Avocado: Use a ripe, slightly yielding avocado for a creamy texture.
• Lime: Fresh lime juice and zest are essential for the dressing’s bright acidity.

The full recipe card below lists all ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Variations

• Add rice: Stir in cooled cooked white or brown rice to make the salad more filling. Increase the dressing slightly to coat the rice.
• Make it spicy: Add hot sauce, cayenne, or extra Cajun seasoning to the shrimp.
• Sesame twist: Replace part of the olive oil with toasted sesame oil and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. A dash of fish sauce and Thai basil lends an Asian note.
• Extra mix-ins: Try napa cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, or leafy greens like romaine. Fresh herbs such as cilantro or green onion work well.
• White wine dressing: Swap some lime juice for white wine vinegar for a tangier dressing.
• Cilantro-lime vinaigrette: Add chopped cilantro and a splash of red wine vinegar to the dressing for a herb-forward variant.
• If you prefer a Thai-style salad, use firm green mango and include cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, or dried shrimp for a som tum mamuang-inspired version.

Substitutions

• Seasonings: No Cajun seasoning? Use chili powder or make a quick blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne.
• Bell pepper: Any color works — green, yellow, orange, or red.
• Shrimp size: Swap sizes as desired; adjust cooking time accordingly.

How To Make Mango Shrimp Salad

1. Prepare shrimp: Rinse room-temperature shrimp and pat dry. Season with Cajun seasoning and salt and pepper if needed.
2. Cook shrimp: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium. When shimmering, cook shrimp about 2 minutes per side until opaque. Let cool.

3. Combine salad: In a large bowl, add cooked shrimp, diced mango, diced avocado, red onion, and diced red bell pepper.

4. Make the dressing: Combine lime zest, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a jar and shake, or whisk in a bowl. Taste and adjust for more tang or sweetness.

5. Toss and serve: Drizzle dressing over the salad, gently toss to combine so the avocado stays intact, and serve immediately.

Tips for Perfect Mango Shrimp Salad

• Store leftovers in an airtight container. The salad holds up well and often tastes even better the next day.
• To stop the shrimp from overcooking, plunge them into an ice water bath after cooking for about 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
• Fold the dressing in gently to avoid mashing the avocado.
• Keep the vegetable pieces chunky for a pleasing texture — finely chopped ingredients make the salad more like a salsa.
• For a milder onion flavor, soak chopped red onion in cold water for a few minutes and drain before adding it to the salad.

Serving

Serve this Mango Shrimp Salad with grilled proteins and sides such as:

Chicken Skewers

Pan Seared Ribeye Steaks

Pan Grilled Salmon

Grilled Sockeye Salmon

Garlic Herb Rice

Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs

More Recipes With Mangoes

Love mangoes? Try these favorites:

Mango Cream

Mango Avocado Salsa

Mango Ice Cream

Mango Juice

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