Shrimp and Arugula Salad

An easy low carb, paleo recipe for 5-ingredient shrimp and arugula salad inspired by my trip to Italy.

I first had this incredible shrimp and arugula salad in a little ristorante in Taormina, Sicily. It was a perfect lunch on a sunny terrace. I was surprised at how few ingredients were in the salad. But once I tasted the freshness of the local ingredients, and the way the way the flavors worked together, I was convinced. And I’ve been making it this way ever since.

Simple shrimp arugula salad

What made it so special? The attention to detail–using the best quality ingredients, dressing them with simply fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, and letting the flavors shine through. When you start with great seafood and the freshest produce, you don’t have to add much to it.

I knew this salad was a dish I could easily recreate at home. I love bringing this simple recipe from that little Italian kitchen to my own. It fits in perfectly with the way I like to cook–using real whole food ingredients and creating easy no-fuss meals.

Since this salad uses cooked shrimp, you can cook the shrimp in advance or buy the shrimp already cooked at your local fish market. Just be sure to get big, beautiful shrimp like you would use for shrimp cocktail. The rest of the salad takes less than five minutes to put together.

The original salad was finished with shaved Parmesan. I substituted avocado here to make it dairy-free. But you could even leave it out. I think it’s the combination of the spicy arugula, sweet shrimp, tangy lemon, and fruity olive oil that makes this salad so good.

Just looking at this shrimp and arugula salad reminds me of that sunny terrace in Italy.

More simple salads

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Shrimp and Arugula Salad

This simple shrimp and arugula salad is the perfect combination of flavors.

Prep Time10 mins

Course: Salad

Diet: AIP, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Keto, Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 343kcal

Author: Cook Eat Paleo

Ingredients

• 8 cups baby arugula
• 1 pound large cooked shrimp
• 1 avocado diced
• 4 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• coarse sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

• Add arugula, shrimp, and avocado to a large bowl. Drizzle with half of the olive oil, juice of one lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. 
• Toss lightly, then add more olive oil, if needed, to just lightly coat arugula. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 285mg | Sodium: 896mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 20.5% | Vitamin C: 53.7% | Calcium: 24.9% | Iron: 20.4%

Want to meet purveyors who are making a difference with their customers? Check out BonAppetit.com’s “Out of the Kitchen”, an ongoing exploration of the relationships that build and sustain the food industry. See how hyper-local food markets operate and how their focus on quality and service keep customers coming back for more.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BonAppetit.com's “Out of the Kitchen” series. #epicurious #outofthekitchen