Shrimp Cobb Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing

Looking for a light and refreshing salad? Try this Shrimp Cobb Salad with a little tropical flair from mangoes and the salty bite of cotija cheese.

By
Sally Vargas
Sally Vargas
Sally Vargas

Sally is the author of four cookbooks and is a regular correspondent for the Boston Globe Wednesday Food Section. She also is a food photographer.

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Updated July 03, 2022
Sally Vargas
How to Make a Cobb Salad - shrimp and vegetables on gray plate with glass of rose
Sally Vargas

We all love the traditional Cobb salad made with lettuce, bacon, avocados, cooked chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and blue cheese dressing, but sometimes you just gotta break the rules.

This version of Cobb salad keeps the spirit of the familiar assembled plate of vegetables and protein, but subs in a variety of new elements. Large cooked shrimp stand in for the chicken; we lose the hard-boiled eggs, but we keep the bacon, avocados, and tomatoes.

Cucumbers add a refreshing crunch, and the tropical addition of mango adds just a touch of sweetness. I finish the whole thing off with a salty, crumbly Mexican cheese called cotija, and basil dressing.

Not only does this salad scream summer, but the dressing ties all the flavors together with its herby, creamy essence.

How to Buy Shrimp

Since ‘fresh’ shrimp is pretty much nonexistent because almost all shrimp are frozen immediately after harvest, I always pick up frozen shrimp.

That shrimp in the seafood case at the supermarket? It is simply frozen shrimp that has been defrosted.

Shrimp is quite perishable, and there’s no way to know how long ago it was thawed. For that reason, I like to buy frozen shrimp and defrost it myself when it’s time to cook (plunk it in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes).

For this recipe, I prefer large (16-20 per pound) shrimp to small ones because I like the statement they make on the plate (and there are fewer to peel, too!). You can also just purchase cooked and peeled shrimp of any size and skip the cooking and peeling.

Cobb Salad with Shrimp and Mango - - shrimp and vegetables on gray plate with glass of rose
Sally Vargas

How to Cook Shrimp

To cook shrimp, follow one hard and fast rule: Do not boil them! Delicate proteins in shrimp seize, shrink, and become rubbery when subjected to high temperatures.

To poach shrimp, the water temperature should be between 165 and 175 degrees, the temperature obtained after you drop cold shrimp into simmering liquid.

If you want to cook a lot of shrimp, do it in batches of about one pound each to ensure even cooking.

The shells of unpeeled shrimp do the best job of protecting the shrimp from overcooking. If you’re cooking peeled shrimp, subtract a minute from the cooking directions in this recipe.

Cobb Salad with Basil Dressing - shrimp and vegetables on gray plate with glass of rose
Sally Vargas

How to Serve the Salad

An assembled salad has a lot of eye appeal. For a serious wow factor, arrange the ingredients on a platter in the pattern of your choice and serve the dressing on the side. The individual components don’t have to line up like soldiers, so let those creative juices flow.

If you want to make the salad ahead, you can pack each element in containers, refrigerate them, and assemble the salad just before serving. They will keep in the fridge for at least a day, though you might want to cut the avocado shortly before serving to keep it from turning brown.

Use the same strategy if you are planning a picnic, and bring along a platter to set up your pretty salad display.

More Summer-Ready Salads!

Shrimp Cobb Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

For the creamy basil dressing:

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon honey

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

  • 1/2 cup packed basil leaves

  • 1/3 cup olive oil

For the salad:

  • 1 pound large (16-20 per pound), shell-on shrimp, thawed

  • 1/2 yellow onion, sliced

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

  • 2 sprigs parsley

  • 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into slices

  • 2 small heads baby romaine lettuce, or other crisp lettuce, torn into pieces

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 2 small avocados, sliced

  • 2 small yellow mangoes, peeled and diced

  • 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced

  • 8 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled

Method

  1. Make the dressing:

    In a food processor or blender, process the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, and basil leaves until smooth.

    With the motor running, slowly stream in the oil through the feed tube until blended. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if you like.

    Tropical Cobb Salad -green dressing in food processor
    Sally Vargas
  2. Cook the shrimp:

    Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set it aside. You will use this to stop the shrimp from cooking.

    In a wide saucepan set over medium heat, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer. Add the onion, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, and parsley. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pot, and stir.

    Bring the water back to a simmer and remove the pan from the heat. Cover with a lid and leave for 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque in the center.

    With a slotted spoon, quickly scoop the shrimp into the bowl of ice water. Swish them around for one minute. Drain and pat dry. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or until ready to use.

    Cobb Salad with Shrimp and Mango - shrimp, noodles and greens in pot
    Sally Vargas
  3. Peel and devein the cooked shrimp:

    Starting underneath where the legs are attached, pull off the legs and shell. Leave the tail segment on (for appearance.)

    Make a shallow slit down the middle of the back of the shrimp to reveal the black thread (intestine). Use the tip of a paring knife to lift out the black vein. Rinse the shrimp under cold running water.

  4. Cook the bacon:

    In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp and golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

  5. Assemble the salad:

    Serve on one large platter or on individual plates. Spread the lettuce on the bottom and top with separate mounds of shrimp, bacon, tomatoes, avocados, mangoes, cucumbers, and cheese. Serve with basil dressing.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1084 Calories
78g Fat
55g Carbs
50g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1084
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 78g 100%
Saturated Fat 20g 100%
Cholesterol 316mg 105%
Sodium 2805mg 122%
Total Carbohydrate 55g 20%
Dietary Fiber 17g 61%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 50g
Vitamin C 103mg 515%
Calcium 692mg 53%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 2029mg 43%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.