Easy Poached Nordic Shrimp Salad

This shrimp salad is just so versatile.  And yummy!

More than anything, it reminds me of all the shrimp salad toasts or open faced sandwiches that I enjoyed when we were in Sweden and Denmark.  It may seem a little retro, as far as dishes go, but I think there is something so quaint, and yet quite bold about a dish like this.

It All Starts With Shrimp

Often, when I am food prepping for the week, I will poach a pound of shrimp all at once, and have them ready to go to add to lunch bowls, stir fry, salads, or even toss into Lemon Pasta.  So I am going to share the poaching method that works perfectly to create shrimp that are not bland or over-cooked.  

What about the size of the shrimp? You may ask.  I usually purchase a large or extra large (jumbo) size of shrimp, this is just a personal preference.  I find this size to be the most versatile for how I may want to use the shrimp throughout the week. I always purchase frozen shrimp, for cost as well as quality.  So I look for the bag that says 16-20, or 21-25.  This means that the shrimp inside are large enough that it will take between 16-20 to make up a pound of shrimp, or 21-25 shrimp to make up a pound.  If you have smaller shrimp on hand, that is fine.  In the end, no matter the size, the weight is what you need to go by in the recipe below.

Poaching Shrimp

It really is quite simple to poach shrimp.  You will add salt, a quartered lemon, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, and Old Bay Seasoning to water and bring it to a boil.  Let it simmer for five minutes to get the flavours going, before adding the shrimp.  Once the shrimp are added, reduce the heat to medium low, keep the pot uncovered, and let the shrimp simmer for about five minutes or until the shells are pink, and the tails curl up.  Remove the shrimp and place them in a bowl with some ice to cool. Peel and pat dry before placing them in a sealed container. They can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. 

Nordic Salad

So you have the cooled shrimp.  Here’s how to turn them into a delicious, high protein meal.  If you are using larger shrimp, as I do, feel free to cut them in half, especially if you are feeding smaller ones, or want to serve the salad in lettuce cups etc. 

To the shrimp in a bowl you will add diced cucumber, celery, radish and red onion.  It really creates a beautiful confetti like effect. I also add fresh chopped dill.  You can use parsley instead if you prefer. I keep the dice to the vegetables pretty small, so that no one vegetable takes over, especially the red onion.

The dressing is a simple combination of mayonnaise, plain skyr or Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.  You could use all skyr or yogurt, but I do feel like the mayonnaise adds the creaminess that suits the shrimp and pays nod to the original Swedish inspiration for this salad.

Then it is just a matter of tossing, and adding a bit more fresh dill for serving. 

Serving and Storing

This salad is great on its own, served on a bed of chopped lettuce.  Or why not serve it in a bowl with washed and dried Bib or Boston lettuce leaves on the side, are make Shrimp Salad Lettuce Cups.  If you chop the shrimp smaller, or use small shrimp to begin with, it also makes a great topping for rye or sourdough bread.  This is the typical way we would find it served when travelling in Europe.

Back in the day we would take this salad, using smaller shrimp (or chopped shrimp) and stuff halved avocados with it, as a first course for a summer dinner party.  This is also a great way to serve it up as a meal for good protein and healthy fat.  Alternatively, we would also hollow out large fresh tomatoes, and stuff them with this same salad.  Or how about adding cooked pasta to turn it into a Shrimp Pasta Salad!

This Nordic Shrimp Salad keeps great in the fridge for a few days. I will often make it to have for lunch for a few days of the week.

Feel free to use cooked frozen shrimp.  Just make sure to thaw in the fridge overnight, and fully drain and dry them to remove all excess moisture, or else it will leech into the dressing and you will be left with a soggy salad.

If you make this Nordic Shrimp Salad, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

5 from 2 votes

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Nordic Shrimp Salad

A healthy, protein rich salad with the lovely sweetness of shrimp, and the crunch from a confetti of finely diced vegetables are combined with a fresh and creamy dressing. This salad harkens to the shrimp salads of Scandinavia, are can be served on a bed of chopped lettuce, in lettuce cups, on toast, or even over avocado!

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine Swedish

Keyword poached shrimp

Prep Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Poached Shrimp

• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 lemons halved
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 handful fresh thyme leaves
• 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tbsp seafood seasoning Old Bay or Zatarains shrimp boil
• 1 1/2 pounds large or jumbo shrimp with shells, heads, and tails on

Nordic Shrimp Salad

• 1 1/2 lb shrimp poached and cooled, coarsely chopped if desired
• 1/2 cup finely diced cucumber see Notes
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely diced radish
• 1/4 cup minced red onion or to taste, if you want to use a little less
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill plus more for garnish
• 2 handfuls fresh lettuces chopped for serving

Dressing

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Skyr or Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2-3 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Poached Shrimp

1. Fill a large pot with about a 6 cups of water, add the salt and squeeze in the lemon juice; toss the halves in there as well. Add the herbs and seafood seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the water with the aromatics.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the shrimp. Simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes (depending on the size of shrimp you are using) or until the shrimp are bright pink and the tails curl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the poaching liquid to a bowl filled with ice. Let them chill thoroughly before peeling.

Nordic Shrimp Salad

1. In a large bowl combine the cooled dry shrimp, and all the diced vegetables and dill.
2. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, skyr and 2 tsp of the lemon juice. Add the mustard and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and re-season as desired. Is the dressing too thick for your liking, add the remaining lemon juice.
3. Pour the dressing over the shrimp and vegetables and toss to coat. Garnish with the remaining fresh dill.
4. Divide the chopped fresh lettuce between the plates and serve the salad on the bed of lettuce.
5. See blog post for additional or alternative ways to serve this Nordic Shrimp Salad

Recipe Notes

If using larger shrimp, you may want to coarsely chop for serving, not required though.
If you are using a larger cucumber with a dense seedy section, remove the seeds before dicing. The added moisture from the seeds will break down the dressing if you are wanting to store leftovers.
This salad will feed four comfortably, maybe even six if part of a larger meal.

Poaching Method adapted from Tyler Florence's found here.