Shrimp and avocado salad

This incredibly satiating salad is packed with healthy fats and lean protein. Shrimp and avocado salad is perfect as a light main course for either dinner or lunch.

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Shrimp with avocado salad ingredients

Shrimp: Use peeled, raw shrimp. You can buy these fresh or frozen. If you use the frozen version, make sure to safely thaw them in the fridge before use. We will cook our shrimp with lemon and garlic because it's delicious.

Avocado: Finding the perfect avocado can be tricky, but you want to use a ripe one for this recipe.

Rocket: Or arugula for my Americans out there - you can substitute this with your favourite leafy green. I love rocket as it's very flavourful.

Watercress: Yummy leafy green with lots of texture. As with rocket, you can replace this with another leafy green if you prefer.

Cherry tomatoes: Colourful and tasty!

How to cut avocado for salad

To make a great salad with avocado, it's important to make sure that your avocado is ripe. It should have dark skin and feel slightly soft when you touch it. If the avocado still has green skin and feels rock solid, it's simply not ripe and you should leave it for a few more days. Be careful when you cut avocado. Use a sharp knife, and watch what you are doing.

1. Slice the avocado lengthways
2. Remove the stone. I like to use a large knife for the job. Give the stone a hard chop so that the knife is stuck in it, then twist and the stone should come free.
3. Use your knife to slice or dice the avocado meat while it's still in the skin, then use a spoon to dig out the slices.

How to make shrimp and avocado salad

This salad couldn't be easier. You can quickly throw together all the ingredients within 5 minutes, and very little preparation is required. All we do is toss cooked shrimp with avocado, leafy greens and tomatoes in a salad bowl, and it's ready to serve.

Cook the shrimp: Add oil to a frying pan, and saute minced garlic for 1 minute before adding raw, peeled shrimp. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon over the top, and leave the shrimp to fry. Shrimp cooks in about 3 minutes. You will know that it's ready to eat when the shrimp starts curling into a C shape.

Slice the avocado: Half an avocado, remove the stone, then slice or dice the avocado thinly.

Assemble the salad: Add your leafy greens to a salad bowl or a plate. Top it with cooked lemon garlic shrimp, sliced avocado and halved tomatoes. Drizzle juice from half a lemon on top, or serve the salad with lemon wedges on the sides.

Storing leftovers

You can store leftover shrimp and avocado salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that avocado tends to become discoloured quickly, so I would recommend serving the salad immediately.

More delicious salad recipes

• Couscous salad with pomegranate
• Tuna bulgur salad with chickpeas
• Chicken and mango salad
• Broccoli salad with raisins and bacon