Shrimp & Spinach Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

I recently posted my Cold Crab Cocktail Dip on Instagram and ended up getting into a convo with another food blogger about shellfish – how we can’t understand how anyone couldn’t like shellfish. We are obsessed! I do feel badly for people who are allergic, as it does seem to be kind of a common allergy. The only thing I’ve ever wished I was allergic to is cheese. I would be soooo skinny if I wasn’t allowed to eat cheese. Well… maybe not. I’d probably just make up for it in fries. But I digress.

Shellfish is yummy, and it’s at its best in the summer. I don’t eat shrimp often, but when I do, I love to grill it outside in the summer. It’s low in carbs and high in protein, and for someone who doesn’t eat meat, it’s a nice change-up from the typical grilled chicken. This Shrimp & Spinach Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette is a light and healthy way to enjoy shrimp at the peak of its season.

How do you cook shrimp?

It takes no time at all to grill shrimp. Literally, 5 minutes is really all you need. Pretty much, when it’s pink, it’s done. I leave it on the grill for 2-3 minutes after it turns pink, just to be sure, but don’t leave it much longer or it will become tough and rubbery. We’re going to brush the shrimp with a mix of garlic, fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Grill it for a few minutes on each side, and it’s done. Any leftover shrimp that you don’t use for the salad can be chilled and dipped into cocktail sauce. So good.

What you need to make Shrimp & Spinach Salad

It’s no secret that I love my Mediterranean flavors in the summer. I crave them all the time. So in this Shrimp & Spinach Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette we’ve got lots of salty feta, briny kalamata olives and juicy tomatoes.

I had loads of spinach in the garden, so I used it for the greens in this salad. The extra vitamins and minerals that spinach provides are a nice bonus, but you could really make this salad with any greens you like. I always tell people, if you want to get your kids to love salad, don’t throw spinach or kale at them right away. Ease them in with romaine, then gradually introduce the more interesting greens. My kids have come to love spinach as a result of breaking them in slowly. I think I started by adding spinach to the warm artichoke dip that they love, and eventually made it to being able to serve this salad and not having them complain. The Prince has even graduated to liking kale!

The Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

What’s even better, though, is the dressing. Everyone in my house loves this dressing! It’s got all the basic components of a good vinaigrette (quality oil and vinegar and a healthy dose of Dijon mustard) plus tangy sundried tomatoes, salty capers and fresh herbs. When I first served this dressing, we ended up dipping our bread in it and talking about how amazing it would be as a marinade for chicken.

How to serve Shrimp & Spinach Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

When you make this Shrimp & Spinach Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette, be sure to pair it with a crisp bottle of Pinot Gris and a crusty loaf of ciabatta. You’ll want to be dunking it into that dressing, that’s a guarantee! Enjoy!

Shrimp & Spinach Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

Grilled shrimp over a bed of fresh spinach with briny olives, salty feta cheese and juicy tomatoes in a tangy dressing

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 2 entree salads

Ingredients

  

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The Salad

• 12-15 jumbo shrimp cleaned and deveined
• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup quality feta cheese cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup kalamata or other Greek olives
• 3 cups spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic
• 2 Tbsp. fresh basil chopped
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

The Dressing

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes chopped
• 1/4 cup shallots chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1 Tbsp. garlic
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 tsp. Dijon
• 1 tsp. capers
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Instructions

 

• To make the dressing, pulse all ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until incorporated.
• Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Thread shrimp onto skewers and place on a tray or baking sheet. Whisk the olive oil, basil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush onto the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Grill 2-3 minutes, then flip. Shrimp should be nice and pink. Remove from grill.
• To assemble the salad, divide spinach leaves between 2 salad bowls. Top with tomatoes, feta, olives and shrimp. Drizzle with dressing.

Keyword entree salad, gluten free

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