This Grilled Shrimp Louie Salad is bright, satisfying, and full of bold flavors. It features smoky grilled shrimp paired with hard-boiled egg, creamy avocado, beets, black olives, cherry tomatoes and crisp greens, all finished with a classic creamy louie dressing. It’s easy to assemble, stores well when components are prepared ahead, and makes a hearty lunch or elegant weeknight dinner.
I often choose a loaded salad over a full entrée when dining out, and recreating favorite restaurant-style salads at home is one of my favorite ways to eat well. This Shrimp Louie Salad sits alongside classics like salmon niçoise and chicken Cobb on my shortlist of go-to salads.
The combination of grilled shrimp, avocado, hard-boiled egg, olives and beets on a bed of fresh greens, finished with a creamy louie dressing, creates outstanding texture and balance — savory, tangy and just a touch smoky.
Because you can make many of the components ahead of time, this salad works beautifully for meal prep. Roast the beets, hard-boil the eggs, and make the dressing a day or two in advance; the shrimp cooks quickly just before serving.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- High-protein, satisfying meal that’s bright, fresh and filling.
- Dairy- and gluten-free when served with a dairy-free dressing — an easy healthy dinner or meal-prep option.
- Many components can be prepped in advance, which speeds up assembly for busy weeknights.
- Flexible and customizable: swap the shrimp for crab, cooked bay shrimp, or omit seafood for a vegetarian version with beans.
Recipe ingredients
This salad is generous with fresh, wholesome ingredients and can be adapted to what you have on hand.
- Shrimp: Grilled shrimp add a pleasant smokiness. Peeled and deveined large shrimp save time. You can also use blackened or air-fryer shrimp, cooked bay shrimp, or fresh crab.
- Beets: Roasted beets bring sweetness and color; pre-cooked beets from the store work well too.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Provide richness and texture. Prepare them to your preferred level of doneness.
- Lettuce: A spring or butter lettuce mix is ideal, but any sturdy salad greens will work.
- Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes and avocado are classic here. Feel free to add roasted red peppers, asparagus or green beans.
- Black olives: Choose your favorite variety and drain them before adding to the salad.
- Dressing: A creamy louie dressing ties everything together. It can be made entirely ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
See the recipe card below for precise ingredient amounts and the full recipe.
How to make louie salad with shrimp
While this salad has several components, assembly is simple and many steps can be completed ahead of time.
Pro tip: Roast beets, hard-boil eggs and make the dressing up to 48 hours ahead. Shrimp can also be cooked a day in advance if desired.
Basic steps summarized here — consult the recipe card for full instructions.
- Toss peeled, deveined shrimp with olive oil and a simple spice mix (smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper).
- Thread shrimp on skewers or place directly on a preheated grill.
- Grill shrimp about 2–3 minutes per side, until pink and cooked through.
- Arrange lettuce, beets, sliced hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, olives and avocado on plates. Top with the grilled shrimp and drizzle with louie dressing. Serve with lemon wedges if you like.
Recipe FAQs
What is a louie salad?
Louie (or Louis) salads are typically served cold or at room temperature and often include crab meat or bay shrimp, hard‑boiled egg, olives, tomato and sometimes asparagus. The dressing is creamy and similar to Thousand Island but less sweet. The salad has roots on the West Coast of the United States and became popular in the early 1900s.
Does the shrimp have to be grilled?
No — the shrimp can be grilled, sautéed, air-fried, or substituted with cooked bay shrimp for a faster shortcut.
Can this salad be made vegetarian?
Yes — omit the seafood and add chickpeas, white beans, or extra roasted vegetables for protein instead.
Can the components be prepared ahead?
Absolutely. The beets, hard-boiled eggs and dressing can be made 1–2 days ahead. Shrimp can be cooked ahead as well, though grilling just before serving preserves the best texture.
Recipe Notes
- Make-ahead tip: Roast beets and prepare eggs and dressing up to 2 days ahead to speed assembly on the day you plan to serve the salad.
- Buying peeled and deveined shrimp saves a lot of time.
- If you don’t want to grill, prepare shrimp in a skillet or use pre-cooked bay shrimp. Fresh crab meat is an excellent alternative.
- To keep it vegetarian, replace seafood with beans or extra roasted vegetables.
More salad recipes you’ll love:
- Butter lettuce salad
- Horiatiki (Greek village salad)
- Italian chopped salad
- Santa Fe chicken salad with tangy lime dressing
- Spring mix salad
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Grilled Shrimp Louie Salad
Servings: 4 • Prep: 15 mins • Cook: 1 hr (includes passive roasting time) • Total: 1 hr 15 mins
Grilled Shrimp Louie Salad is a classic with smoky grilled shrimp and a creamy louie dressing. Gluten-free and dairy-free options are possible depending on the dressing used.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces large raw shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces spring lettuce or your favorite greens
- 2 roasted beets, sliced (or pre-cooked beets)
- 4 large hard-boiled eggs
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
- 1 cup black olives, drained
- Louie salad dressing (prepared)
- Fresh lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the shrimp
- Preheat the grill to medium. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil. Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then add to the shrimp and toss to coat.
- Thread the shrimp onto skewers or place directly on the grill. Grill 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before removing from skewers.
Assemble the salads
- Divide the lettuce among four plates. Arrange roasted beets, hard-boiled egg quarters, cherry tomatoes, olives and avocado on each plate.
- Top with the grilled shrimp and drizzle with louie dressing to taste. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
- Pro tip: Roast beets, prepare hard-boiled eggs and make the dressing up to 48 hours ahead. Shrimp may be cooked a day in advance.
- Purchasing peeled and deveined shrimp saves time.
- If you prefer not to grill, use air-fryer shrimp, blackened shrimp, or cooked bay shrimp. Crab meat also works well.
- For a vegetarian option, omit seafood and use chickpeas or white beans for protein.
Note: This recipe was originally published in August 2018. Step-by-step photos and additional recipe details were added in later updates.