Celebrate Mother's Day or any day with a delicious Shrimp and Spinach Salad. This bright salad is filled with seared shrimp, sugar snap pea, pineapple, carrots, and crunch chow mein noodles tossed in sesame ginger dressing.
If I were to ask my mom what she would like to eat on Mother's Day, she would respond, "oh, something light would be nice." In her honor, I thought I'd put together a salad topped with shrimp that is presented in a bright cheerful way for Mother's Day.
A few years ago I enjoyed a salad at a local restaurant that had spinach, pineapple, and shrimp all tossed together in a ginger dressing.
It was so good, that I have made it many times at home and found that carrots and sugar snap peas were a lovely addition to the mix.
I tried several homemade versions of their ginger dressing but found that Newman's Own Sesame Ginger Dressing is perfect and all I have to do is open a bottle.
My mom likes easy recipes and would appreciate the use of a bottled dressing.
I've topped this salad with pan-seared shrimp, grilled shrimp, and even boiled shrimp. I really prefer the flavor of the pan-seared shrimp over boiled but think grilled shrimp is just as good.
Sunny Seared Shrimp & Spinach Salad
Ingredients
baby spinach leaves
shredded carrots
sugar snap peas (break the larger ones in half)
Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing, divided
pineapple rings (¼" slices of fresh are best, but canned will do)
canola oil
peeled uncooked large shrimp, deveined and tails removed
salt and pepper
sugar - This helps to encourage browning of the seared shrimp.
crunchy chow mein noodles, optional
Instructions
Cut pineapple triangles.
- Cut 8 triangle-shaped pieces out of each pineapple ring, reserving scrap pieces.
- Arrange 12-16 triangle-shaped pineapple pieces around the border of each plate.
- Place pointed ends at the edge of the plate, and the bottom of triangles facing the center of the plate forming sunbeams.
Toss the salad and dressing.
- Toss together spinach, carrots, sugar snap peas, and pineapple scraps.
- Toss with ¼ cup Sesame Ginger Dressing.
- Scoop ¼ of the salad onto the center of each dinner plate.
Sear the shrimp in a skillet.
- Heat oil in a 12" stainless steel skillet over high heat.
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel.
- Toss shrimp with salt, pepper, and sugar until evenly coated.
- Once oil just begins to smoke, place shrimp in a skillet in one even layer.
- Cook until the edges turn pink, about 1 minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Turn shrimp over.
- Cover skillet for 1-2 minutes until shrimp are cooked through.
- Be careful you don't overcook the shrimp or they will be tough and rubbery.
Pro Tips
- To ensure all shrimp are cooked evenly, I start at the handle of the skillet and begin placing shrimp in the pan one at a time, moving in a spiral to the center.
- Once I remove the pan from the heat, I start by turning over the shrimp closest to the handle.
- When I remove the shrimp, I do the same so each shrimp spends an equal amount of time in the hot pan.
- Evenly divide shrimp among salads.
- Sprinkle chow mein noodles evenly over salads, if using.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon Sesame Ginger Dressing over each salad just before serving.
Recipe
Spinach salad topped with pan-seared shrimp, sugar snap peas, pineapple, shredded carrots, and chow mein noodles tossed with ginger dressing.
- 8 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 40 sugar snap peas break the larger ones in half
- ½ cup Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing, divided
- 8 pineapple rings, ¼" slices of fresh are best, but canned will do
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound peeled uncooked large shrimp, deveined and tails removed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- ¾ cup crunchy chow mein noodles optional
-
Cut 8 triangle-shaped pieces out of each pineapple ring, reserving scrap pieces.
-
Arrange 12-16 triangle-shaped pineapple pieces around the border of each plate.
-
Place pointed ends at the edge of the plate, and bottom of triangles facing the center of the plate forming sunbeams.
-
Toss together spinach, carrots, sugar snap peas, and pineapple scraps.
-
Toss with ¼ cup Sesame Ginger Dressing.
-
Scoop ¼ of the salad onto the center of each dinner plate.
-
Heat oil in a 12" stainless steel skillet over high heat.
-
Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel.
-
Toss shrimp with salt, pepper, and sugar until evenly coated.
-
Once oil just begins to smoke, place shrimp in a skillet in one even layer.
-
Cook until the edges turn pink, about 1 minute.
-
Remove the pan from the heat.
-
Turn shrimp over.
-
Cover skillet for 1-2 minutes until shrimp are cooked through.
-
Be careful you don't overcook the shrimp or they will be tough and rubbery.
-
Evenly divide shrimp among salads.
-
Sprinkle chow mein noodles evenly over salads, if using.
-
Drizzle 1 tablespoon Sesame Ginger Dressing over each salad just before serving.
This recipe makes enough for 4 salads. I only made enough for one salad, so some of the pictures have smaller quantities than what is called for in the recipe.
To ensure all shrimp are cooked evenly, I start at the handle of the skillet and begin placing shrimp in the pan one at a time, moving in a spiral to the center.
Once I remove the pan from the heat, I start by turning over the shrimp closest to the handle.
When I remove the shrimp, I do the same so each shrimp spends an equal amount of time in the hot pan.
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Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks Jill and Tiffany.
Katie, I would be honored to have my recipe featured on your blog. Thanks.
Katie @ This Chick Cooks says
That is so funny talking about watching your mom waste spinach and fruit on a salad 🙂 That salad looks so yummy. I would love it feature it on my recipes spotlight next Wednesday, if that is ok. Have a great week.
Katie
Tiffany Yang says
wow....that looks soooooo good! I don't think I can wait until mother's day.
Jill says
This is great...beautiful!