This easy Prawn Salad (also known as shrimp salad) with rice, peas and avocado comes together in minutes. It makes a fresh, satisfying lunch or a light dinner and is simple to adapt to suit your tastes or dietary needs.
This prawn salad is a go-to at our house when time is tight. It’s flavourful, nutritious and can be on the table in about ten minutes when you use a few convenience ingredients like ready-cooked rice and pre-cooked prawns. Even if you prefer to cook the rice and prawns from scratch, the recipe is still quick and straightforward.
A mandoline is useful for slicing radishes and onions into very fine slivers, but a sharp knife will work perfectly well if you don’t have one. The salad balances creamy avocado, crisp radish and spring onion, sweet peas and edamame, and plump prawns tossed in a tangy lime and olive oil dressing.
Prawn Salad Ingredients
Below are the main ingredients you will need to make this bright, healthy prawn salad. Quantities are flexible — adjust to suit your appetite and the number of servings you need.
- Cooked jumbo prawns (or cooked shrimp). You can use fresh prawns cooked briefly in a pan, pre-cooked chilled prawns, or thawed frozen prawns.
- Precooked rice pouch such as brown basmati and wild rice. Alternatively use precooked quinoa, couscous or bulgur; cauliflower rice works for a lower-carb or keto version.
- Frozen peas and edamame beans, cooked according to the packet instructions.
- Ripe avocado, sliced; radishes thinly sliced; red onion, finely sliced; spring onions (scallions); and a handful of fresh parsley, chopped.
- Dressing: olive oil, minced garlic, lime zest and juice, dried chilli flakes. Add a touch of honey if you prefer a sweeter dressing.
- Salt and black pepper to taste.
How to Make Prawn Salad
Read through the steps before you start. The preparation is quick and straightforward.
- Prepare the dressing: whisk together olive oil, lime zest and juice, minced garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes. Taste and add a little honey if you prefer a sweeter balance.
- Heat the rice or grains according to the package instructions and place them in a large bowl. Fluff with a fork to separate the grains.
- Cook the peas and edamame: microwave for 2–3 minutes or simmer briefly until tender, then drain and cool slightly.
- If using raw fresh prawns, sauté them in a little oil over a medium-high heat for a couple of minutes until they turn pink and are cooked through. If using pre-cooked prawns, simply drain and pat dry.
- Add the peas and edamame to the rice, then fold in the prawns, sliced avocado, radishes, spring onions, red onion and parsley. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to combine, taking care not to mash the avocado.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately or chill briefly for a cooler salad. This dish is best eaten the same day for freshness, though it will keep in the fridge for a short time if needed.
Prawn Salad Variations
The recipe is naturally gluten free and easy to adjust for different eating plans. Here are some simple variations you can try:
- For a keto-friendly version, swap the rice for cauliflower rice and reduce or omit the peas.
- If you follow a weight-management plan, omit the avocado or use smaller amounts; use a spray oil or reduced oil dressing to control calories.
- Substitute crab meat for the prawns if you prefer a different seafood option.
- Serve a smaller portion of the dressed mixture spooned into crisp lettuce leaves as an elegant appetizer or canapé.
Other Prawn Recipe Ideas
If you enjoy prawns and want more recipe inspiration, consider these simple concepts you can make at home: spicy prawn pasta with a tomato- and chilli-based sauce, quick curried prawns served with rice or flatbreads, or prawn-stir fry noodles with fresh vegetables and a light sauce.
If you try this prawn salad recipe, please rate it and leave a comment to share how you served it. I enjoy hearing about swaps, additions and serving suggestions — it’s always interesting to learn what works best for different tastes and occasions.
Easy Prawn Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- Optional: a little honey to taste
For the salad
- 250 g pouch of precooked rice (e.g. brown basmati and wild rice) or a similar quantity of cooked grains
- 250 g cooked prawns
- 130 g frozen baby peas
- 130 g frozen edamame beans
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 5 radishes, thinly sliced
- 5 spring onions, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Adjust seasoning and add a touch of honey if desired.
- Heat the rice or grains according to pack instructions and transfer to a large bowl. Fluff with a fork.
- Cook peas and edamame from frozen in the microwave for 2–3 minutes or until tender, or bring to the boil briefly on the stove, then drain.
- If using fresh raw prawns, pan-fry in a little oil for a few minutes until pink and opaque. If using pre-cooked prawns, simply prepare and drain them.
- Add the peas and edamame to the rice. Stir in the prawns, avocado, radishes, spring onions, red onion and parsley. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. The salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be chilled briefly if preferred.
Notes
If using raw prawns, cook them briefly in a hot pan with a little oil until they turn pink and their flesh becomes opaque; this takes only a few minutes. For a lower-carb option, replace the rice with cauliflower rice. To reduce calories or fat, omit or reduce the avocado and use less oil in the dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 705 kcal | Carbohydrates: 70 g | Protein: 42 g | Fat: 31 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g
Nutritional information is approximate and will vary depending on ingredients and serving sizes.