Shrimp Louie Salad Dressing Recipe

Shrimp Louie Salad Dressing Recipe is an iconic salad topper from the early 1900s in San Francisco! Based on a Crab Louie Salad, this recipe is a must-try!

Let’s chat about Shrimp Louie Salad! On a hot summer’s day, when you don’t want to turn a stove, oven, or appliance on… this is your go-to!

Shrimp Louie is a classic salad recipe from California.

It’s poached shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and a delightful Louie Dressing that will remind you of a thousand island dressing. 

If you’ve ever heard of “The King of Salads” they’re referring to Crab Louie Salads. Filled with Dungeness crab or lump crab meat, the creamy dressing, ripe avocado, asparagus or green beans, and other salad ingredients.

With some cheeky time smart choices, you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes. 

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the shrimp Louie salad recipe:

• Cherry Tomatoes (or whatever kind of fresh tomato you have growing in your garden!)
• Romaine Lettuce or Iceberg Lettuce or Butter Lettuce
• Poached Shrimp – you can use raw shrimp and make the real deal shrimp Louie recipe
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Cucumbers
• Creamy Avocado

The original recipe has you poaching your shrimp and shocking in a bowl of ice water. And, blanching + shocking any vegetables you may want.

My time-smart, cheeky hack for this salad?

Buy everything pre-cooked. The shrimp and the hard-boiled eggs! You can definitely make the dressing at home, but everything else?! Just pick it up.

For the dressing you’ll need:

• Mayonnaise (It’s got to be Duke’s y’all..!)
• Black Pepper
• Kosher Salt
• Ketchup or Chilli Sauce or Cocktail Sauce
• Horseradish
• Dijon Mustard
• Lemon Juice
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Green Onions

How to Make Shrimp Louie Salad Dressing

Louie Dressing – it’s a more savory version of thousand island, with a bit of zip!

In a medium bowl mix together a cup mayonnaise, cup chili sauce, extra horseradish, a little dijon mustard, a teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and green onions. If you want the combination of mayonnaise dressing less thick, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to thin it out. Other recipes include the addition of seafood seasoning and hot sauce.

Let this sit for a while while you assemble your salad.

Pro Tip: The longer horseradish sits the spicier it gets. So, if you want to make this dressing ahead of time, leave the horseradish out and mix it in just before serving!

What is the difference between Louie Dressing and Thousand Island?

Thousand Island dressing has mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish. It’s very sweet with no spice to it.

Shrimp Louie Dressing has mayonnaise, chili sauce and horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, green onions, and some dijon mustard or old bay seasoning if you’re feeling frisky! Louie Dressing is a savory and spicy dressing.

Assembling the Vibrant Shrimp Louie Salad

On a large serving platter arrange your bed of greens.

Follow all these same steps even if you are preparing individual salad bowls.

Lay out individual ingredients however you prefer.

For the shrimp version of this newest shrimp salad crush, I arranged it all like a Nicoise salad.

I love the idea of a big platter filled with fresh ingredients that people can help themselves to. Like in my Salmon Nicoise Salad, you pick and choose which items you want on your fresh salad!

This is my favorite way to entertain! Especially in the summer! Delicious salads are anchored in the middle of the table – surrounded by all your people, cultivating community one fresh flavor at a time!

Add the Louis dressing in the center, and serve!

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and eaten within a few days.

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