Shrimp Louie Salad.. a California classic of big, succulent shrimp, crisp romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes,
A fabulous, almost “no cook” option when it’s too hot to cook!
Growing up, this was the salad my Mum would make when the temps hovered in the triple digits. Hearty, crunchy and COLD – it was the only meal we could imagine eating.
And it definitely made hot days something to look forward to!
It’s no secret that here at ACT we love shrimp! Shrimp in Garlic Sauce, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp or Shrimp Toast – it doesn’t matter, it’s all good! But this salad – well, let’s be honest, it is all about the dressing!
Creamy, tangy with a bit of a spicy kick, this is the dressing that you will dip almost anything and everything into – trust me! Since making it was always my job, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on it – so here is what you’re going to need!
“This was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except I made my own mayo using avocado oil. “
–Patricia, an ACT fan!
Ingredients for Louie Salad and Dressing:
- Mayonnaise – Best Foods or Hellman’s. Definitely splurge for the full-fat version!
- Chili sauce or ketchup– chili sauce is traditional and I love its flavor. I’ve always used Homade Chili sauce – and still do – I think it’s the best! If you only have ketchup, add a little finely minced onion to add texture and to help balance the sweetness.
- Worcestershire sauce – adds depth and earthiness! If you don’t have any, you can use soy sauce – but the
Worcestershire is really hard to beatbeen in this dressing! - Old Bay seasoning – this is NOT traditional but in “experimenting” I really loved the flavor that Old Bay gave the dressing. If you don’t have any, substitute a little bit of cayenne pepper.
- Fresh lemon juice, salt,
and pepper! - Romaine lettuce- you definitely need a sturdy lettuce for this salad. Butter lettuce and green leaf lettuce also work, but I like the crunchiness of Romaine.
- Tomatoes – whatever tomatoes you have work just fine here.
- Cucumber– Persian or English cucumbers have a sweeter flavor than regular cucumbers. If using regular cucumbers, peel them first!
- Hard-boiled eggs – a classic ingredient in this dish!
About this Shrimp Louie Salad
Louie Dressing is similar to Thousand Island but is less sweet and more savory.
Ingredients typically include both Worcestershire sauce and horseradish. I know, horseradish! But, it gives the dressing that little bit of kick that we all love!
Yes. The dressing can be made several days ahead of time. The flavor actually improves if you make the dressing ahead.
The salad ingredients can all be prepped ahead of time as well. I don’t recommend assembling the salad too far in advance since the salad will lose some of it’s crispness.
Yes! In fact crabmeat was used in the original salad which made it’s appearance in the early 1900’s in San Francisco. If you either can’t find shrimp or don’t like it, you should definitely use crabmeat!
Did you love this salad? If so, I’d love for you to leave me a comment and rate it!! Cheers! Nancy
Old Bay Louie Salad
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup chili sauce
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup green onions minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning OR ¼ teaspoon cayenne optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- Salad:
- 1 head romaine or iceberg lettuce cleaned and torn into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced
- 2 persian cucumbers sliced
- 4 hard boiled eggs shells removed
- 1 pound medium sized shrimp cooked and chilled
Instructions
- For the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- For the salad: Divide the lettuce evenly among 4 medium sized salad plates.
- Divide the tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and shrimp evenly between the plates. Season with salt and pepper or Old Bay seasoning
- Top with ¼ cup of the dressing or pass the dressing separately.
There’s nothing like a cool, crisp salad on a hot day. And this one looks amazing. Love that it’s one your mom made. 🙂
I have such fond memories of making this salad with my Mom and I always think of her when I make it!!
This was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except I made my own mayo using avocado oil. I chilled all the ingredients, dressing and the salad bowls then we enjoyed every single bite. I even found the Homemade Chili Sauce at my local grocery store. I will definitely make this our summer salad special for hot days.
Hi Patricia! I am so happy that you enjoyed the salad and I can only imagine how fabulous that mayo was! I was just given a bottle of avocado oil and guess what I’m making – mayo!!!!!! Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed the salad – totally made my week!!!
Thank you for the shrimp louis dress I have been looking for! Also one of my favorite summer salads but I have not been able to replicate the tangy dress that makes it perfect – a huge difference from the thousand island dressing most restaurants offer. Instead of lemon, I used lime because it it what I had on hand, and it is perfect. My salad does not have cucumbers but does have avocado. I used Kewpie mayo, to me it is less sweet and tastes cleaner, but that is clearly a personal preference. Don’t know what set me on this mission today, but I am glad I found your recipe.
PS: I forgot to say that I also first had shrimp and crab louis prepared by my mom. She was born and raised in San Francisco, so it was a taste of home for her.
The dishes our parents make are ALWAYS the best and I bet your Mom’s was delicious! I remember when my parents first took me to San Francisco – it was magical – and I remember that Shrimp and Crab Louie were on many of the restaurant menus!!
Hi Kay!! Oh, your comment just made my day!!! I sometimes add avocado too – it’s sublime, isn’t it?? I agree about the Kewpie mayo – which reminds me, I’m almost out and need to pick up some more!
My favorite Louie dressing recipe – so glad I found it! Tried several different recipes but this is the one I’m sticking with and sharing with others. Thank you.
Hello Dawn,
I cannot tell you how happy your comment made me!!! Knowing that my readers enjoy my content is what makes the blog worth it!! I hope you have a great weekend!
Absolutely delicious! The dressing is out of this world, a definite keeper!
This salad is so good. We made it with fresh crab. But tonight it will be shrimp. I’ve been searching for a thousand islands dressing and I have to say this Louie dressing is by far the very best!!!! Making this for my in-laws . I know Dad will love it!
I am so happy you enjoyed the salad and I hope your Dad enjoys it as well!!