This mango shrimp salad is fresh, light, and absolutely packed with flavor: sweet mango, creamy avocado, perfectly seasoned shrimp, and a dreamy creamy avocado lime dressing. It's the kind of salad that actually satisfies.
If you love this recipe, you'll also love our Easy Blackened Shrimp Bowls with avocado and fresh pineapple salsa!

We live on the Georgia coast, and shrimp is serious business here in Brunswick. The local shrimping industry is something we love to support, and honestly, when you have access to fresh-caught Georgia shrimp, you want to eat it as often as possible. This mango shrimp salad is one of our favorite ways to do exactly that.
We are also huge mango fans in this house (If you haven't tried our no-bake Peach Mango Pie yet, please stop what you're doing). So when shrimp and mango come together in one dish, we're all in.
This avocado mango shrimp salad comes together in under 25 minutes and is the perfect light summer meal.
The shrimp are seasoned with a smoky, slightly spicy blend and seared quickly in a hot skillet, and the salad is fresh and colorful.
Best of all is that avocado lime dressing – it's creamy, bright, and completely addictive.
Ingredients Needed


The ingredients for this shrimp and mango salad fall into three categories: the salad itself, the creamy avocado lime dressing, and the seasoned shrimp.
A few things, like avocado and cilantro, do double duty across the salad and the dressing, so check the full recipe card below before you head to the store.
- Mango: Fresh is best here. See our FAQ below for tips on picking a good one!
- Shrimp: Fresh is our preference, but frozen works just fine. Just thaw completely and pat them very dry before seasoning.
- Smoked paprika and cumin: These two do most of the heavy lifting in the shrimp seasoning. That warm, smoky blend against the sweet mango is really something.
- Lime juice: The backbone of the dressing. Freshly-squeezed makes a noticeable difference here.

How to Make Mango Shrimp Salad
- Make the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add water two tablespoons at a time until it reaches the consistency you like. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
- Season the shrimp. Pat the shrimp very dry with a paper towel — this is the key to getting a good sear. Combine the cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, and salt in a small bowl, then sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer. Don't crowd them — work in batches if you need to. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, flip, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Assemble the salads. Divide the lettuce between four plates, then top with the mango, avocado, red onion, and cilantro. Divide the shrimp across all four salads, drizzle generously with the dressing, and serve immediately.
Sara's Expert Tips
- For the quickest and easiest shrimp cleaning and deveining check out this article.
- Pat your shrimp as dry as you can before seasoning. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear, and you want that beautiful color on the outside of the shrimp.
- Cook time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp. Very large shrimp may need a little longer. Just watch for them to turn pink and opaque.
- Wait until you're ready to serve before dicing the avocado for the salad. It browns quickly! The avocado in the dressing is fine since the lime juice helps slow the oxidation.
- Don't dress the salads until you're sitting down to eat. This one isn't great for advanced meal prep – it's best enjoyed fresh and right away.

Recipe FAQs
Don't go by color – go by feel and look. A ripe mango will have dark spots on the skin and will give slightly when you press it, similar to how you'd check an avocado. If your mango is still firm, leave it on the counter for a day or two to ripen.
Absolutely! Thaw them completely in the refrigerator or under cold running water, then pat them very dry with paper towels before seasoning. The drier the shrimp, the better the sear.
The dressing can be made a few hours ahead and refrigerated. Beyond that, this salad is best assembled right before serving — the shrimp are best fresh off the skillet and the avocado browns quickly once it's cut.
Want More Shrimp Recipes?
- Easiest Buffalo Shrimp
- Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp: Southern Style
- Fried Shrimp Recipe
- Easy Shrimp Etouffee
- Easy Grilled Shrimp with Dipping Sauce
- Shrimp with Buttery Sofrito Sauce
📖 Recipe

Mango Shrimp Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
Mango Salad
- 4 cups spring mix lettuce or preferred
- 1 mango diced
- 1 avocado diced
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro torn
Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing
Shrimp
- 1⅓ lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add water, 2 Tablespoons at a time, until dressing reaches desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and salt. Sprinkle seasoning evenly over the shrimp.
- In a medium skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer, being careful not to crowd (you may have to work in batches).
- Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes, then flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes, then remove to a plate and set aside.
- Divide salad ingredients between 4 plates, beginning with the lettuce and then topping with the other ingredients. Divide the shrimp across all 4 salads, then drizzle with dressing and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Salads
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