Tropical Shrimp Salad

This colorful Tropical Shrimp Salad is a fresh, fruity twist on shrimp ceviche, with sweet pineapple, melon, and banana, plus a simple citrus-honey dressing. Serve as an appetizer or side salad – it’s perfect for entertaining!

Easy Tropical Shrimp Salad

This colorful Tropical Shrimp Salad is a fresh, fruity twist on shrimp ceviche. I like to serve it as an appetizer in little individual cups or as a side salad!

I love a good shrimp ceviche, and this is a fun twist that includes sweet pineapple, melon, and banana, plus a simple citrus-honey dressing. The presentation and flavors are beautiful and unique, which makes this shrimp fruit salad especially lovely for entertaining.

I use a melon baller to amp up the presentation, but it’s completely not necessary. If you want, simply cut the pineapple and melon into bite-size pieces.

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Fruit Salad

This pineapple shrimp salad is filling, yet light – an unexpected delight!

Here are a few reasons why you’ll love it:

• Bright, fresh flavor. Two kinds of fresh citrus, lemon and lime, combine in this salad for a sweet-tart flavor. Both the juice and zest are use, which really makes this salad sing.
• Contrasting flavors and textures. Sweet, juicy fruits. Succulent shrimp. Bright citrus. Earthy, fresh herbs. Crunchy almonds. It all just works!!
• Refreshing. Serve this salad cold, to pronounce the refreshing qualities of the shrimp, pineapple, and melon.
• Healthy. Another reason I love this shrimp fruit salad is because it’s a healthy salad recipe. It’s a delicious, gorgeous dish that’s extremely low in fat and includes protein-rich shrimp.

What You’ll Need

Here’s the list of all of the ingredients you need to make pineapple shrimp salad.

Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.

• Garlic – Fresh garlic gives this salad a little bit of a spicy-earthy kick.
• Honey – A little honey is incorporated into the citrus dressing, enhancing the natural sweetness of the fruit and shrimp.
• Thai fish sauce – For a pungent, salty punch that works well with the shrimp. This gives the dish a little nod to Asian dishes. If you’re not a fan of fish sauce, either cut back on the amount or omit it.
• Lemon & Lime – Use both the juice and zest.
• Jalapeño – For a bit of heat. If you prefer no-spice, you can reduce the amount or leave it out completely.
• Shrimp – You can use whatever size of shrimp you like in this salad.
• Almonds – Toasted, chopped almonds give a fun, crunchy textural contrast to the soft, juicy fruit.
• Cantaloupe melon – You can substitute honeydew melon if you wish.
• Pineapple – Fresh, ripe pineapple adds juicy, tangy sweetness – and its juices contribute to the overall flavor of the citrus-honey dressing as well.
• Banana – Banana adds even more sweetness to this salad. Choose a ripe yet firm banana.
• Cilantro and mint – For a little earthiness and prettiness.

How To Make Tropical Shrimp Salad

Here’s how I make tropical shrimp salad. You can prepare the fruit and shrimp in advance, then quickly assemble the salad prior to eating.

• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, honey, fish sauce, juices, zests, and jalapeño. Fold in the shrimp and almonds, followed by the melon, pineapple, and banana. Finally, fold in the cilantro and mint.

• Chill salad for 30 minutes. Place the finished salad in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to let the flavors mingle and the ingredients chill. Serve in small ramekins or dessert bowls. Or in martini glasses – so fun!

Recipe Tips & Variations

I love a one-bowl salad – they’re so easy to put together!

Here are a few tips and variations to help you make this tropical shrimp salad:

• Add or substitute other fruits. Mango is another tropical fruit that would go so well in this shrimp fruit salad! You could also use honeydew melon. Star fruit would also be fun and delicious!
• Buy cooked shrimp or cook it yourself. You can buy easy pre-cooked shrimp to use in this salad, or use fresh shrimp. If you cook the shrimp yourself, remember that shrimp cooks quickly so you want to make sure that you don’t cook it for so long that it gets tough and rubbery.
• Use frozen shrimp. You can easily use frozen shrimp in this recipe. Simply defrost the shrimp first before cooking it.
• Adjust the heat. If you are not a big fan of spice, you can reduce or leave out the jalapeños. On the flip side, if you love heat, you can add more!
• Adjust the fish sauce. I get it. Some people are not crazy for fish sauce, which is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes – I especially like it in pad Thai and Thai drunken noodles. If you’re not a fan, simply reduce the amount or omit it entirely.
• Toss in some toasted coconut. For a light, crispy crunch, sprinkle some unsweetened, toasted coconut flakes over this salad right before serving.

What To Serve With Pineapple Shrimp Salad

Pineapple shrimp salad makes a wonderful one-dish appetizer or even a complete light dinner. I also like to serve it with cocktails and other small bites.

Here are a few of my suggestions for what to serve with a shrimp fruit salad:

• Cocktails! Mix up summery, fruity cocktails to go with pineapple shrimp salad. Try my peach mint julep, bootleg cocktail, rosé sangria, or mojito recipes to get you started!
• More appetizers. Include this pineapple shrimp salad with other appetizers for a variety of eats. How about guacamole, million dollar dip, or bacon wrapped scallops?
• Chips. This salad reminds me of ceviche, which makes me want to eat it with some salty, crispy tortilla chips!
• Alongside main entrees. Serve this as a mini side salad, alongside grilled pork chops, beef & asparagus kabobs, grilled pork tenderloin, or a simple grilled steak.

Proper Storage

Store any leftover tropical shrimp salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve the salad cold.

More Easy Shrimp Recipes

• Honey Walnut Shrimp
• Air Fryer Shrimp
• Shrimp Ceviche
• Grilled Shrimp Cocktail
• Shrimp & Corn Chowder
• Baked Shrimp Mac & Cheese
• Margarita Grilled Shrimp
• Shrimp Dip