Shrimp Caesar Salad
Updated Sep 28, 2026
Shrimp Caesar salad with seared shrimp, homemade croutons, and a creamy Greek yogurt Caesar dressing. A lighter, protein-packed salad ready in 20 minutes.
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I like Caesar salad, but if I’m eating it for dinner, I need a little more going on than lettuce, dressing, and croutons. A shrimp Caesar salad is usually where I land because the shrimp cooks in a few minutes, which is about as much patience as I have for a salad I’m calling dinner. I make the dressing with Greek yogurt, lemon, capers, Parmesan, and garlic, and I like it a lot better than the heavier mayo-based versions in this shrimp Caesar salad.
This Shrimp Caesar Salad recipe post is sponsored by Stonyfield, although the content represents my own personal opinion and experience using the product.
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Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe before sharing it with you! These notes give you a peek into the process of developing this Shrimp Caesar Salad recipe.
The dressing is the part I messed with the most. Greek yogurt gets me the creamy texture I want without starting with a pile of mayo, but the first version I made was way too polite. It tasted like a good yogurt dressing, not Caesar. The capers are what fixed that for me. I use Stonyfield Greek yogurt, plenty of lemon and Parmesan, and enough capers to give it that salty, briny bite I was missing. I tried it without them again later and immediately put them back.
Shrimp has humbled me enough times that I don’t walk away from the pan anymore. A couple of minutes too long and suddenly I’m chewing on rubber. I pat it really dry before it goes in, let it get some color, and pull it as soon as it turns opaque, usually about 2 to 3 minutes per side. The batches where I skipped drying it first tasted fine, but they steamed more than they browned.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Shrimp Caesar Salad Ingredients
- Shrimp: I use large raw shrimp that are peeled, deveined, and have the tails removed. To save time, buy them peeled and deveined, without tails. You can also use frozen or pre-cooked shrimp. For frozen shrimp, run them under cold water to thaw them quickly, then pat them dry with a clean paper towel. For pre-cooked shrimp, you can warm them in a skillet or add them to the salad cold.
- Lettuce: Chopped romaine lettuce works great for this simple salad recipe, but any other crunchy lettuce (like iceberg) will work. Wash and dry it thoroughly, because any water left on the leaves can thin the dressing.
- Homemade croutons: French bread or another crusty loaf works best because it holds its shape in the salad. Day-old bread is ideal if you have it! Cut the bread into similar-sized cubes so they brown evenly, then season them with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Greek yogurt Caesar dressing: The base for the yogurt dressing is full-fat plain Greek yogurt. I use Stonyfield Organic Greek Grassfed Yogurt, which adds great punch and richness to the salad. Low-fat yogurt won’t give your dressing the same creaminess! In a blender, you’ll combine your yogurt with lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, a whole clove of garlic, capers, and grated Parmesan cheese. No need to chop your garlic, as the blender will do the work for you! And if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, use ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder. Now, just blend until smooth!
How to Make Shrimp Caesar Salad
These photos show how to make the garlic shrimp Caesar salad. The full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below, or you can jump straight to the → Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe
1. Start the Caesar dressing
Place the Greek yogurt, Parmesan, garlic, capers, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small blender or food processor.
2. Blend the Caesar dressing
Process everything until the mixture looks smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides if any Parmesan or capers get caught above the blade.
3. Season the shrimp
Add the raw shrimp to a preheated skillet with the olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread them into one layer so they make contact with the pan.
4. Sauté the shrimp
Cook until the shrimp are opaque and curled into a loose C shape, turning them so both sides cook evenly. Remove them from the pan as soon as they’re done.
5. Season the bread crumbs
Spread the cubed bread on a baking sheet and toss it with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Keep the cubes in one layer so they toast instead of steaming.
6. Bake the croutons and assemble
Bake until the croutons are golden and crisp. Toss the chopped romaine with the Greek yogurt Caesar dressing, add the shrimp and croutons, and finish with more shaved Parmesan.
Full Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe
Shrimp Caesar Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup Stonyfield Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Salad and Shrimp
- 1 head romaine chopped, about 4 cups
- 1 pound large shrimp 20 to 24 per pound, peeled and deveined, tails removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Croutons
- 4 slices French bread or other crusty bread, cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small blender or food processor, blend the Greek yogurt, Parmesan, garlic, capers, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper.
- Cook the shrimp. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the shrimp with olive oil, salt, and black pepper, then transfer to the skillet and cook until shrimp is opaque, 2–3 minutes per side.
- Make the croutons. Preheat oven to 400°F. On a baking sheet, toss cut bread with oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake until golden brown, 5–10 minutes.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with the dressing, shrimp, and croutons. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add more vegetables: Toss in 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or 1 cup chopped cucumber.
- Add avocado: Arrange 1 sliced avocado over the assembled salad just before serving so it doesn’t get mashed while tossing.
- Add more garlic: Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder to the shrimp along with the salt and black pepper.
Recipe Tips
- Make the croutons first. They need more time than the shrimp, so getting them into the oven first makes it easier to assemble the salad while the shrimp is still warm.
- Cook the shrimp in one layer. Overcrowding the skillet traps moisture and keeps the shrimp from searing. Use two batches if the pan is too small.
- Skip the blender. If you’re in a hurry, instead of blending the dressing, you can roughly chop up the garlic and capers with a knife and then whisk it together with the Greek yogurt and other ingredients. It will be a bit chunkier, but all the flavor will still be there.
- Let the shrimp cool slightly. Very hot shrimp can wilt the romaine. A few minutes of cooling is enough without letting the shrimp turn cold.
Serving Ideas
- Pair with pasta: For a full Italian spread, serve this shrimp Caesar salad with lemon ricotta pasta, cacio e pepe, or a baked feta pasta.
- Serve with bread: Any salad needs something carb-y on the side! Try my air fryer bread, olive bread, or French bread dinner rolls.
- Make pizza: This pasta makes for a great pizza pairing, whether you’re serving sheet pan pizza, pita pizza, or cottage cheese pizza.
Troubleshooting
The shrimp probably cooked for too long. Remove them from the skillet as soon as they turn opaque and curl into a loose “C” shape. Shrimp curled into a tight circle are usually overcooked.
Greek yogurt and Parmesan can make the dressing thicker depending on which brands you use. Blend in cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a pourable consistency.
You may not have dried the romaine completely, or the lemon may have been especially juicy. Blend more Greek yogurt or grated Parmesan into the dressing 1 tablespoon at a time until it thickens.
The romaine may have been wet, you may have added the shrimp straight from the hot skillet, or the salad may have sat too long after dressing. Dry the lettuce well, let the shrimp cool briefly, and toss everything together immediately before serving.
Comments
Five star
Thank you so much, Anwar!
This was so easy and tasted really great. Had cooked shrimp so just tossed them in the oil, garlic powder and black pepper and sautéed them the 2 mins. The dressing worked terrific. Try this, you’ll like it.
Thank you! That’s amazing!
Feelgoodfoodie has recipes that cater to all sorts of cravings. I made this today and it was ‘SO GOOD’! Quick, easy, and no compromise on taste. Must try!
Thank you! So glad it hit the spot!
I made this one last night for me and my partner, and we loved it. Thank you for the fantastic recipe!
So glad you both enjoyed! You’re welcome!