Shrimp Salad Rolls

These simple Shrimp Salad Rolls aren’t flashy or in-your-face-over-the-top by any means, but I think they happen to be really really really good. It’s the kind of recipe you should have up your sleeve for lazy weeknight dinners, weekend picnics or busy weekday lunches. They’re packed with so much flavor, mostly thanks to the curry powder but also due to the crispy fried shallots on top. Give this recipe a try as written, or take the chicken option (which I wrote down below for you). Either way, it’s a keeper, and one I’m sure you’ll turn to again and again.

Fill a large pot with water and add in the thyme sprigs, garlic cloves and half of the lemon juice. Set over moderate heat and bring up to a boil. Season liberally with salt and add in the shrimp. Cook until pink, about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to an ice bath. Set aside to cool.

**Note: I like cooking my own shrimp because A). this method impacts a lot of flavor but also B). the already cooked shrimp has been sitting there for who knows how long.**

Fill a small saucepan or skillet with about 2 inches of oil. Set over moderate heat. Once hot, add in the sliced shallots and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate, lined with paper towels, and season with a pinch of salt. Set aside.

**Note: This is an optional step, which isn’t exceptionally necessary, but it really adds a nice finishing touch to the sandwiches.**

Drain the cooled shrimp and pat dry. Give them a rough chop and then transfer to a large bowl. Add in the remaining lemon juice, the chopped shallots, cucumber, scallion, celery, mayo, sour cream, chives, curry powder, basil, tarragon, a pinch of salt and pepper and hot sauce.

Stir until evenly combined and give it a taste. Adjust the seasoning accordingly, adding more salt, pepper or curry powder as needed. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

**Note: The longer the salad sits, the better it’ll get. Don’t skimp on the minimum hour rest at the very least. It’ll make all the difference in the world!**

To assemble, split open the brioche rolls, spread the insides with dijon mustard and then fill with lettuce and shrimp salad. Top with sliced radish, fried crispy shallots and fresh cilantro.

As soon as they’re assembled, you want to serve them right away so that the buns don’t get soggy and the toppings lose their crunch. If you want to plan ahead, you can make the salad ahead of time and then assemble right before serving.

Although these are great because of the shrimp, you can also make this exact same recipe with chicken. Cook boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs) in the same way as the shrimp until fully cooked through. Cool and then either dice or shred the chicken and make the salad as directed.

**Note: You can also make this with lobster tails, but I’m not one for telling you to spend tons of money on ingredients so I leave that up to you!**

This is a great recipe to have on hand for picnics (just keep well chilled), lunches, or simple weeknight dinners. It also happens to be a delicious Friday night dinner recipe, if you’re practicing lent at the moment and aren’t eating meat. Let me know what you think below, and as always thank you so much for reading and following along.