Strawberry Shrimp Salad with Honey Basil Vinaigrette

Fresh strawberry shrimp salad topped with La Bonne Vie goat cheese, candied pecans, sliced strawberries, and basil vinaigrette served in a white bowl. Photographed by Tampa food photographer Nina Bashaw.

Strawberry Shrimp Salad with Honey Basil Vinaigrette

by Tampa food photographer Nina Bashaw

It’s officially strawberry season, which means I’m finding every excuse possible to incorporate fresh strawberries into recipes lately 🍓.

This strawberry shrimp salad with honey basil vinaigrette has quickly become one of my favorite easy weekday dinners because it balances sweet, savory, creamy, and spicy flavors perfectly. The sweetness from the strawberries and honey basil vinaigrette paired with the heat from the Creole shrimp is honestly SO good together.

As a Tampa food photographer, I’m constantly around beautiful meals, fresh ingredients, and restaurant dishes that inspire me creatively. Sometimes the simplest recipes end up being the most photogenic and the most delicious, and this salad is definitely one of them.

The bright strawberries, vibrant basil dressing, leafy greens, and perfectly seasoned shrimp make this recipe feel fresh, colorful, and perfect for spring or summer.

Shrimp Marinade

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled + deveined

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp Creole seasoning

• 1 large clove fresh minced garlic

Combine everything together and marinate the shrimp for 24 hours before cooking for the best flavor. The longer marinade time really helps the seasoning soak into the shrimp and creates the perfect balance with the sweeter ingredients in the salad.

Cooked Creole shrimp layered over leafy greens with strawberries, shallots, candied pecans, and La Bonne Vie goat cheese.

Honey Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1 cup fresh basil

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar

• 1 tsp spicy mustard

• 1 tbsp honey

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 1 tbsp chopped shallot

• 1 garlic clove

• Salt + pepper to taste

Blend everything together in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy. This dressing is honestly what makes the entire salad. The basil adds freshness while the honey balances the acidity from the vinegar and lemon juice perfectly.

Homemade honey basil vinaigrette blended with fresh basil, olive oil, lemon juice, and champagne vinegar for a bright spring salad dressing.

For the Salad

• Leafy greens of choice

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

• 1/2 cup candied pecans

• Goat cheese crumbles

• Cooked shrimp

• Basil vinaigrette

Assemble the salad, toss everything together, and serve immediately.

Close up of strawberry shrimp salad with goat cheese crumbles, fresh greens, and candied pecans photographed in natural light. by Tampa food photographer Nina Bashaw

Why This Strawberry Shrimp Salad with Honey Basil VinaigretteWorks So Well Together

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how balanced it feels. You get:

• Sweetness from the strawberries and honey

• Heat from the Creole shrimp

• Creaminess from the goat cheese

• Crunch from the candied pecans

• Brightness from the basil vinaigrette

It feels elevated enough for entertaining but still simple enough for a weeknight dinner. Recipes like this are also incredibly fun to photograph as a Tampa food photographer because of all the natural color and texture. Fresh ingredients almost always photograph beautifully, especially during spring and summer when produce is at its peak.

If you make this strawberry shrimp salad with honey basil vinaigrette, don’t skip the homemade dressing. It completely pulls the entire dish together, believe me your taste buds will thank you!

Fresh spring salad recipe featuring strawberries, shrimp, goat cheese, and homemade basil vinaigrette styled by Tampa food photographer. Nina Bashaw

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Fresh strawberry shrimp salad topped with La Bonne Vie goat cheese crumbles, candied pecans, leafy greens, and homemade basil vinaigrette photographed in natural light by Tampa food photographer. Nina Bashaw

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Looking for a Tampa food photographer for restaurant photography, recipe content, branding imagery, or social media marketing? I photograph food, drinks, restaurants, and hospitality brands throughout Wesley Chapel, Tampa, Sarasota, St. Pete, and the surrounding Florida areas. Thanks for stopping by my blog and reading all about my strawberry shrimp salad with honey basil vinaigrette!

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