This time of year, holiday tables tend to be loaded with rich, cozy dishes — slow cooked braises, roasts, creamy casseroles, buttery desserts — and while that’s absolutely part of the joy, it’s also when something light and crisp becomes especially welcome. This Shrimp and Celery Salad is exactly that kind of dish: easy, refreshing, savory, and effortlessly balanced.
You’ll see versions of this salad across Chinese home cooking, where celery is treated less like a background crunch and more like a starring vegetable. The quick poach keeps the shrimp juicy and sweet, while an ice bath turns celery into delicate curls that feel way fancier than the effort required. Quick to prepare and easy to make ahead, this salad earns its place on a holiday table by cutting through the richness and giving your palate a little reset, so let’s get into it.
I start making my Shrimp and Celery Salad by making the dressing. This dressing is full of pantry heavy hitters; soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili crunch (use your favorite brand or make your own), and the zing of fresh garlic and ginger.
Stir together the dressing ingredients and set aside:
Butterflying the shrimp helps them cook evenly and gives them a prettier, more open shape—totally optional, but worth the extra minute. Just run the tip of your knife along the back of the shrimp and gently open it up without cutting all the way through:
Once they’ve all been butterflied it’s time to poach them. Add water to a large pot and add the slices of ginger and the garlic cloves:
Add the salt and bring to a boil:
Add shrimp to the boiling poaching water:
Turn the stove off and let the shrimp cook in the hot water for exactly 3 minutes. Then drain the shrimp and let cool. If you will be serving it later let it chill in the fridge:
While the shrimp is cooling I prepare the celery. Get a bowl of ice water ready. Use a vegetable peeler to make thin ribbons of celery. I found the best way to make the ribbons was to set it down on the counter, which allowed me to press down on the peeler as I pulled it across the celery:
Drop the celery ribbons in the ice water for 10 minutes. This helps the celery form attractive curls while keeping it crisp.
Now it’s time to assemble. Pour the dressing over the shrimp and scallions:
Gently toss to combine:
Make a bed of the celery curls on a serving plate and place the shrimp on top:
Drizzle the rest of the dressing on top:
Garnish with celery leaves:
This shrimp and celery salad is going to dazzle you with its fresh, bright, and zesty flavor. Whether it’s a lighter offering on your holiday table or a quick supper on a busy night, it is sure to delight you every time. Let me know what you think, and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen!
Love Asian inspired salads? Check out our Salad Archives for more fresh ideas!
Shrimp and Celery Salad
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 pieces ginger, the size of quarters
- ½ pound extra large shrimp (16-20 count)
- 3 stems celery
- 1 scallion, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons chili crunch
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the dressing Combine the ingredients of the dressing and set aside until ready to use.
Prep the Shrimp (optional but makes the shrimp look prettier)
Run the tip of your knife along the back of the shrimp, butterflying them open carefully so you do not cut the shrimp in half.
Poach the Shrimp Add 4 cups of water, the ginger slices, and garlic cloves to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the salt and shrimp. Stir to separate the shrimp. Turn the stove off and set the timer to 3 minutes. The shrimp will cook in the extremely hot water. Drain the shrimp and set aside in a bowl to cool to room temperature. You can also refrigerate the shrimp after it has been poached and keep it stored until ready to use.
Prepare the celery Have a bowl of ice water ready. Trim the celery and reserve some of the leaves. Cut the celery in half lengthwise. Then hold the celery down on the cutting board and pull the peeler across the top of the celery, creating thin ribbons. Continue until you have used up all of the celery. Put the celery in the ice water for 10 minutes so they curl. Then drain well.
Dress the salad Pour the dressing over the shrimp, add the scallions, and toss gently. Arrange the celery as a bed on a serving plate and place the shrimp on the bed, pouring the dressing over everything. Garnish with some of the reserved celery leaves. Serve immediately.
Notes
*You can make all of the individual components ahead of time, keeping them separate and refrigerating them until ready to serve. Just before serving, toss the shrimp in the dressing with the scallions, arrange them on the bed of celery and serve.
Keywords: chinese, shrimp, celery, salad, fast, light, easy, chili crunch
