This shrimp pomelo salad is delicious and refreshing! Full of tender, bouncy shrimp, juicy pomelo segments in a savory tangy dressing, it makes a delicious side dish, appetizer, or is substantial enough to be a meal. You'll love how every forkful is bursting with flavor and texture!
Ingredients
- Fresh pomelo
- Shrimp
- Lettuce
- Shallot
- Fresh mint
- Fresh cilantro
- Brown sugar
- Thai chili pepper
- Fish sauce
- Lime juice
Instructions
Peeling the pomelo:
The color of the inside of the pomelo will vary depending on the variety/where it was grown. They can be yellow (like the one I have used) or they can be deep pink.
Cut off one end of the pomelo (either the stem end or opposite side). Using a sharp knife, score around the outside of the pomelo, going about ½" deep into the peel.
Use your fingers to pry the rind off the pomelo, peeling off the pith as you go (removing the pith will make it easier to separate the segments).
Pull the pomelo apart into two halves.
Separate pomelo segments and peel off membrane and remove seeds. Break the segments into bite-sized pieces. If not eating right away, refrigerate until ready to use.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the juicy pomelo wedges are called supremes? In fact, the whole process of removing the membranes and seeds is called supreming. It seems appropriate because once you remove the the pith and membrane and seeds, what you're left with is quite supreme!
Dressing and Salad:
In a mortar and pestle, combine the brown sugar and chopped chili pepper and pound together to make a paste.
Add the fish sauce and lime juice and mix well. Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad and adjust the ingredients depending on your personal taste.
In bowl, combine the pomelo, shredded lettuce, sliced shallots, chopped mint, chopped cilantro, and dressing. Toss together.
Add the shrimp and mix to combine. Transfer the pomelo salad to a dish and garnish with fried shallots, chopped peanuts, green onions, or more chopped mint and cilantro, if desired.
Substitutions
The pomelo is quite important to this salad, but if you don't have some of the other ingredients, here are some suggestions:
- Lettuce: shredded cabbage or napa cabbage, or omit entirely
- Shallot: some red onion
- Shrimp: chicken or pan-fried firm tofu
- Brown sugar: coconut sugar
- Fish sauce: soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Lime juice: lemon juice
- Peanuts: chopped cashews or almonds
More Salad Recipes
For more delicious and satisfying salad ideas, check out these recipes:
I love how each forkful of this shrimp pomelo salad is so satisfying to eat with it's variety of textures and flavors. It's also more filling than you would think, making it a perfect meal all in itself. If you want a refreshing salad that is far from boring, you have to give this Thai style salad a try!
~ Lisa.
Recipe
Shrimp Pomelo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pomelo chilled
- 225 grams shrimp, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1 shallot, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Dressing:
- 1 ½ tablespoon packed brown sugar
- ½ Thai chili, sliced (use less or more to taste)
- 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Optional Garnishes:
- Fried shallots
- Chopped peanuts
- Chopped peanuts
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped mint
Instructions
Peeling the Pomelo:
- Cut off one end of the pomelo (either the stem end or opposite side). Using a sharp knife, score around the outside of the pomelo, going about ½" deep into the peel.
- Use your fingers to pry the rind off the pomelo, peeling off the pith as you go (removing the pith will make it easier to separate the segments).
- Pull the pomelo apart into two halves.
- Separate pomelo segments and peel off membrane and remove seeds. Break the segments into bite-sized pieces. If not eating right away, refrigerate until ready to use.
Dressing:
- In a mortar and pestle, combine the brown sugar and chopped chili pepper and pound together to make a paste.
- Add the fish sauce and lime juice and mix well.
Salad:
- In bowl, combine the pomelo, shredded lettuce, sliced shallots, chopped mint, chopped cilantro, and dressing. Toss together.
- Add the shrimp and mix to combine.
- Transfer the pomelo salad to a dish and garnish with fried shallots, chopped peanuts, green onions, or more chopped mint and cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- I use size 31-40 shrimp (31-40 pieces in one pound) and like to butterfly the shrimp before cooking.
- Substitutions:
- Lettuce: shredded cabbage or napa cabbage, or omit entirely.
- Shrimp: chicken or pan-fried firm tofu.
- Shallot: red onion
- Brown sugar: coconut sugar
- Fish sauce: soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Lime juice: lemon juice
- Peanuts: chopped cashews or almonds.
- Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad and adjust the ingredients depending on your personal taste
- The color of the inside of the pomelo will vary depending on the variety/where it was grown. They can be yellow (like the one I have used) or they can be deep pink.
- Leftover shrimp pomelo salad will last 2-3 days in the fridge; best eaten within the first 1-2 days.
- This shrimp pomelo salad recipe is inspired and adapted from, and not limited to, Hot Thai Kitchen's Pomelo Salad Yum Sum-O.
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this dish or any of my other recipes, I would love it if you could take the time to comment and rate it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
**This post was original published October 2nd, 2017 and republished June 16th, 2025 with an updated recipe, new writing, and new photos.
Elliot Goudelock says
thanks after sharing
Deetta Kershner says
lol....... :):):):):):):)
Noreen Hussain says
this looks amazing! could some cilantro be used in the salad?
Yes, absolutely! In fact, when you order it in a restaurant, it is often cilantro is often sprinkled on top. I am not a fan of cilantro, so I omitted it. But feel free to use it!