Shrimp Taco Salad: Cooking for Wellness at NYU Langone

Join Chef Jeffrey Held and guest Chef Caesar Alfano from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island in this month’s episode of Cooking for Wellness at NYU Langone. Together, they prepare Chipotle Shrimp Taco Salad. Perfect for late-summer produce, this fresh and flavorful recipe brings together grilled shrimp, homemade smoky vinaigrette, pico de gallo, and crunchy toppings for a nutritious dish that’s simple to make at home.

Along the way, our chefs share stories about what brought them into healthcare dining, the importance of collaboration across NYU Langone campuses, and how great food can bring joy and healthy meals to patients, staff, and families alike.

🌱 Make it fresh, nutritious, and delicious: That’s the mission of our culinary teams at NYU Langone Health.

Subscribe to our channel to get a new healthy and wholesome recipe every month:    / @nyulangonehealth  

Chapters
00:00 – Welcome
00:55 – Meet Chef Caesar Alfano
01:56 – Prepping the Chipotle Vinaigrette
04:24 – Marinating and Grilling the Shrimp
04:50 – Fresh Pico de Gallo
06:22 – Building the Salad
08:09 – Taste Test

Shrimp Taco Salad
For the Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
¼ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

For the Pico de Gallo
4 plum tomatoes, cut into small dice
½ yellow onion, cut into small dice
1 small jalapeño, minced (green flesh only)
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

For each salad
3 ounces chopped romaine
2 ounces pico de gallo
2 ounces black beans
1 ounce queso fresco
1 ounce tortilla strips
5 shrimp
2 ounces chipotle lime vinaigrette

Instructions
Prepare the vinaigrette: In the jar of a blender, combine the garlic, chipotle peppers, Dijon, honey, lime juice, vinegars, and cilantro, and puree for several seconds. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oils until the dressing emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Marinate the shrimp: In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp and about 1 teaspoon of the vinaigrette per shrimp. Mix to coat the shrimp well. Let set for about 15 minutes. Lightly season the shrimp with salt and pepper and then grill about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve the shrimp warm; do not chill.

Assemble the salads: For each salad, combine the romaine, pico de gallo, black beans, queso fresco, tortilla strips, grilled shrimp, and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

#summersalad #healthycooking