Fanny Baer's Shrimp Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing

FANNY BAER's SHRIMP SALAD with AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING

4/16/2023

Don’t you hate it when your favorite restaurants close up and you can never enjoy your favorite foods again? This sweet and simple Fanny Baer’s Shrimp Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing is a family favorite from Fanny Baer’s Restaurant, a wonderful seafood & steakhouse that was located in Sandusky, Ohio from 1980 to 1986. Fresh salad greens tossed with fresh shrimp, mandarin oranges and toasted coconut are drizzled with the BEST Avocado Ranch Dressing ever!

We used to buy the dressing from Fanny Baer’s and bring it back to Minneapolis to enjoy – it was that spectacular! For years we tried to find the recipe for the wonderful Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing – I tinkered around and created our own recipe years ago, which absolutely makes this fresh Shrimp Salad shine! This may be the best salad combo ever for a sunny summer day, and it’s one of the most popular recipes on my website.

Fanny Baer's Shrimp Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing

IS THIS THE BEST SALAD EVER?

Through the years, family that was able to enjoy this salad when Fanny Baer's was open always rave that this Shrimp Salad with Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing is EXACTLY as they remember it, and friends have dubbed this one of the best salads they've ever eaten - I’d definitely have to agree! I've lost track of how many times someone has said that "this salad is to die for!" and "this dressing is the best I've ever had - it should be bottled and have a patent!"

You don't have to take my word on it, but my family can be tough critics and they never stop raving about this salad!

TIPS FOR THE BEST SHRIMP SALAD WITH AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING:

Let the Avocado Ranch Dressing rest in the fridge while you prep the rest of the ingredients. This will give the flavors time to develop and come together.
You can use fresh or canned mandarin oranges for this salad. If using canned, make sure you’re using oranges packed in juice and drain well.
Toasted coconut is so wonderful and traditional in this salad - you can easily toast coconut at home, so don't be tempted to leave it out!

RECIPE VARIATIONS:

AVOCADO RANCH CHICKEN SALAD: Replace the shrimp with sliced chicken breast, and add 1 sliced fresh avocado, ½ cup diced red onion, ½ cup shredded carrots, ½ cup diced cucumbers and ¼ cup dried tart cherries or craisins; skip the mandarin orange segments and toasted coconut and top with Avocado Ranch Dressing.

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD WITH AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING: Replace the shrimp with grilled chicken breast chunks, 1 cup of sweet corn (fresh or canned), ½ cup black beans (drained and rinsed), sliced avocado and fresh cherry tomatoes; skip the mandarin orange segments and toasted coconut, and top with Avocado Ranch Dressing.

BLT PASTA SALAD WITH AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING: Add 2 cups of cooked rotini pasta to the salad greens, and add crumbled hickory-smoked bacon, fresh tomatoes. Skip the shrimp and toasted coconut, and top with Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing for a wonderful summertime treat!

GRILLED SALMON WITH AVOCADO RANCH SAUCE: Drizzle Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing on top of grilled salmon for a wonderful taste sensation!

AVOCADO RANCH DIP: Serve the Avocado Ranch Dressing as a flavorful dip with fresh vegetables – so flavorful and something different!

CREAMY AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING is also not only delicious with fresh cut vegetables and potato chips, it’s also a wonderful spread for sandwiches.

Fanny Baer's Shrimp Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing

FANNY BAER's SHRIMP SALAD with AVOCADO DRESSING

This sweet and simple Fanny Baer’s Shrimp Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing is a family favorite from Fanny Baer’s Restaurant, a wonderful seafood & steakhouse that was located in Sandusky, Ohio from 1980 to 1986.

Fresh salad greens tossed with fresh shrimp, mandarin oranges and toasted coconut are drizzled with the BEST Avocado Ranch Dressing ever, and absolutely makes this fresh Shrimp Salad shine!

Fanny Baer's Shrimp Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING:
2 large avocado, ripe
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. fresh dill
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Juice from ½ lime
1 tsp. honey (optional)

FANNY BAER SALAD:
1 (10 oz.) package fresh salad mix (or 1 head fresh iceburg lettuce)
1 8 oz. bag bay shrimp
1-2 cans (15 oz. each) mandarin orange segments (chilled & drained well)
2/3 cup coconut (toasted)
Avocado Ranch Dressing

HOW I MAKE THIS:

PREPARE AVOCADO RANCH SALAD DRESSING: Scoop the flesh from the avocado into a food processor or blender.
Add ½ cup buttermilk, and all remaining ingredients; pulse until well blended.
Add remaining buttermilk ¼ cup at a time until dressing reaches your desired consistency. Add additional buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.
PREPARE SALAD:
Layer salad greens on individual serving plates or single platter.
Layer shrimp over top of salad greens.
Scatter mandarin orange segments on top of salad.
Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Drizzle with fresh Avocado Ranch Dressing; sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut and serve immediately.

YIELD: 4 salad servings, approximately 2 cups of Avocado Ranch Dressing

RECIPE NOTES:

TOASTING COCONUT: To toast coconut, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cover baking sheet with foil. Sprinkle fresh shredded coconut in pan, and bake in preheated oven until just starting to turn golden – turning with a spatula every few minutes or as necessary to keep coconut toasting evenly.
LOVE SHRIMP? You can replace the tiny bay shrimp with larger cocktail shrimp if you’d prefer! Just make sure to use shrimp that are fresh, cooked, deveined, rinsed & chilled.
OPTIONAL SALAD ADD-INS: You can add slivered almonds and seasoned croutons for extra crunch and flavor.

RECIPE VARIATIONS:

AVOCADO RANCH CHICKEN SALAD: Replace the shrimp with sliced chicken breast, and add 1 sliced fresh avocado, ½ cup diced red onion, ½ cup shredded carrots, ½ cup diced cucumbers and ¼ cup dried tart cherries or craisins; skip the mandarin orange segments and toasted coconut and top with Avocado Ranch Dressing.

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD WITH AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING: Replace the shrimp with grilled chicken breast chunks, 1 cup of sweet corn (fresh or canned), ½ cup black beans (drained and rinsed), sliced avocado and fresh cherry tomatoes; skip the mandarin orange segments and toasted coconut, and top with Avocado Ranch Dressing.

BLT PASTA SALAD WITH AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING: Add 2 cups of cooked rotini pasta to the salad greens, and add crumbled hickory-smoked bacon, fresh tomatoes. Skip the shrimp and toasted coconut, and top with Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing for a wonderful summertime treat!

GRILLED SALMON WITH AVOCADO RANCH SAUCE: Drizzle Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing on top of grilled salmon for a wonderful taste sensation!

AVOCADO RANCH DIP: Serve the Avocado Ranch Dressing as a flavorful dip with fresh vegetables – so flavorful and something different!

CREAMY AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING is also not only delicious with fresh cut vegetables and potato chips, it’s also a wonderful spread for sandwiches.

Original recipe published May 2016; revised and reposted April 2023.

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