Prawns, Mango, and Avocado Salad Stacks: A Tropical Culinary Delight
Why You’ll Love These Prawn and Mango Salad Stacks
Prepare to be transported to a tropical paradise with these absolutely stunning prawn, mango, and avocado salad stacks! This dish is a magical combination of textures and flavors that will instantly elevate your dining experience. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or looking for a light, refreshing meal, these salad stacks are guaranteed to impress.
What Makes These Salad Stacks Special?
- No complicated cooking required
- Can be prepared quickly and easily and can be made ahead
- Looks absolutely gorgeous on the plate
- Works with fresh or frozen cooked shrimp
- Versatile enough for multiple occasions
The Layers of Flavor
These incredible salad stacks are a symphony of ingredients, carefully layered to create a perfect bite every time:
- Vibrant mango
- Creamy avocado
- Succulent prawns
- Finished with three unique sauces – orange vinaigrette, basil oil and pomegranate balsamic reduction
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Salad Stacks
- Prawns (fresh or frozen cooked)
- Fresh mangos
- Ripe avocados
- Microgreens
Fresh Ingredients for Accompanying Sauces
- Orange, shallot, garlic, basil
Pantry Staples for Accompanying Sauces
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Pomegranate Juice
- Rice Vinegar
- Grenadine
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey
- Calabrian Chili Flakes
- Salt & Pepper
Pro Tips for Perfect Prawn and Mango Salad Stacks
Choosing Your Prawns
The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. You can use:
- Frozen cooked shrimp
- Fresh cooked shrimp
- Pre-cooked shrimp from your seafood counter
Mango Cutting Hack
Dicing mangos can be tricky, but here’s a foolproof method:
- Cut the cheeks off the mango
- Score a grid in the flesh
- Run a spoon around the rim
- Scoop out perfect mango cubes
Delicious Substitutions and Variations
Protein Alternatives
Not a fan of prawns? Try these delicious swaps:
- Crab meat
- Lobster
- A combination of different shellfish
Fruit Variations
While mango is divine, you can experiment with:
- Fresh peaches
- Strawberries
- Your favorite seasonal fruits
Sauce Alternatives
- No pomegranate balsamic reduction? Use store-bought balsamic glaze
- Swap basil oil for a simple olive oil drizzle
- Sprinkle fresh herbs like basil or thyme
How to make prawn, mango and avocado salad stacks
This is a really easy dish to make and is just requires prepping cold foods and assembling them in a simple mold. The magic comes from using fresh ingredients and making three amazing sauces to drizzle on the plate. All of them can be made ahead of time, and the salad can be assembled and kept in the fridge until ready to serve.
I like to make the sauces/dressings first.
Orange Vinaigrette just requires mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Right before plating, just whisk or shake if you have it stored in a covered jar.
The Pomegranate balsamic reduction just requires mixing the balsamic vinegar, pomegranate juice and grenadine in a small pot on the stove. Let it boil for about 10 minutes until it is reduced to a thick, syrupy consistency. Just put to the side to cool. It will continue thickening as it sits.
To make the basil oil, I just add all the ingredients to a small food processor or blender and let it rip. Blend until smooth. Then you have choices.
I have made the basil oil both with the solid ingredients in the oil, and i have strained the oil and used it without the solids. Both work and it is just a preference for texture. If you do decide to strain the solids, let the ingredients sit in the oil for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors infuse the oil.
Once you have all your dressings made, just put them to the side. The longer they sit, the more flavorful they become. I give the orange vinaigrette a quick whisk before serving.
Cut up your cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp – leave at least one, and up to three, shrimp whole to top the stack. Cut your mango into small chunks (see some tips below) and cut the avocado into small chunks too. Salt and pepper everything.
Put two round food molds on the center of two plates. Divide the avocado between to round molds. Gently press down to make a compact layer.
A note on molds: you can buy food molds in various shapes online. Many of the sets (like the one I’ve had for years) come with a food pusher to keep the food stack in place when you remove the mold. It makes making these really easy and believe me, you’ll be using them to make all kinds of appetizers, salads and desserts. Check out this great cookbook: Stacks: The Art of Vertical Food that will inspire all kinds of ideas.
No molds? Don’t worry. You can use an empty bean or soup can (or any can that has the size you want). Just remove the top and bottom of the can, remove the labels and wash and dry really well. Just use a spoon to press down on the top of the stack of food when removing the mold.
One other note: Spray the interior of the molds/cans with cooking spray for easy removal. This will keep foods from sticking.
Next, add a layer of mango to both molds. Press down creating the second layer in your stacked salad.
Finally, add the chopped shrimp and press down again. Put the plates with the stacked salad still in their molds into the fridge to chill and set up for about 20 minutes. After that time, remove the plates from the refrigerator, using the food pusher that comes with your mold or a spoon, gently press down on the stack, remove the outside cylinder mold.
Top each stack with 1-3 whole shrimp and a small mound of microgreens.
Drizzle each plate with the orange vinaigrette, a few drops of the basil oil and a few drops of the balsamic reduction. Serve and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
Salad Stack Presentation Options
- Create individual stacks for an elegant dinner party or brunch
- Alternatively, if you have no molds or don’t want to “stack” the salad, serve in martini glasses for a no-fuss presentation that is still elegant
- Deconstruct into a bowl for a casual meal
Final Thoughts
These prawn, mango, and avocado salad stacks are more than just a meal – they’re a culinary experience. Light, refreshing, and bursting with tropical flavors, they’re perfect for summer gatherings, date nights, or when you want to treat yourself to something special. I’m thinking Mother’s Day Brunch. How about you?
Bon appétit!
Did you enjoy this recipe? If so, leave a rating and comment below. Did you change it up? Do share how you made it your own.
Want to try some other fun salad options? Try these:
Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
Halloumi Cheese Salad with Berries
Belgian Endive Salad Cups with Corn, Avocado and Feta
Compressed Watermelon, Feta & Arugula Salad with Jalapeno Dressing
Prawn, Mango, Avocado Salad Stacks
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 8 Oz. Prawns (shrimp), cooked, peeled and deveined
- 2 Fresh mango cut into small chunks
- 2 Avocados, cut into small chunks
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Microgreens
Orange Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 zest of one orange
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, from 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Basil Oil
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Calabrian chili flakes
Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction
- 3 Oz. Pomegranate juice
- 2 Oz. Balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbs. Grenadine syrup or granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make your dressing components first. Start with the pomegranate balsamic reduction. Simple add the ingredients to a small pot over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Stir to combine the ingredients. Let boil for about 10-15 minutes until you get a thick syrup. Put to the side to cool.
- Make your orange vinaigrette. Simply add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until well combined. Place in a jar with a lid. When ready to use, shake vigorously to combine and emulsify. You'll have extra which you can use to dress other salads.
- Make your basil oil. Add all the ingredients to a small food processor or blender. Blend until well combined. Pour into a small jar with a lid. When ready to use, shake to emulsify. Alternatively, you can strain the oil and discard the solids for a clean, green basil infused oil.
- With all your dressing components done, prepare your prawns, mango and avocado stacks. Cut your mango and avocado into similar sized small chunks. Sprinkle the avocado with salt and pepper. Make sure your shrimp have the veins, tails and shells removed, and gently remove excess liquid with a paper towel. Cut into pieces similar in size to the mango and avocado. Save 2 - 6 whole shrimp to top each stack. Depending on the size of the shrimp, one to three whole shrimp should make a nice presentation. Place a stack mold that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray, onto the plate you will be serving the shrimp stack. Put one mold on each plate. Layer the chunks of avocado on the bottom. Press gently to create a compact base. Layer the mango chunks on top of the avocado in the mold. Press down to compress that second layer. Top with the shrimp and press down. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.
- Remove the stacks from the fridge and carefully unmold the stacks. Top with 1-3 reserved whole shrimp and a small mound of micro-greens. Carefully pour some of the orange vinaigrette around the stack. Drizzle with the basil oil and add drops of the pomegranate balsamic reduction on top of the vinaigrette and oil.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
