Spanish Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Salpicón de Marisco
Chilled prawns, crab, and clams tossed with diced pepper, onion, and a bright sherry vinegar dressing — a vibrant Galician seafood salad.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
7 steps- 1
If starting with raw shellfish, poach the prawns and clams briefly in salted boiling water until just cooked, then cool immediately in ice water and shell.
- 2
Cut the prawns into bite-sized pieces if large, and flake the crab meat, checking for any shell fragments.
- 3
Combine the prawns, crab, and clams in a large bowl with the diced red pepper, green pepper, and red onion.
- 4
Whisk together the olive oil, sherry vinegar, and a pinch of salt to make the dressing.
- 5
Pour the dressing over the seafood mixture and toss gently to combine.
- 6
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld.
- 7
Just before serving, scatter with the chopped hard boiled egg and parsley.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
66/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving205
Calories
27 g
Protein
18 g
Carbs
4 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Salpicon de marisco is a chilled Spanish seafood salad built from poached shellfish, crisp diced vegetables, and a bright sherry-vinegar dressing. The word salpicon comes from an old Spanish term for something chopped into small pieces, and the dish is a fixture of summer tables and seaside terraces along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. It is meant to be made ahead and served cold, letting the dressing soak into every piece.
Listahan note
This version leans on a clean sherry-vinegar and olive oil dressing and keeps the vegetables finely and evenly diced so every forkful balances seafood, crunch, and acid.
Technique cues
- Poach the seafood gently just until opaque and chill it fast in iced water so it stays tender rather than rubbery.
- Dice the peppers and onion to the same small size as the seafood so the salad eats in one cohesive bite.
- Dress it at least an hour ahead and taste again before serving, since cold blunts both salt and acid.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Poach and chill the seafood first, then dice all the vegetables while it cools so everything tosses together at once.
- Make-ahead
- Assemble and dress up to a day ahead; it only improves as the flavors meld in the fridge.
- Leftover move
- Spoon leftovers into a crusty roll or over greens for a quick next-day lunch.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Run the poaching pot and cutting board through hot water while the salad chills so the kitchen is clear before serving.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
cooked shrimp
main seafood
Purpose: Sweet and firm, it anchors the salad and soaks up the vinaigrette as it chills.
Handling: Poach briefly, chill in ice water, then peel and halve any large pieces.
Adaptation: Lump crab or cooked langostino works just as well for the sweet shellfish note.
cooked mussels
secondary seafood
Purpose: Their briny depth rounds out the sweeter shrimp and adds Mediterranean character.
Handling: Steam open, discard any that stay shut, and pull the meat from the shells.
Adaptation: Cooked clams or chopped cooked octopus give a similar briny chew.
red bell pepper
crunch and color
Purpose: It brings sweetness and a bright red contrast against the pale seafood.
Handling: Core and dice small to match the seafood.
Adaptation: Roasted piquillo peppers add a smoky-sweet variation.
red onion
sharp aromatic
Purpose: It cuts the richness with a clean bite that the vinegar tames over time.
Handling: Dice fine and, if very sharp, soak briefly in cold water.
Adaptation: Sweet white onion or thinly sliced scallion is milder.
sherry vinegar
acid backbone
Purpose: Its nutty, mellow tang is the defining flavor that makes this dish unmistakably Spanish.
Handling: Whisk with olive oil to emulsify before tossing.
Adaptation: White wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar approximates the rounded acidity.
extra virgin olive oil
dressing base
Purpose: It carries the vinegar and gives the salad its silky, glossy coat.
Handling: Use a fruity Spanish oil and whisk it into the vinegar slowly.
Adaptation: Any good extra virgin olive oil works; avoid neutral oils that flatten the flavor.
Technique notes
- Season the seafood lightly while it is still warm so it absorbs salt before the cold dressing seals it.
- Reserve a little dressing to refresh the salad just before serving, since the vegetables drink it in as it sits.
- Add the most delicate seafood last and fold gently to keep the pieces whole and the salad pretty.
Ingredient swaps
- Shellfish-free direction
- Build the salad from flaked cooked white fish or canned tuna so it stays seafood-forward without shellfish.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Rinse the cooked mussels and shrimp briefly and lean on extra vinegar and herbs instead of added salt.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use a chilled cooked seafood mix from the fish counter so only the dicing and dressing remain.
Serve alongside
- Crusty pan rustico
- Boiled new potatoes
- Marinated white anchovies
- Simple green salad with lemon
- Chilled Albarino
- Fino sherry
- Sparkling cava
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Keep covered in the fridge for up to two days; the texture is best within twenty-four hours. Serve cold straight from the fridge and do not reheat, as warming turns the seafood rubbery. This salad does not freeze well because the vegetables go limp on thawing.
Equipment
- Sharp chef's knife
- Wide mixing bowl
- Slotted spoon for poaching
- Fine sieve for draining
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
Add Salpicón de Marisco to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.
More Spanish recipes
Spanish Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Rabo de Toro
Oxtail slow-braised for hours with red wine, vegetables, and cloves until the meat falls from the bone in a deeply savoury, velvety Andalusian stew.
Spanish Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Chorizo a la Sidra
Sliced Spanish chorizo simmered in dry Asturian cider until the sauce is tangy, smoky, and gloriously red — a quick tapas that pairs beautifully with beer.
Spanish Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Pollo al Ajillo
Chicken pieces braised in white wine and a generous amount of garlic until the sauce is sticky, fragrant, and impossible to resist mopping up.