🦐 Seafood Pasta Salad
A refreshing and creamy pasta salad loaded with shrimp, crab, and tender pasta—perfect for summer gatherings, potlucks, or light dinners.
📝 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the Salad
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12 oz (340g) pasta (rotini, penne, or bowtie)
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1 lb cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
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8 oz imitation crab meat or real crab, shredded
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1 cup celery, finely diced
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½ cup red bell pepper, diced
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¼ cup red onion, finely diced
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2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
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2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (optional)
For the Dressing
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½ cup mayonnaise
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¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
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1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
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1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
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1 teaspoon lemon zest
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½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (optional, for seafood flavor)
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Salt & pepper to taste
Optional Garnish
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Lemon wedges
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Extra parsley or dill
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Paprika for color
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Cook Pasta
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Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.
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Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.
2️⃣ Prepare Seafood
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If shrimp is raw, sauté or boil until pink and cooked through (~3–4 min).
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Shred crab meat if needed.
3️⃣ Make Dressing
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In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice & zest, and Old Bay seasoning.
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Taste and season with salt & pepper.
4️⃣ Assemble Salad
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In a large bowl, combine pasta, shrimp, crab, celery, bell pepper, red onion, and herbs.
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Pour dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat.
5️⃣ Chill & Serve
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Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
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Garnish with extra herbs, lemon wedges, and a sprinkle of paprika.
💡 Tips
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For extra flavor, toss cooked pasta with a splash of olive oil before adding dressing to prevent sticking.
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Substitute half the mayo with Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
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Add capers or chopped pickles for a tangy twist.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days.
I can also make a tropical seafood pasta salad version with mango and avocado, which gives it a bright, fresh flavor if you want that.
Do you want me to create that version too?