Description
This Seafood Pasta Salad is a delightful and refreshing summer dish featuring tender shrimp, imitation crab, and colorful vegetables tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing with a hint of Old Bay seasoning. Perfectly chilled and bursting with flavor, it makes an ideal light meal or side for gatherings and warm-weather occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Seafood
- 2 cups small pasta (shells or elbow macaroni)
- 1 pound shrimp (fresh or pre-cooked)
- 8 ounces imitation crab
Vegetables
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt for a lighter option)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preparation: Gather all ingredients and prepare your workspace to ensure a smooth cooking process.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.
- Prepare Seafood: If using fresh shrimp, boil them in salted water until they turn opaque, approximately 2-3 minutes. Drain and cool. If using pre-cooked shrimp and imitation crab, chop the imitation crab into small chunks for easy mixing.
- Chop Veggies: Dice the celery stalk, red bell pepper, and red onion into small, uniform pieces to create texture and flavor balance throughout the salad.
- Make Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), sour cream, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Combine: In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta, cooked shrimp, chopped imitation crab, diced vegetables, and dressing together thoroughly to ensure every bite is flavorful.
- Chill: Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to become refreshingly cool. Just before serving, garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
- Using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise creates a lighter, healthier dressing.
- Ensure the pasta is fully cooled to prevent the dressing from becoming watery.
- Old Bay seasoning adds a classic seafood flavor, but can be omitted or substituted if unavailable.
- This salad can be made a day ahead and refrigerated for enhanced flavor.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute the pasta with gluten-free pasta varieties.
