Description
This Seafood Pasta Salad with Shrimp & Crab is a delightful and refreshing dish perfect for a light lunch or as a side at a summer gathering. The combination of tender shrimp, crab meat, and a creamy dressing tossed with pasta and crunchy vegetables creates a flavorful and satisfying salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni or small shell pasta, cooked and cooled
Seafood Mix:
- 1/2 pound cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
- 1/2 pound imitation crab meat, chopped
Veggies:
- 1 cup celery, finely diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Prepare Seafood Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, crab meat, celery, red bell pepper, and red onion.
- Make the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Combine and Chill: Add the cooled pasta to the seafood mixture, pour the dressing over the top, and toss until well coated. Sprinkle in the parsley and mix again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled.
Notes
- For extra flavor, use fresh crab meat if available.
- You can substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream for a lighter version.
- Add diced hard-boiled eggs or chopped dill pickles for variation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
