This Seafood Pasta Salad is the ultimate summer side dish for any occasion and uses less than 10 ingredients. Our version combines tender pasta, succulent seafood, and crisp vegetables, all in a creamy dressing that’s ideal for making in advance! It’s a warm weather bite that’s always impresses friends and family with it’s gourmet flavors.
This Seafood Pasta Salad has become a summer staple in our house and is perfect for picnics, July 4th celebrations, or just a flavorful lunch on a weekday. I love to use shrimp and crab, but you can easily use any seafood you love too! With about 10 ingredients, nothing about this pasta salad is complicated, it’s gourmet flavors with minimal hassle.
This creamy pasta salad recipe was adapted from a dish that one of my friends makes, except hers is more pasta-centered, whereas I wanted this to be perfectly balanced with veggies, seafood, and pasta. After a few times testing the recipe and increasing the veggies and sauce, this version got rave reviews from my taste testers!
Nothing says summer more than a pasta salad, make sure you also check out my Greek Pasta Salad, Italian Pasta Salad and BLT Pasta Salad.
Reader Review: “What a wonderful salad!! So yummy; will be making this again and again!! Thanks Amy!!” – Heidi
Why We Love This Recipe
- Versatile to serve for lunch or as a side dish. We’ve served it both ways! I love it alongside St. Louis-style ribs or pulled pork at a summer barbecue, but it can also stand on it’s own as the main dish of the meal.
- Customize with your favorite veggies and seasonings. Pasta salads are a great way to introduce a variety of vegetables to your diet, adding and customizing to your preference. Have fun with spices and herbs to make the flavors your own.
- Prepped in less than 20 minutes. That’s what I love about a pasta salad, with just a few simple steps and readily available ingredients, you can whip up a dish quickly that can chill in the fridge until guests arrive.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Pasta Shells – The backbone of the salad, short pasta is best for coating evenly in the dressing. Feel free to use other short pasta shapes like bow-tie pasta or elbow macaroni for variety.
- Imitation or Real Crab Meat – Adds a sweet, seafood flavor to the dish. You can use either real lump crab meat for a more luxurious touch or imitation crabmeat for a budget-friendly option.
- Frozen Cooked Shrimp – Brings a delicate, briny flavor that complements the crab meat.
- Frozen Peas – Introduces a pop of sweetness and a vibrant green color.
- Finely Chopped Celery – Adds a crunch and a slight peppery flavor.
- Mayonnaise – The base of the creamy dressing that binds the salad together.
- Sour Cream – Contributes to the creamy texture of the dressing and adds a tangy flavor.
- White Vinegar – Provides an acidity that balances the richness of the mayonnaise and sour cream.
- Granulated Sugar – Just a touch is needed to slightly sweeten the dressing.
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper – Essential seasonings that enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients.
How to Make Seafood Pasta Salad
- Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a small bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients together until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Place the pasta, crab meat, salad shrimp, peas, and celery in a large bowl. Spoon or pour the dressing over the salad ingredients.
- Toss the salad until the dressing coats the ingredients evenly.
- Chill for 1 hour, then add any garnishes or additional seasoning before serving.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. This keeps the pasta firm and prevents it from becoming mushy when mixed with the dressing and other ingredients.
- After cooking, rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process immediately. This not only cools it down quickly, but also helps to keep the pasta firm.
- Drain and pat the frozen shrimp very dry. If you don’t, you risk the salad becoming watery.
- Mixing the dressing separately is necessary for the success of this recipe. Take the extra minute and whisk separately for a super smooth dressing. Plus, it’s easy to make ahead of time.
- Taste the dressing as you go and adjust the dressing ingredients to your liking. The right balance of acidity, sweetness, and creaminess is key. For a tangier dressing, increase the vinegar. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, add a bit more sugar. For a healthier option, reduce the amount of mayonnaise or use a low-fat version.
- I like to use medium shells for the pasta salad because they coat in the dressing well and give a feeling of summer, but you can use whatever small pasta shape you’d like.
- Don’t skip on chilling the pasta seafood salad for an hour. This helps the flavors to meld together and intensifies the taste.
- Have fun with garnishes. I love a sprinkle of paprika, or lemon wedges for added color and flavor. This enhances the visual appeal and adds a fresh touch.
- If you are using fresh crab meat, pick through it for any shells before stirring into the pasta salad. Don’t over-stir the fresh crab meat also, it’s best to not break it up too much for delicious flavor.
What to Serve With Seafood Pasta Salad
Seafood pasta salad is a perfect side dish or main course for various special occasions, whether you’re planning a summer BBQ, a family get-together, or a casual dining experience. Here are some ideas on how to complement this delicious salad.
The cool, creamy texture of the seafood pasta salad complements grilled meats perfectly, like grilled chicken, steak, or fish.
And for a lighter meal, serve the seafood pasta salad alongside sandwiches or wraps for lunch.
For a burst of freshness, serve a platter of fresh, crunchy vegetables with a dip alongside the seafood pasta salad, or a sweet and tangy fruit salad can also give a delightful contrast.
Crab and shrimp pasta salad is also an excellent choice for transporting to picnics and potlucks. Pair it with other picnic favorites like cold fried chicken and cheeses and crackers.
Variations
I’ve made this salad more times than I can count over the years and am always making modifications to improve it. Here are some other variations I’ve tried if you want to try them yourself too!
- Cook your own shrimp. Buy it fresh and either poach it on the stove, broil it, bake it, or quickly saute until just opaque and pink. Be sure to let the shrimp fully cool before adding it to the salad.
- Try different seafood in this pasta salad. Some other great options are cooked lobster or scallops. For those who prefer a non-seafood version, cooked chicken breast or ham can be great substitutes.
- For a lighter option, Greek or natural yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream.
- If you need this pasta salad with seafood to be dairy-free, use dairy-free mayonnaise and omit the sour cream or substitute with a dairy-free yogurt.
- Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar could be used instead of white vinegar for a slightly different tang with some sweetness. For even more tangy, briny flavor, you could add 1-2 tablespoons of capers to this salad.
- Try other veggies, I’ve also used cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, red onion, bell peppers like green pepper or red pepper, sliced olives, or even slices of hard-boiled eggs.
- Other seasonings and flavorful ingredients that I’ve added to pair with the seafood are a splash of lemon juice or a sprinkle of celery salt and paprika, or if you enjoy Old Bay Seasoning then add a dash or two to the mixture.
- Add some fresh herbs to garnish for a pop of color and flavor. I love dill, cilantro, parsley, or chives over the top of the bowl or onto each portion.
FAQs
Yes, you can use a different pasta shape instead of shell pasta if you prefer. Just make sure it’s cooked, drained, and cooled before adding it to the salad. You could make a seafood macaroni salad, or try penne, ditalini, fusilli, bow tie pasta, or even small pasta shapes for kids.
You can thaw the salad shrimp and peas by placing them in the refrigerator for a few hours or running them under cold water.
Yes, you can use fresh seafood. If using fresh shrimp, ensure it’s cooked and cooled before adding it to the salad. For crab meat, fresh lump crab meat is a delicious upgrade from imitation crab.
This salad can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta. Ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free as well, particularly the mayonnaise and any substitutes you use.
Yes, you can prepare the dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just give it a good stir before tossing it with the salad.
While it’s traditionally served chilled, you can enjoy it slightly warm if you prefer. Just keep in mind that chilling allows the flavors to meld.
Seafood pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors often meld and improve with a bit of time in the fridge.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Seafood Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium pasta shells (cooked, drained, then cooled)
- 8 ounces crab meat (imitation or lump crab meat)
- 8 ounces frozen cooked shrimp tails removed (thawed)
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a small bowl.½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Whisk the ingredients together until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Place the pasta, crab meat, salad shrimp, peas, and celery in a large bowl. Spoon or pour the dressing over the salad ingredients.1 pound medium pasta shells, 8 ounces crab meat, 8 ounces frozen cooked shrimp, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 cup finely chopped celery
- Toss the salad until the dressing coats the ingredients evenly.
- Chill for 1 hour, then add any garnishes or additional seasoning before serving.
Notes
Seafood pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors often meld and improve with a bit of time in the fridge. It’s a great recipe to make in advance since the flavors only get better with time.
Sounds like a great salad. I can’t have shrimp (allergic) but crab is fine. So I’m saving this recipe because it seems I could double the crabmeat to replace the shrimp. Crabmeat salad sandwiches have always been a favorite lunch for me. Thanks for this recipe!
Yes doubling the crabmeat would be a great option. Enjoy!
What a wonderful salad!! So yummy; will be making this again and again!!
Thanks Amy!!
I’m glad you like it! I also love a good pasta salad. Especially in the summer!