Description
This Seafood Pasta Salad with Shrimp & Crab is a refreshing and flavorful dish perfect for summer gatherings or easy weeknight meals. Combining tender elbow macaroni, succulent shrimp, and crab meat with crunchy celery and red onion, all tossed in a zesty Old Bay and lemon dressing made from mayonnaise and sour cream. Chilled to perfection and garnished with fresh dill or parsley, this salad is both satisfying and light, ideal for seafood lovers seeking a cool and creamy pasta salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood and Pasta
- 8 oz elbow macaroni or small shell pasta
- ½ pound cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
- ½ pound imitation crab meat or real crab, chopped
Vegetables
- ½ cup celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Garnish (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the elbow macaroni or small shell pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta completely.
- Combine Seafood and Vegetables: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped cooked shrimp, chopped crab meat, finely diced celery, and finely diced red onion, mixing gently to distribute evenly.
- Make Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Mix Salad: Add the cooled pasta to the seafood and vegetables mixture. Pour the prepared dressing over the top and gently toss all ingredients together until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Add Herbs and Chill: Stir in chopped fresh dill or parsley if desired for added flavor and color. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- This salad can be made a day in advance—just give it a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.
- For a lighter version, substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream to reduce fat and calories.
- Serve chilled, accompanied by lemon wedges to brighten the flavors as desired.
