Shrimp salad with pasta is packed with whole pink shrimp, your favorite cut of pasta, crisp veggies, and a creamy Old Bay dressing. We go heavy on the shrimp and light on the pasta for a delicious side that's perfect for cookouts, picnics, or an easy side dish.
What Makes This Salad Special
This salad makes a wonderful side or main course. Unlike most shrimp pasta salads, this one is truly shrimp salad with pasta, not the other way around. It's loaded with big shrimp!
We're using extra large wild-caught pink shrimp from Key West. They are sweet, snappy, and have a fresh, clean flavor.
You can also use small, medium, or salad shrimp. Just make sure they are peeled, deveined, and cooked until opaque.
Whether you're serving it at a party, packing it for the boat, or keeping it chilled in the fridge, it's perfect for lunch, dinner, or even a quick snack. Yes, it makes a great little snack!
If you enjoy this recipe, try my Classic Shrimp Salad next. t's a low-carb recipe made with wild-caught shrimp, fresh vegetables, and a creamy Old Bay dressing.
For The Pasta
I used farfalle, also called bowties, for this salad. They hold the creamy dressing well and look nice. You can also use medium-sized shells, elbow macaroni, twisty elbows, or penne.
The best pasta to buy is bronze-cut from Italy, made with 100% durum wheat semolina. It has a rough surface that grips the dressing and holds onto the shrimp and veggies better than smooth pasta. It also stays firm after cooking, making it perfect for cold salads.
Ingredients
Makes 2 lunch or dinner main course servings or 4 appetizer or side salads.
- Pasta (farfalle, small shells, elbows, rotini, etc.)
- Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Celery (about 2 stalks)
- Red bell pepper (about half a pepper)
- Red onion
- Parsley
- Dill
For The Dressing
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon celery salt (use salt if you don't have any)
- Sugar
- Lemon
- Salt and black pepper
How To Make Shrimp Pasta Salad
Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss with a little olive oil so it doesn't stick.
Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add a few pieces of your red onion, parsley, lemon, and herbs to flavor the water. Add the shrimp and boil for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size, until opaque. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool, then pat dry with paper towels.
Prep your ingredients before assembling the salad.
In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, Old Bay, lemon juice, and celery salt.
Add the pasta. Stir until combined.
Gently fold in the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with sprinkle of parsley, dill, and a few lemon wedges.
Variations
If you have a steamed lobster (we live in the Keys and its common), dice up one or two tails and mix them with half a pound of shrimp.
Other add-ins are fresh corn, frozen peas, hard boiled eggs, pickle relish, halved cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, or extra dill for more flavor.
Instead of mayonnaise, try sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
For a gluten-free pasta, use Jovial farfalle, shells, or elbows. It's made with rice flour and water and tastes great.
Serving Suggestions
- Chill overnight and add extra mayo if needed before serving.
- Serve cold.
- Set the bowl over ice when entertaining to keep it fresh for outdoor parties.
Here are a few of our favorite seafood main course ideas to serve with your salad:
Storage
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving. Do not freeze.
Takeaway
Shrimp Salad with Pasta is loaded with fresh ingredients including arge pink shrimp, pasta, crunchy vegetables, and a creamy Old Bay dressing.
It's more shrimp than pasta, so every bite has a big crispy shrimp smothered in a savory dressing.
Use good-quality pasta, like bronze-cut from Italy, so the dressing sticks and the salad stays firm. If you prefer a gluten free pasta that tastes great, try Jovial.
Serve the salad cold for backyard get togethers, picnics, potlucks, or quick weeknight dinners. It also makes a great side for grilled chicken, steak, or fish.
While this salad makes two dinner servings or four sides, it can easily be doubled or tripled for a big batch or parties.
Shrimp pasta salad is simple, cool, and easy to make. Enjoy!
FAQ
This salad pairs well with grilled chicken, steak, or any kind of fish. It's also great with corn on the cob or fresh fruit on the side.
You can replace mayo with Greek yogurt, sour cream, or a mix of both. For a lighter dressing, try half mayo and half plain yogurt
Shrimp pasta salad usually includes cooked shrimp, small pasta, crunchy vegetables like celery, onion, and bell pepper, and a creamy dressing with lemon and herbs.
Yes, you can add chopped hard-boiled eggs for extra protein and a classic deli flavor. Slice the cooled eggs, roughly chop them, and fold them into the salad.
Shrimp Salad with Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 cup pasta (farfalle, small shells, elbows, rotini, etc.)
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup diced celery, about 2 stalks
- ⅓ cup diced red bell pepper, about half a pepper
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Shrimp and Pasta Salad Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon celery salt (use a little salt if you don't have any)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss with a little olive oil so it doesn't stick.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add a few scraps or small pieces of red onion, parsley, and lemon to flavor the water, but reserve most of these ingredients for the salad. Add the shrimp and boil for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size, until opaque.
- Prep your ingredients before assembling the salad.
- In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, Old Bay, lemon juice, and celery salt.
- Add the pasta. Stir until combined.
- Gently fold in the shrimp. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with sprinkle of parsley, dill, and a few lemon wedges.
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