Seafood Pasta Salad

Seafood Pasta Pasta Salad is a lavish blend of lump crab and juicy shrimp tossed with tender pasta, crunchy celery, briny capers, fresh dill and a creamy, tangy salad dressing. It just may just be the perfect summer dish! Easy enough to enjoy on a weeknight or take to a picnic, but worthy of a dinner party or date night.

Made in about 20 minutes, this seafood salad recipe is ideal for dressing up short pastas, like small or medium shell pasta, bow tie pasta (farfalle), or elbow macaroni. Serve as a summer side dish alongside anything your grilling, or as the main attraction for a satisfying lunch or dinner.

Ingredients You Need to Make this Seafood Pasta Salad Recipe

• Shrimp: I recommend using medium shrimp or large shrimp cut in half crosswise.
• Crab: Real lump crab meat makes this salad special. I don’t recommend imitation crabmeat – see my Crab Salad post to learn more about it.
• Pasta: Any short pasta will do, but I’m partial to shell pasta for this salad
• Lemons: One for seasoning the shrimp cooking water and 1/2 of another for the dressing. You may also want wedges for serving.
• Kosher Salt: For seasoning the shrimp cooking water.
• Mayonnaise: Use your favorite brand or make your homemade Avocado Oil Mayonnaise in just a few minutes with an immersion blender.
• Dijon Mustard: A smooth, strong version is best.
• Capers: Small, non-pareil capers are ideal.
• Dill: It’s worth it to use fresh dill (not dried) for this salad. Use leftover sprigs for garnish.
• Shallot: Look for a firm shallot with tight, shiny skin.
• Celery: Look for firm, bright green celery ribs.
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

7 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Pasta Salad.

1. Overcooking the Pasta: Cook the pasta until al dente (firm to the bite) before adding it to the pasta salad. Overcooked pasta is soft and likely to fall apart, making it difficult to mix with other ingredients which can ruin the texture of the salad.
2. Not Cooling the Pasta: Drain your perfectly cooked pasta, then rinse with cold water until cool. Be sure to drain well before adding the dressing so it’s sure to adhere to the noodles.
3. Using the Wrong Amount of Dressing: The pasta and seafood should be lightly coated with dressing, not swimming in it. Too much dressing will make the pasta salad goopy and overpower the other flavors. Start with a small amount and add more if needed.
4. Incorrect Seasoning (too much or too little): Some pasta salads are too salty, while some lack flavor simply because they are under-seasoned. Season the dressing to taste, keeping in mind that the seafood itself may be salty.
5. Not Pre-Cooking Seafood: Be sure that your shrimp and crab are properly cooked and cooled before adding to the salad.
6. Using the Wrong Pasta Shape: Medium shell pasta is ideal for this pasta salad, but many short pasta shapes would work well, like gemelli pasta or rotini. Long pastas aren’t a good option for pasta salad.
7. Opting for Fresh Pasta instead of Dried: Though fresh pasta is delicious, it’s fragile and more likely to fall apart in a pasta salad – opt for dried pasta instead.

Recipe Options

• For extra seasoning in the shrimp cooking water, use 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (find in the spice section of your local grocery store) instead of kosher salt.
• Add finely chopped green onions instead of or in addition to shallots to add gentle heat and oniony flavor. And/or add finely chopped red bell pepper for added sweetness and crunch.
• Cooking the shrimp until just pink in well seasoned water is key to enhancing the shrimp’s flavor and texture in this salad. For convenience, you can buy pre-cooked shrimp, but it’s worth the effort to cook it fresh if you have time.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of mayonnaise to your taste or switch things up by replacing all or part of it with whole milk plain yogurt or sour cream.

Serving Tips

This Seafood Pasta Salad makes a delightful side dish for any summer gathering, BBQ or potluck. It’s also a great main course dish when served with crusty bread and a green salad. For an elegant presentation, spoon the pasta salad into individual bowls and garnish with fresh dill.

More Delicious Pasta and Seafood Salads

• Crab Salad (The ultimate seafood salad made with real lump crab!)
• Shrimp Salad (A shrimp lovers salad with tender, flavorful shrimp tossed in a creamy dressing.)
• Caesar Pasta Salad (A crowd pleasing combination of classic salads!)
• Italian Pasta Salad (Another of my favorite pasta salads, loaded with all of the Italian Salad ingredients you love.)
• Ahi Tuna Salad (With a versatile homemade Sesame Ginger Dressing.)

How to Make Seafood Pasta Salad

Cook pasta until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Bring 2 quarts water, lemon wedges and kosher salt to boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cover; remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer with slotted spoon to ice bath. When cool, transfer shrimp to colander and pat dry with paper towel.

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, capers, dill, shallot, and fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon.

Add pasta, shrimp, lump crab, and celery to large salad bowl. Spoon dressing over and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.