Juicy, succulent seafood prove a refreshing addition to this Shrimp Pasta Salad, elevating the range of flavor along with celery, bell pepper, and onion. It’s a side dish that can double as a hearty lunch—all done in a tangy mayonnaise dressing.
I still eat my shrimp pasta salad like I did my Lucky Charms as a kid. I would go hunting for the marshmallows, ensuring that every spoonful had at least two of those dehydrated, food-colored treats. Yes, part of it was about balance; you didn’t want to get halfway through your bowl and realize there were no more marshmallows. But another part was recognizing that the marshmallows were the stars of the show and having a mouth full of toasted oats with no marshmallow green clovers or yellow moons was doing a disservice to the cereal AND to me.
That’s how I feel about the shrimp in this salad. Even as a grownup I don’t bring my fork to my mouth unless I am sure there is at least one shrimp on its prongs. The shrimp are the seafood, as in, they are the food I came to see.
Of course, the rest of the salad are no slouches. We have elbow pasta, plus veggies, like celery, red bell peppers, red onions. It all comes together in a creamy mayonnaise that’s been kissed with lemon and dill. I know I said the shrimp is the star of the show, but this ensemble cast needs to be recognized.
Having friends over for lunch? Got some steaks on the barbecue? Whatever the occasion, this Shrimp Pasta Salad will be your “lucky charm”.
What is salad shrimp? Can I use regular shrimp?
There’s a secret ingredient that comes along with salad shrimp and it could very well be the most delicious of all them all: convenience. When you opt for salad shrimp, you opt for time. Time to make other dishes. Time to socialize with guests. Time not spent deshelling, deveining, and cooking. Salad shrimp come pret-a-manger, if you will, which saves you the hassle of cooking the shrimp and the pasta before you can even begin to assemble the salad. They are also typically smaller, which makes them easier to eat alongside the rest of the salad’s ingredients. Yes, you can use regular-sized shrimp that require you to remove the shells and veins, and cook them beforehand. You’ll also have to chop them up, let them cool, and dry them off. It’s a lot of work that I would rather skip, but it’s totally up to you.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. elbow pasta noodles
- 1 cup celery, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
- 12 oz. cooked salad shrimp, thawed
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 tbsp dill, chopped
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
How to Make Shrimp Pasta Salad
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook as per the package instructions until al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled noodles, diced celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and thawed shrimp.
Step 3: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and zest, chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and gently toss until everything is well coated. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
FAQs & Tips
How do I prep and store this salad?
In the recipe I recommend letting it sit in the fridge for at least an hour, but if you have the time, let it sit longer, up to 24 hours is ideal. This allows the ingredients to absorb the dressing so every bite isn’t just coated in the mayo, it is absolutely bursting with it. If you have any leftovers, you can store this salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Give it a good stir before serving and have some mayo on hand, should you feel it needs another dollop. Don’t bother freezing the salad; the thawing process will reduce it to mush.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
You sure can. And while the type of pasta you choose ultimately comes down to personal preference, there are characteristics of certain noodles that make them a better choice than others. For starters, the length. I talk above about how salad shrimp is preferable to regular shrimp because they are small and easier to eat. The same holds true for noodles. Short noodles are better because they are easier to eat. They don’t require additional cutting. You also want noodles that will hold up well when tossed with the mayo and other ingredients, and won’t turn mushy or clump together, like, say, angel-hair. For these reasons, I recommend penne, rotini, fusilli, farfalle (bowtie pasta), or shells. Spirals are particularly good as they hold the sauce well.
Why is my salad so bland?
Cold salads need a little bit more flavor love than its warm counterparts as the ingredients lose a bit of their bite when chilled.
Variations
While I consider this to be an excellent base for a shrimp pasta salad, there are other ingredients you can add. An easy way to subtly alter the flavor is with herbs. I list dill in the recipe, but why not look at parsley, basil, cilantro, or a combination of them. They will infuse your salad with freshness. If you want something a bit more noticeable (i.e., crunchy!) you should consider toasted pine nuts, chopped almonds, or crispy crumbled bacon (presuming you aren’t a pescatarian). If you don’t like mayo, you can still keep the creaminess intact by subbing it with Greek yogurt or sour cream. Both are light options. And if you feel the salad could use something sweet, diced apples, dried cranberries, or halved cherry tomatoes will provide it.
Shrimp Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. elbow pasta
- 1 cup celery finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1/2 medium red onion finely diced
- 12 oz. cooked salad shrimp thawed
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- Juice and zest of half a lemon
- 2 tbsp dill chopped
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook as per the package instructions until al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled noodles, finely diced celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and thawed shrimp.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and zest, chopped dill, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and gently toss until everything is well coated. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
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