Seafood salad is always a hit in my family, and this time I'm adding pasta. My seafood pasta salad is super creamy, fresh, and flavorful, plus, it's incredibly easy to put together. It's made with shrimp, mussels, crab, veggies, and pasta, all tossed in a rich, creamy dressing. Perfect for lunch or dinner!
Seafood Pasta Salad
I love this salad because it is refreshing, simple, and comes together in no time. I prefer to serve it cold, so it’s perfect for making ahead of time.
This dish works well for lunch, dinner and even for picnics. I serve it as a main course, but it also pairs well as a side with something like Chimichurri Rice or Pan Fried Green Beans.
You'll Need
- Pasta: I use elbow pasta because it holds the dressing well. However, pasta shells, Farfalle and Fusilli also work well.
- Seafood: I use fresh shrimp, mussels and lump crab meat. Note: You can use imitation crab instead of lump crab if you want.
- Veggies: I use bell pepper and red onion. You may also add cucumber and radish if you want.
- Herbs: Adding fresh herbs really takes this salad to the next level. I use dill and chives.
- Dressing: I use mayonnaise, sour cream, wholegrain mustard, pickled cucumber, pickle juice and apple cider vinegar.
- Seasonings: I keep it simple with just paprika, salt and pepper.
NOTE: All the ingredients I used with measurements are in the recipe card below.
Step By Step Photos
Here are the step by step photos to visualize how I made this dish. Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Cook the pasta, then drain it in a colander.
Cook the shrimp in melted butter over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes per side.
Remove the mussels from their shells.
Chop the bell pepper and onion into small pieces and finely chop the dill and chives.
Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
In a large serving bowl, combine cooked pasta, shrimp, herbs, mussels, chopped veggies, and the dressing. Mix until well combined, then chill for 30 minutes.
Pro Tips
- Don't overcook the shrimp: They cook fast; once they turn pink, they're done.
- Cut the veggies into small pieces: This makes the salad easier to eat.
- Taste the dressing before adding it: To adjust the salt.
- Add the dressing while the pasta is still slightly warm: This helps it absorb the flavors better.
More Seafood Recipes
- Thai Fish Cakes
- Cajun Fish Fry
- Caribbean Seafood Stew
- Spicy Korean Seafood Soup (Jjampong)
- Sizzling Garlic Prawns (Gambas Pil Pil)
- Lemon Garlic Baked Tilapia
I hope you like this recipe! Follow Recipe Tale on Pinterest to keep up-to-date with all new recipes.
Recipe
Seafood Salad
Ingredients
- 350 g pasta, I use elbow
- 400 g shrimp, peeled
- 250 g mussels, pre-cooked
- ¼ cup lump crab meat
- 2 large bell peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small red onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoon dill, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
For The Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- ⅓ cup pickled cucumber, chopped into small chunks
- 1 tsp pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside to cool completely.
- Cook the shrimp: Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until they turn orange. To save time, you can use pre-cooked shrimp.
- Prepare the mussels: Remove the mussels from their shells and set aside.
- Chop the veggies and fresh herbs: Wash and chop the bell pepper and onion into bite-sized pieces for easy eating. Finely chop the dill and chives.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, wholegrain mustard, chopped pickled cucumber, pickle juice and apple cider vinegar.
- Assemble the seafood salad: In a large serving bowl, add the cooked pasta, shrimp, mussels, chopped veggies, herbs and the dressing, mix well until combined.
- Chill: Put the salad in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow all the flavors to come together. Prefer it warm? Skip the chilling time and serve it right away!
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