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    Home » Pasta

    Seafood Pasta Salad

    Published: Jul 4, 2018 · Modified: Sep 27, 2023 by Carolyn Hetke · This post may contain affiliate links,

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Seafood Pasta Salad uses cold Atlantic shrimp and crab meat for a delicious summer supper. Fresh garden peas are also a great addition.

    Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Crab in a bowl.

    I wanted a different kind of pasta salad.  Mine all seem to lean toward the Italian or Greek flavours.  With the heat wave we have been having the seafood theme seemed to be a lighter choice.

    Jump to:
    • Wine Pairing for Seafood Pasta Salad
    • Seafood Pasta Salad

    This is a great recipe for easy entertaining.  It is  elegant and the quantities are enough to feed a crowd. It also works for a family with lots of leftovers for the next day.  It makes about 14 cups so if you are not feeding a crowd cut it in half!

    I love those little frozen cold Atlantic salad shrimp.  They come cleaned, cooked and frozen.  They are creamy and sweet.  If you can find shrimp de Matane, speciality salad shrimp from the Gaspe you are in for a real treat!

    I was able to buy real, frozen crab meat at my local fish superstore (Caudle's Catch in Kitchener) so I was all set.  All I had to cook was the macaroni. Not so bad to do early in the morning of a hot summer day!  It needs a few hours to cool in the fridge and let the flavours meld so win-win on a hot day.  Make ahead in the morning when it's cool and your work is done!

    I also had some fresh garden peas in my fridge that I wanted to use. I like frozen peas, canned peas, any kind of peas really - but fresh from the garden are a real treat.  I steamed them with a tablespoon of water in the microwave on high for 3 minutes.  For the amount that I had they were still partially raw, crunchy and tasty.  I would recommend not over cooking them (not really cooking them at all...not even wrinkly....)

    There is no added salt or pepper in this recipe.  The shrimp and crab are almost sweet so I didn't want to introduce any saltiness.  So.. healthy!  Use light mayonnaise and light sour cream as well to keep it lighter.

    Wine Pairing for Seafood Pasta Salad

    A crisp white with good acidity will cut through the creaminess of the mayonnaise here.  A light Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Grigio or a fruity-profile Sauvignon Blanc (avoid a pronounced grassy Sauvignon Blancs  for this one) would work here.

    Rosé would also complement this really well.  Fruity and off-dry would complement the sweetness of the crab in the salad. Rosés also tend to have good acidity as well.

    More Picnic Shrimp Ideas

    Quick Pickled Shrimp 

    Lemon Dill Shrimp

    Grilled Shrimp Tacos

    Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Crab in a bowl.

    Seafood Pasta Salad

    This delicious, creamy pasta salad with shrimp and crab elevates the humble macaroni salad. It serves 16 so invite lots of friends and relatives.
    Author: Carolyn Hetke

    If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!

    3 from 26 votes
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    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 8 minutes mins
    Resting Time: 2 hours hrs
    Total Time: 2 hours hrs 28 minutes mins
    Servings: 14 cups

    Ingredients

    • 15 oz macaroni about 6 cups cooked
    • 9 oz salad shrimp cooked and thawed
    • 6 oz crab meat cooked and thawed
    • 3 large celery stalks finely diced (about 1 ½ cups)
    • 1 sweet red pepper finely diced
    • 2 cups peas
    • ¾ cup sweet, green relish
    • 1 cup light mayonnaise
    • ½ cup light sour cream
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley minced

    Instructions

    • Cook the macaroni according to manufacturer's instructions. Rinse with cold water to halt cooking. Stir while it is cooling and draining so it doesn't stick together.
    • If using fresh or frozen peas microwave about 3 minutes on high with a Tablespoon of water. You do not want to really cook them. They should not be wrinkly. If using canned peas just drain them.
    • Mix the mayo, sour cream and relish together.
    • When the pasta is room temperature add the shrimp, crab and vegetables. Stir in the mayo mixture til evenly mixed. Stir in parsley last.
    • Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow it to chill.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thewineloverski or tag #thewineloverski!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      3 from 26 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Charlotte

      July 30, 2022 at 10:58 am

      Any substitutes for sweet green relish- not something I enjoy- rest is perfect.

      Reply
      • thewineloverskitchen

        July 30, 2022 at 3:35 pm

        You could try a dill relish (less sweet) or just dill herbs.

        Reply
    2. J kachlik

      March 19, 2022 at 10:22 am

      Can I use canned shrimp and crab

      Reply
      • thewineloverskitchen

        March 19, 2022 at 3:18 pm

        Well you could but I think I would at least try for frozen shrimp assuming they are fairly readily available. I find tinned shrimp texture isn't very appealing. But - in the end- go with what you can!

        Reply
    3. Tracy Morales

      October 21, 2020 at 7:19 am

      Can i use lump crab meat?

      Reply
      • thewineloverskitchen

        October 21, 2020 at 12:39 pm

        Sure! Even better!

        Reply
    4. Sandi Weisel

      June 25, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      This was easy and so delicious! It’s definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • thewineloverskitchen

        June 25, 2020 at 6:34 pm

        I am so glad you liked it! We love it too!!

        Reply
    5. Teresa

      December 04, 2019 at 7:48 am

      What can l substitute for Peas & Relish? I HATE both of them...

      Reply
      • thewineloverskitchen

        December 04, 2019 at 11:23 am

        You could increase the amount of celery by 1/2 cup or so and on top of the fresh sweet red pepper you could add chopped piquillo peppers or sweet roasted pepper with a bit of their juice to give it the sweetness. If you are serving right away you could consider adding cucumber as well.

        Reply

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    Hi! I am Carolyn - the Wine Lover in the Wine Lover's Kitchen! I absolutely love having friends and family around my table with great food and wine to enjoy. If you want great recipes and wine recommendations you have come to the right place!

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