Shrimp Pasta Salad

4.97 from 28 votes

Full of simple and fresh ingredients, Aunt Bee's shrimp pasta salad is the perfect side dish for your next cookout, an easy option for a weeknight dinner, or a refreshing make-ahead lunch.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword shrimp and pasta, shrimp pasta salad, shrimp salad

Prep Time 20

Chilling Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 363.2kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 lb. small (71-90 count per pound) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cooked (I buy the frozen, pre-cooked version for quick preparation)
8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni pasta
¼ cup chopped green onion
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cups diced celery
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh minced dill
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, combine cooked shrimp, pasta, green onion, bell pepper, celery, and peas.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, dill, salt, and pepper.
Pour dressing over pasta mixture and gently toss until completely coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Any small pasta shape will work, so feel free to substitute rotini, small shells, farfalle (bowties) or penne for the macaroni.
For a stronger lemon flavor, add grated lemon zest to the dressing.
Use any fresh herbs that you enjoy. I love the combination of dill with seafood, but you can substitute with chopped fresh parsley, basil or chives.
Add a dash or two of Old Bay seasoning for a zesty touch.
Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half.
Crab and Shrimp Pasta Salad: substitute jumbo lump crab meat or even imitation crab for half of the shrimp called for in this recipe.
Use a high-quality mayonnaise for the dressing, since it adds so much flavor to the dish. I prefer Duke's brand mayo.
Cook the pasta just until al dente, so that it's not too mushy in the salad.
Liberally salt the pasta cooking water, since this is your chance to season the pasta.
Rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process. This also removes some of the starches from the noodles so that they don't stick together in the salad.
Use small, cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp to eliminate prep work. I like the small (71-90 count per pound) size because they're a bit larger and meatier than "salad shrimp," but they're still bite-size and don't require chopping.

Nutrition