Description
This Seafood Pasta with Shrimp & Crab is a creamy, satisfying pasta salad that combines sweet crab, tender shrimp, crisp vegetables, and a tangy, rich dressing. It’s delicious served cold or at room temperature — perfect for summer dinners or potlucks.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta (rotini, penne, or your favorite shape)
- 1 cup cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup crab meat (fresh, canned, or imitation)
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until **al dente**, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool and stop cooking.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, shrimp, crab meat, celery, tomatoes, and red onion.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta‑seafood mixture and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Before serving, stir gently and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- You can lighten the dressing by replacing some or all of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. (This variation is described in shrimp‑crab pasta salad recipes using yogurt as a base. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0})
- Use crab sticks or imitation crab if fresh crab is hard to find.
- Feel free to add fresh herbs (like parsley or dill), cucumber, or bell pepper for extra crunch and color.
- Make it spicier by stirring in a dash of hot sauce, cayenne, or Old Bay seasoning.
- Store the pasta and dressing separately if you plan to make ahead, then combine just before serving to keep the texture nice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main / Pasta Salad
- Method: Boiling + Tossing
- Cuisine: Fusion / Seafood
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx)
- Calories: ≈ 403 kcal
- Sugar: ≈ 3 g
- Sodium: ≈ 760 mg
- Fat: ≈ 16 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈ 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈ 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ≈ 42 g
- Fiber: ≈ 2 g
- Protein: ≈ 22 g
- Cholesterol: ≈ 70 mg
