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This creamy seafood pasta salad is loaded with tender shrimp, sweet lump crab meat, and a rich, tangy dressing that coats every single bite. It’s easy to make, packed with bold flavor, and perfect for summer cookouts, holidays, or a quick make-ahead dinner. This isn’t your average pasta salad. This is that soul food, flavor-packed, “who made this?” kind of dish that just hits every time.
This seafood pasta salad recipe is what we call celebration food in my household and this recipe is a family favorite. We’d always have huge cookouts with tons of food, loud music, and my family sitting around the table laughing and telling stories. I’d get a huge plate of BBQ baby back ribs, cajun corn on the cob, spicy deviled eggs, this seafood salad, and a glass of homemade peach tea to wash everything down. Ah, good times.
Easy Seafood Pasta Salad 🍤
Ok so let’s break down this creamy seafood salad recipe – because baby, when I tell you it’s the only pasta salad recipe you’ll need, I mean it. If you know anything about soul food, you know flavor is a MUST, and this recipe hits every note. It’s creamy, it’s flavorful, it’s got a little crunch from the veggies, and those hard-boiled eggs? Whew… they take it over the top. (don’t skip this!!) Best part? It’s even better the next day!
For more seafood recipes, try my Garlic Butter Shrimp, Shrimp Scampi, and Maryland Style Crab Cakes!
Table of contents
Recipe Development Notes
- Butter-cooked shrimp for maximum flavor – Instead of boiling the shrimp, I sauté the shrimp in butter to keep them tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. Huge flavor upgrade!
- Balanced, creamy dressing – it’s not too heavy! Mayo gets brightened up with a squeeze of lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and a splash of vinegar for the perfect tangy balance.
- Chill time is key – Letting the seafood pasta salad rest allows the pasta to absorb the dressing and the flavors to come together—trust me, it’s even better the next day.
Seafood Pasta Salad Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Large Shrimp is going to give you nice chunks in every bite. Avoid using pre-cooked shrimp, it doesn’t have as much flavor and the texture is weird.
- Lump Crab Meat opposed to jumbo lump, works best for this salad because mixes evenly throughout without falling apart.
- Canned Tuna – Don’t skip it! Canned tuna adds extra protein and a savory depth that makes this seafood pasta salad more filling and flavorful.
- Fresh Vegetables (celery, red onion, bell pepper) add crunch and balance out the creamy dressing. Pro tip: Finely dice everything so you get a little texture in every bite without overpowering the seafood.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs is a down home, classic addition that adds richness and body to the salad. Honestly, it’s my favorite ingredient because it adds SO much flavor.
- Short Pasta (shell pasta, elbow macaroni, bow tie pasta, or fusilli) – Short pasta shapes are best because they hold onto the creamy dressing. Expert tip: Cook the pasta just until al dente, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. This keeps your seafood pasta salad from turning mushy.
- For the creamy dressing ingredients, you’ll need mayo, dijon mustard, sweet relish, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce. These all play together to bring you a dressing that’s balanced and creamy but still lets the seafood flavor shine.
Substitutions
How to make Seafood Pasta Salad
Step 1: Prep the seafood and eggs. Thaw and season shrimp with Old Bay seafood seasoning. Boil, peel, and chop hard-boiled eggs. Check the lump crab meat for any leftover shells and remove them. Set aside.
Step 2: Cook the shrimp and pasta until al dente. Melt butter in a skillet and cook shrimp until it’s slightly curled, about 3 minutes. Add in crab meat and cook for 1 minute, just enough for it to soak up the flavor. Then cook pasta according to package directions, then drain pasta water and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Step 3: Make the creamy seafood salad dressing. Whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sweet relish, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce, sugar, and black pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
Step 4: Combine and chill for best flavor. Toss pasta with dressing, diced vegetables, and tuna, then fold in shrimp, crab, and eggs. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Tips for the BEST Seafood Pasta Salad
Cook the pasta properly: Cook the pasta al dente (firm to the bite) and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent it from getting mushy.
Don’t overcook the shrimp: cook until it’s pink and just slightly curled, no more than 3-4 minutes max.
Chill your pasta salad: Pasta salad tastes best when it’s chilled, so be sure to let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, ideally overnight.
Serving Suggestions
This seafood pasta salad pairs perfectly with the classic summer BBQ sides – smoked chicken thighs, baked beans, smoked mac and cheese, hush puppies, soul food potato salad, and a fresh grilled romaine salad. And this is just to name a few!
Recipe FAQs
While it is technically possible to freeze seafood pasta salad, it is not recommended, as freezing can affect the texture and flavor of the dish. The pasta may become mushy and the seafood may become tough and rubbery. In addition, the dressing may separate or become watery when thawed.
Seafood salad should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
More Delicious Seafood Recipes
Appetizers
Shrimp Remoulade
Main Course
Seafood Boil Recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce
Appetizers
Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Seafood Recipes
Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Seafood Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Pot
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Raw Medium Shrimp
- 1 lb Lump Crab Meat
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 3 Celery Stalks, (diced finely, about 1 cup when diced)
- 1/2 Red Onion, (diced, about 1 cup when diced)
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, (diced)
- 4 Hard-Boiled Eggs, (roughly chopped)
- 10 oz Canned Tuna, (2 cans, drained)
- 1 lb Shell Pasta
Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Sweet Relish
- 2 tbsps Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 tsp Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt, (to taste, if needed)
Instructions
- If using frozen shrimp, add shrimp to a large mixing bowl with cold water to allow it to thaw for 15-30 minutes. Then drain the shrimp and season with 1 tsp of old bay. 1 lb Raw Medium Shrimp 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- Boil the eggs for 12 minutes. Run the eggs until cold water or place in an ice bath and peel off the shells. Then roughly chop the eggs. Set aside. 4 Hard-Boiled Eggs
- In another large mixing bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing – mayo, relish, dijon mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, 3 teaspoons of old bay, hot sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. 1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise 1/2 cup Sweet Relish 2 tbsps Dijon Mustard 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 1 tbsp Vinegar 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 3 tsp Old Bay Seasoning 2 tsp Hot Sauce 1 tbsp Sugar 1 tsp Black Pepper Kosher Salt
- Boil the pasta in until al dente (according to package instructions). Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the pasta from cooking (this prevents the pasta from becoming mushy). 1 lb Shell Pasta
- Add butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once melted and warm, add shrimp and cook until pink and no longer translucent (4-5 minutes). Then remove from the heat and add in crabmeat and toss to coat. 1 tbsp Butter 1 lb Lump Crab Meat
- Add diced red onion, bell pepper, and celery to the dressing, then add pasta and drained tuna. Toss to coat, ensuring that all pasta is covered in dressing. Then fold shrimp, crab meat, and hard boiled eggs into the pasta mixture until seafood is evenly dispersed. 1/2 Red Onion 1 Green Bell Pepper 3 Celery Stalks 10 oz Canned Tuna
- Chill in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I would boil shrimp in shell then cook pasta in same water. More work but more flavor.
sounds great!
I made this last night and it was amazing!!! I skipped the crab and added some diced cucumber. I am a pescatarian and I have gastroparesis so it’s hard for me to find cold salads that I can eat which also have protein. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I look forward to exploring your other seafood recipes!
Hi Wendy! Thanks so much for your review, I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe and that you could tailor it to your liking! I hope that you find tons of recipes that you love here!
Do you use dill relish or sweet relish?
Sweet relish