Shrimp and Crab Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

This is the dish that will have your friends wondering how you prepared something so delicious!

This shrimp and crab pasta salad with Italian dressing is ideal for a picnic or luncheon.

It’s simple to create, yet it seems to have taken hours in the kitchen.

The best part?

You may customise it to your audience.Leave off the cheese to make it vegan, or add a few extra vegetables to obtain all of your daily portions in one go.

Also see: How to Serve Crab Pasta Salad. 12 Delicious Side Dishes

And since it’s created using pantry basics like pasta, olive oil, and lemon juice, you’ll never run out of ingredients when you want to make something great.

How To Make Shrimp and Crab Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

This shrimp and crab pasta salad with Italian dressing is ideal for a light lunch or supper during the summer months when you have more time to spend outdoors.

This salad is a terrific way to use up any leftover pasta, shrimp, or crab in your fridge.

Furthermore, it is easy enough that even children may assist!

Ingredients

• 1 pound of pasta noodles
• 3 cups of cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 cups cooked crab meat, shellfish removed
• 1/4 cup of chopped green onion (white parts only)
• 1/4 cup of chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
• 4 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 pepper)1
• 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain and rinse under cool water.
2. Combine the cooked shrimp, crab meat, green onion, celery, and red bell pepper in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small mixing dish, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and olive oil.
4. Toss the seafood mixture with the dressing until uniformly covered.
5. Mix in the spaghetti noodles until they are equally covered with the dressing (approximately 30 seconds).
6. Serve immediately or store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Tips When Making Shrimp and Crab Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

When it comes to cooking this pasta salad, you have a few alternatives.

To begin, you may use a classic dressing, such as olive oil and vinegar.

You might also add lemon juice or lemon zest.

Vinegar is an excellent technique to lighten your dressing without overpowering the taste of your shrimp and crabmeat!

If you want to give it a bit extra zip, consider adding some spicy sauce or fresh chilies.

This will enhance the taste and ensure that each mouthful is full of spicy delight!

Recipe Variations

Want to mix things up a little?

Then try some of the variations below:

1. Replace the Pasta with Rice

This is a rice-based variant on the traditional pasta salad.

It’s a terrific alternative for individuals attempting to eliminate gluten or consume more healthy grains.

It may be prepared in big amounts and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

2. Replace the Crab with Chicken or Turkey

If you want to make this meal heartier, use chicken or turkey for the crab.

Cook the meat until it’s done, then add it to the spaghetti salad with a couple teaspoons of Italian dressing.

This will make a terrific basis for your pasta salad, but if you don’t like seafood or want something less costly than crab, this is a good option!

3. Replace the Shrimp with Salmon, Tuna, or Tofu

If you like a heartier lunch, I suggest substituting fish with the shrimp. This dish works nicely with salmon, tuna, and tofu.

Shrimp and crab pasta salad is an excellent appetizer since it contains a lot of protein as well as veggies that give fiber and minerals.

If you want a more full lunch, consider substituting the shrimp with fish like salmon, tuna, or even tofu.

If desired, add some chopped celery or carrots to bulk out your salad.

The Italian dressing gives this meal a tangy flavor, so feel free to experiment with various varieties until you discover one that matches your taste buds best!

4. Add Some Avocado Slices on Top of Your Salad Before Serving It Up

In this recipe variant, before serving, place some avocado slices on top of your salad.

This is an excellent way to add flavor and texture to your pasta salad.

1. To begin, make sure you’re using firm-ripe avocados so they don’t turn brown while sitting out in the sun.
2. Set them aside in slices until ready to serve.
3. Next, prepare your dressing.
4. Then mix the cooked noodles, shrimp, crab meat, onion, and celery with the dressing until everything is uniformly covered.
5. Finally, garnish with tomatoes, olives, and avocado slices!

You may serve this meal immediately or chill it for up to an hour (covered) before serving.

Either method will suffice. Just don’t leave it out for too long since avocado has a propensity to discolor with time!

5. Mix in Some Fresh Herbs Like Basil and Mint

Try adding fresh herbs like basil and mint to your pasta salad to kick it up a level.

They will not only add taste, but they will also make your food appear stunning.

With the spaghetti and shrimp, combine 2 cups of torn fresh mint leaves.4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn 1For this version, combine 1

Cook’s Notes

If you don’t like mayonnaise but want the flavor of this salad to be loyal to its name, you can replace it with sour cream or even avocado and it will taste just as fantastic!

If you don’t like raw onions or believe they’ll make the salad too strong-tasting for you, leave them out.

The pasta salad will still taste great!

Other forms of seafood, such as scallops (See Also: simple scallop sauce) or shrimp scampi style, may be used in this dish.