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Seafood Pasta Salad

A light and creamy seafood pasta salad with a bright lemon kick, perfect for casual dinners and potlucks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American, Seafood
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta & Seafood
  • 8 oz rotini, penne, or your favorite pasta shape Use firm pasta for best texture.
  • 1 cup cooked shrimp, peeled and ready to go Time-saver: Use pre-cooked shrimp to cut cook time in half.
  • 1 cup fresh crab meat, picked through for shells Pick through crab for hidden shells.
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
Dressing
  • 1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise Mayonnaise should be room temperature.
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Fresh lemon brightens everything.
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped Simple variation: Swap dill for basil.
Garnish
  • Lemon wedges for serving Optional garnish: capers, chopped parsley, or a drizzle of olive oil for sheen.

Method
 

Cooking Pasta
  1. Boil salted water and cook pasta to al dente following package directions. Drain it well and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
  2. Spread the pasta on a tray to cool faster.
Preparing Ingredients
  1. Halve the cherry tomatoes and finely dice the red onion.
Mixing Salad
  1. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the cooled pasta with shrimp, crab meat, celery, tomatoes, and red onion. Toss carefully so the crab stays flaky.
Making the Dressing
  1. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust lemon or salt.
Combining
  1. Pour the dressing over the pasta and seafood. Add the fresh dill and fold everything until evenly coated.
Chilling
  1. Chill the salad at least 30 minutes so flavors settle.
  2. Serve cold with lemon wedges.

Notes

Chill fully for cleaner flavors. Reheat: Serve cold or let sit 15 minutes at room temp—don't microwave. Leftover idea: Turn it into a crunchy sandwich with iceberg and lemon aioli.