Seafood Pasta Salad

This is the best seafood salad with cooked pasta, shrimp, crab meat and veggies. Everything gets coated in a light and creamy dressing.

Are you into seafood pasta recipes? If so, check out this oh-so-easy shrimp linguine, a must-try shrimp scampi, or a seafood paella.

Why You’ll Love It

Beautifully balanced: Sometimes, a pasta salad recipe is too pasta-heavy. This recipe has the perfect ratio of seafood to vegetables and pasta.
Meal prep-friendly: Make a double batch and enjoy it in your packed lunches.
Cool or warm: I love that this can be served chilled or slightly warmed up.
Portable: Pack it for a potluck, picnic or to enjoy outside at a family cookout.

Ingredients for Seafood Pasta Salad

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Shell pasta: Get your pasta drained, cooked, cooled, and ready to mix ahead of time. Choose a medium-sized pasta, like conchiglie (shell pasta) or bow tie pasta, as it holds the dressing well.
Crab meat: Use lump or imitation crab as a budget-friendly option. Imitation crab has a lovely mild flavor and flake-apart texture. Lump crab is a little more authentic-tasting as it’s a fresh crab meat with a touch of sweetness to it.
Frozen cooked salad shrimp: Thaw the shrimp thoroughly and remove the tails in preparation. These little shrimp mix easily into the salad because of their size.
Frozen peas: Thaw the peas before adding them to the cold pasta salad. You can also use fresh peas, but they must be steamed first.
Mayonnaise: This makes the base of the creamy pasta salad dressing. Use good quality mayo.

How to Make a Seafood Macaroni Salad

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Combine the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add pasta, crab meat, salad shrimp, peas and chopped celery. Set this bowl to one side.
Make the dressing: In another smaller bowl, whisk the salad dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
Combine the salad and dressing: Pour the dressing over the pasta, seafood, and veggies and toss gently until the dressing is well distributed throughout the seafood pasta salad.
Chill: Keep the pasta salad in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

Sour cream: Make a DIY alternative by mixing fresh cream with a little bit of lemon juice.
Seafood variations: Try different types of seafood, such as cooked and diced lobster or imitation lobster meat, scallops, or chunks of grilled salmon or tuna.
Pasta options: While shell pasta works well for this salad, you can swap it out with other shapes like fusilli, penne, or rotini. This works well as a seafood macaroni salad too.
Vegetarian: Swap out the seafood for chopped hard-boiled eggs and more crunchy veggies such as green onions.
Gluten-free seafood salad: Use a gluten-free pasta made from rice, quinoa, or chickpea flour.
Vegetable swaps: Replace the peas with edamame beans for a different texture and a boost of protein. Instead of celery, use diced bell peppers, cucumbers, or shredded carrots for added crunch and color.
Spicy: Want to make a spicy version of this seafood salad recipe? Sprinkle in a little pinch of Cajun seasoning, paprika, some red pepper flakes, and some cayenne or chili pepper.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: I love to serve his seafood pasta salad recipe with a slice of bread on the side. Try this garlic herb bread wreath with it.
Main: After a seafood and tender pasta main, serve sheet pan pork chops or juicy Hawaiian BBQ chicken.
Dessert: Follow on with limoncello panna cotta or a bowl of these raspberry truffles.

How to Store Seafood Pasta Salad

Store: This seafood salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days if properly packed in an airtight container
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta salad recipe as it will become watery when you thaw it.