Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Tender shrimp and pasta with crisp vegetables in a creamy dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz small pasta shells or elbow macaroni
→ Seafood
02 - 10 oz cooked, peeled, and deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup celery, finely diced
04 - 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
09 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 - 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
11 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp lemon zest
14 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To:
01 - Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to halt cooking process.
02 - In large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, shrimp, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, dill, and parsley.
03 - In separate bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and thoroughly combined.
04 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture. Gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Serve cold, garnished with additional fresh herbs if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Make it ahead and let the flavors hang out together while you handle literally everything else on your hosting list
- The dressing strikes that perfect balance between tangy and creamy without being heavy
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the pasta with cold water because warm pasta will turn your shrimp into rubber and make the dressing separate
- Pat your shrimp dry with paper towels before adding them or you will end up with watery dressing that slides right off everything
03 -
- Cut everything into small, uniform pieces so you get all the flavors in every single bite instead of just mouthfuls of pasta
- Make this the night before and let the flavors do their thing in the refrigerator