Seafood Pasta Salad Crab and Shrimp
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry rotini pasta
- 1 tsp salt (for pasta water)
- ½ lb cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz lump crab meat, drained
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, diced small
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup frozen peas, thawed (optional)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh dill or parsley for garnish (optional)
- Lemon zest for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini according to package directions until just done, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook.
- Drain the pasta and rinse immediately under cold running water. Shake off excess water and spread on a baking sheet or leave in the colander to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, and garlic powder. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be tangy and flavorful.
- If shrimp are large, chop into 2 to 3 pieces. Add shrimp and crab meat to the dressing bowl and toss gently.
- Add celery, red bell pepper, green onions, and peas. Fold together carefully to keep crab meat in pieces.
- Add the fully cooled pasta and fold everything together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh dill, parsley, or a little lemon zest if desired.
Notes
Always rinse and fully cool your pasta before mixing — warm pasta absorbs the mayo dressing too fast and turns the texture gluey. Also pat your shrimp dry so the dressing stays creamy and doesn't water down at the bottom of the bowl.