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Yields:
10 - 12 serving(s)
Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
If you've never added shrimp to your pasta salads, you've been missing out on pure deliciousness. This dish has all the creamy dressing, crunchy vegetables, and perfectly cooked pasta you'd expect, but it's taken to the next level with tender, buttery Old Bay-roasted shrimp. Inspired by the perfect seaside sandwich, the lobster roll (try this lobster rolls recipe), this summer side has a mayonnaise dressing that is brightened up with sour cream, lemon juice, hot sauce, and a whole bunch of chopped chives. Pack some in a cooler for your next beach trip or make a big batch for a cookout! It's one of those summer salad recipes you'll want to make on repeat.
What's the best way to cook shrimp for a pasta salad?
There are a few ways to handle the shrimp in this pasta salad. The recipe calls for roasting peeled and deveined raw shrimp with melted butter and Old Bay seasoning. After allowing the shrimp to cool slightly while the pasta cooks, everything is tossed together and either served immediately or chilled to enjoy later. You can also use defrosted cooked shrimp—just be sure to toss it in melted butter and Old Bay before adding it to the salad.
What's the best pasta to use for shrimp pasta salad?
This recipe calls for macaroni, but you can use any small pasta shape you like. Small shells, orecchiette, bow ties, or rotini would work great!
How do you keep your pasta salad from being dry?
Forget everything you've heard about al dente pasta: The secret to a moist pasta salad is slightly overcooking the pasta by a minute or so. In hot pasta dishes, al dente pasta finishes cooking in the sauce for a perfectly tender bite. But in pasta salad, the noodles are shocked with a blast of cool water that immediately halts the cooking process. If the pasta is underdone, it will immediately start soaking up all the dressing from the salad and leave you with a chewy clump of pasta. If your pasta salad seems a bit dry, splash in some milk to moisten it up.
How long does shrimp pasta salad last in the fridge?
It will stay fresh-tasting for up to one day after it's made. Be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 2 Tbsp. salted butter, melted
- 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1 (1-lb.) box elbow pasta
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest plus 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
Directions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with the butter, and toss with the Old Bay seasoning. Spread the shrimp in a single layer and roast until pink, curled, and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Allow the shrimp to cool completely.
- Step 3Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute longer than the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool.
- Step 4In a very large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, hot sauce (if you like), black pepper, and salt. Fold in the shrimp, pasta, celery, and bell pepper.
- Step 5Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Tip: If you're feeling fancy, substitute cooked lobster cut into 1-inch pieces in place of the shrimp.
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