Shrimp Pasta Salad
This Shrimp Pasta Salad is a quick and refreshing meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. It’s a light and creamy make-ahead salad recipe for lunch or as a side dish. You can serve it straight from the fridge, so it’s perfect for warm days.
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This salad goes great with grilled corn, garlic bread, or a simple green salad. It’s also perfect on its own for a light lunch. Or if you’re serving it as a side, try it with my Make-Your-Own Mini Sandwich Board or even some Grilled Pastrami Slaw Sliders for a full, satisfying meal everyone will love.
How to Make Shrimp Pasta Salad
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
Step by Step Guide
1. In a bowl, mix shrimp with lemon juice, olive oil, ½ tsp granulated garlic, and ⅓ tsp cumin. Let it sit for about 10 minutes while you prep everything else.
2. Sauté the shrimp over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir as it cooks, then transfer it to a plate to cool.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and cumin. Stir until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, shrimp, chopped shallot, celery, and parsley. Pour the dressing over the top and mix until everything is well coated.
5. Refrigerate the salad for about 30 minutes to let the flavors come together. Serve cold.
Serve and Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Marinating the shrimp is optional, but it adds extra flavor. If you’re short on time, you can skip it or just toss the shrimp in the dressing at the end.
- Chill before serving – this salad tastes best cold, after the flavors have had time to come together in the fridge.
- You can change the macaroni for any small pasta you have on hand—like shells, rotini, or penne.
- You can add in diced cucumbers, bell peppers, or even a handful of cherry tomatoes if you want.
- This recipe keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days—great for lunch prep or making ahead for a get-together.
Shrimp Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked macaroni
- 1 cup cooked shrimp peeled and shelled
- 1 shallot chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped celery
- 2/3 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix shrimp with lemon juice, olive oil, ½ tsp granulated garlic, and ⅓ tsp cumin. Let it sit for about 10 minutes while you prep everything else.
- Sauté the shrimp over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir as it cooks, then transfer it to a plate to cool.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and cumin. Stir until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, shrimp, chopped shallot, celery, and parsley. Pour the dressing over the top and mix until everything is well coated.
- Refrigerate the salad for about 30 minutes to let the flavors come together. Serve cold.
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