Best Seafood Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe

A simple, yet delicious, Pasta Seafood Salad with big chunks of Crab Meat and Large Shrimp! Add in hard-boiled eggs, chopped celery, green onion, with a delicious creamy dressing. It’s a fantastic side or a great main course on a hot summer day!

Anyone else love a great summer Pasta Salad loaded with all the seafood your fish loving heart can handle?

For years, I’ve been trying to come up with the Ultimate Seafood Pasta Salad Recipe. One that is loaded with flavor and icy cold! Perfect on a hot summer day!

A few weeks ago on Father’s Day I made the “men folk” at this Nest their favorite summer dish…Crab and Shrimp Boil! It’s SO good! A must-try recipe if you haven’t yet!

I also made a grilled Tri-tip for the “non-fish” loving son, so he’d have something to nibble on while we all gorged ourselves on baby red potatoes, corn, sausage, crab legs, and big jumbo shrimp. There is nothing better than sitting around a big table, laden down with all that seafaring goodness… dunking in carafes of melted lemon butter. Throw in big thick slices of crispy sour dough bread…sigh…we ate till we nearly exploded! (It was like that scene in Willy Wonka…only an entire family sitting around, blowing up like big ol’ balloons!)

When dinner was over, besides all the waddling going on…there was a LOT of left over seafood! So the next day I sat down and removed all the leftover crab from the remaining crab legs, and chopped up the giant shrimp and got to work making this Amazing seafood salad!

This is the perfect Seafood Macaroni salad for your summer holiday celebrations, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and of course…the 4th of July!

How to Make Cold Seafood Pasta Salad

Start off by cooking 1 pound of pasta according to the directions on the package. Rinse and cool.

In a large bowl place the cooled pasta, add 1 cup finely chopped celery, 3 green onions, chopped finely, 1 cup flaked crab meat. (Honestly…that crab meat gets me every. Single. Time. YUM!)

You can use any size shrimp you want, since I was using the leftover shrimp from the seafood boil, they were very large, ginormous! I didn’t want any choking on a shrimp…so I cut them into bite size pieces! Whatever size you use, make sure the shrimp is bite size for this salad. It’s always a good rule of thumb when it comes to cold serve pot luck friendly salads!

Add salt and pepper to taste.

TIP: I recommend going light on the salt in the beginning. You can always add more, but ya can’t take it out! (Have you ever tried to pick grains of salt out of a pasta salad? It can be really time-consuming! Lol)

Dressing ingredients for Pasta Salad

Now this may seem strange…but I add the dressing ingredients at this point and then add the chopped hard-boiled eggs. It makes mixing everything together easier! That’s just me though…you can toss it all in the bowl and then just busy combining things. It’s all about personal preference.

Add in 1 cup Mayonnaise…raise your right hand, place it over your heart, and repeat after me… “I will add Mayonnaise and stay far, far, far, away from the evil Miracle Whip”! (That step is crucial to the success of this dish!)

Add one cup of sour cream. I know, this seems so strange…but the combination of the two is AMAZING! You just have to trust me. Add 1 tablespoon sweet relish, and 2 teaspoons sugar.

Mix, carefully, so you do not break up the crab meat too much, but be sure everything is well combined. (It’s like walking and chewing gum! I sound like I’m contradicting myself…but if I can do this… You can do this!)

Finishing Touches for Pasta Salad

Now that you have everything but the eggs mixed together…add in the 8 diced hard-boiled eggs. Mix until well combined.

TIP: If you want perfect hard-boiled eggs, try cooking them in your instant pot. I have the perfect step-by-step instructions for making hard boiled eggs in your instant pot. They turn out beautiful every single time! Cook a few extra and make deviled eggs. Your family will love you!

That’s a lot of YUM in that bowl! Don’t ya just love a cold creamy pasta salad? I know I do! Cover the bowl, and place the Seafood Salad in the refrigerator. Chill for 4 hours or overnight. (The salad! Not you! You have things to do! Like the dishes!)

This pasta salad is not over powering with “fishy” flavors. It’s the perfect blend of seafood, creamy eggs, and crunchy veggies! It’s a great mayonnaise based seafood salad and keeps well in your refrigerator for days. I store it up to 6 days and eat off it all week! Best Lunch EVER!

I love that this salad can be made ahead of time and is ready to go on Party day! It’s perfect for potlucks, backyard BBQ’s, and Summer Holiday get togethers!

Your family, friends, and guests will really enjoy this yummy summer side dish…but honestly it’s good anytime! All ya really need is a fork and a love of seafood!

Here are some other great Summer Salad Recipes

Broccoli, Pomegranate, and Cranberry Salad
Raspberry Layered Jello Salad
Grandma’s Pea Salad with Peanuts
Classic Red Potato Salad Recipe
BLT salad with fresh basil dressing
Muffuletta Olive Pasta Salad
Blackberry Feta Spring Salad

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting with me today! I hope y’all have a wonderful 4th of July and make a big ol’ heaping bowl of this delicious Seafood Salad!

Happy Nesting!

Ingredients

1 pound box macaroni pasta
1 cup flaked crab meat
1 cup, cut up, large cooked shrimp
1 cup finely chopped celery
3-4 green onions, finely chopped
8 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon sweet relish
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse and cool.
Boil the eggs, peel, and dice.
In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, crab, shrimp, celery, onions, slat and pepper, and diced eggs.
Add in sour cream, mayonnaise, relish, and sugar. Mix until well combined. Cover and chill 4 hours or over night.