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Seafood pasta salad It is always such a hit at any cookout or summer cookout. It’s a perfect combination of creamy, crunchy, oniony and even sweet from the imitation crab. Serve with smoked pork shank or grilled chicken kebabs.
Why you will love this salad
Everyone will love this pasta salad, they just will! Even the “I don’t like fish that tastes like fish” people will love it. Imitation crab is such a delicate and sweet tasting meat on its own, but in this salad, once you’ve added the crunchy vegetables, herbs, spices and mayo, you won’t be overwhelmed by the flavor of the fish at all. It’s simple, light and fresh and easy to throw together. If you are lucky enough to live in a place where you have access to fresh crabmeat, either store bought from the fish counter of your grocery store…or sea crab and catch it yourself, this is a great recipe to use. However, imitation crab is delicious, and what I used in this recipe today. In all honesty…I actually prefer the imitation of the crab in this kind of cold salad.
How to make a seafood salad
For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card below. Here’s a step-by-step guide to what you can expect when making this pasta salad:
Cook pasta
bring A large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt generouslySo add Dry pasta noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente (about 8 minutes). Drain the pasta, run cold water over it and set aside.
Professional tip: For cold pasta salads, it is better to cook the pasta little by little so that it will last well in the refrigerator.
Chop crab meat, vegetables and herbs
to chop Imitation crab meat (or separate the parts if you bought the flake type), and chop them all vegetables and Herbs.
Combine all ingredients
Add all the ingredients (Cooked pasta, imitation crab meat, mayonnaise, vegetables, herbs and spices) to a large bowl and mix to combine.
Chill for at least an hour + serve
cool At least one hour or until served. Serve chilled With fresh herbs of choice for decoration.
Professional tip: For this type of pasta salad, the flavors really need to marry so the longer it sits, the better it gets!
Make this seafood pasta salad your own
The beauty of a pasta salad like this is that you can adapt it to whatever ingredients you have on hand or what your family enjoys (or doesn’t enjoy!). Here are some variations you can try:
- Choice of pasta: Use any form of short pasta you want! I prefer the medium shells because the mayo and herbs get into the corners and make for a creamier bite, but feel free to use whatever you prefer or have on hand. Some ideas are: papillon, macaroni, gili, radiator, penna, rotini, etc. You can even replace regular pasta with your favorite gluten-free or low-carb pasta if you’re following dietary restrictions.
- vegetables: The vegetables I chose for this salad are what I think go well in a mayo-based pasta salad, but if you have a picky eater who doesn’t like onions, for example… leave them out! You can also add other vegetables such as cucumber, carrot, radishes, and a variety of herbs of your choice.
- cancer: As mentioned earlier, although I really prefer imitation crab in this pasta salad, feel free to swap it out for real crab.
What to serve with seafood pasta salad
This is the perfect salad to bring to all of your summer celebrations…Memorial Day, Father’s Day, the 4th of July or Labor Day! This is a great side for grilling meats – chicken, burgers, steak, hot dogs, bratwurst… all the stuff! This recipe makes such a large batch that I always have leftovers and will just have a cup for lunch for the next few days. So delicious and physically easy!
Leftover storage + forward instructions
Seafood salad stores really well in the fridge…up to 5-6 days in fact. Because it keeps so well in the fridge, it’s easy to make the day before you want to serve it. I would actually suggest you make it a day or two ahead because it just tastes better the longer it sits.
freeze: To store this salad for a longer period, you can freeze it! Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months! Leave to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More summer salads to try!
I hope you like this Seafood Pasta Salad! This is such a good dish for summer and honestly good any time of the year too! I’d love to hear what you think by leaving a comment and star review! Have a wonderful day friends!
Seafood pasta salad
Seafood pasta salad (imitation crab) is always such a hit at any cookout or summer cookout. It’s a perfect combination of creamy, crunchy, oniony and even sweet from the imitation crab.
