Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad (Printer-friendly)
Tender shrimp and pasta tossed with crisp vegetables in a creamy tangy dressing, ideal for warm weather dining.
# What you'll need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz small pasta shells or elbow macaroni
→ Seafood
02 - 10 oz cooked, peeled, and deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup celery, finely diced
04 - 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
09 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 - 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
11 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp lemon zest
14 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# Method:
01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, shrimp, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, dill, and parsley.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss gently to coat evenly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The creamy dressing clings perfectly to every shell and shrimp thanks to that clever sour cream trick
- Makes enough for a crowd but somehow tastes even better the next day
02 -
- Overcooking the pasta is the death of this salad, since those soft shells will turn mushy after chilling
- The vegetables need to be finely diced so you get multiple ingredients in every forkful
03 -
- Rinse the pasta until it's completely cold or it'll keep cooking and make the dressing separate
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels if they seem watery, which prevents watery dressing later