Crab Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes
3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.

The fresh, vibrant flavors of this Crab Pasta Salad are perfect for any occasion. You will love this coastal inspired dish!

Crab Pasta Salad in a bowl.

Crab Pasta Salad is a beachy classic for my family, however, it can be enjoyed anywhere. I find it’s a nice twist on the macaroni salad that we all know and love. Every bite has such fresh flavor from the dill, creaminess from the mayo, and nice crunch from the veggies. I love packing a lunch for the beach and this dish fits right in with a sandwich and pickle.

Ingredients

  • Small or medium pasta shells – I like the look of shells to stick with a beach theme, it’s cute! Feel free to use whichever pasta floats your boat. Any small pasta would work, such as macaroni, bowties, rotini, cavatappi, ditalini, etc.
  • Imitation crab meat – Although we use imitation crab meat, you can use real crab meat in this crab pasta salad recipe. It’s up to personal choice, or whatever you have in the pantry. It tastes great either way, but note that imitation is much more affordable and readily available.
  • Celery – Finely chop your celery so you don’t have big chunks in the pasta salad.
  • Salt and pepper – Season to taste, these bring out a lot of flavor.
  • Veggies (optional) – Shredded carrots, red onions, green onions, bell peppers, or other vegetables of your choice can be added in for flavor, texture, and color.
  • Mayonnaise – Our favorite is Hellman’s/Best Foods.
  • Milk – This adds an additional creaminess.
  • Sugar- This brings a light sweetness, which you’ll find the salad needs.
  • Dill- Adding in fresh herbs brightens up the salad, and dill is my herb of choice for seafood.
Ingredients to make Crab Pasta Salad including pasta shells, imitation crab, mayonnaise, celery, salt, pepper and lemon.


How to Make Crab Pasta Salad

  1. Cook the pasta. Begin by cooking your pasta al dente according to package directions in a large pot, remembering to stir frequently as it cooks. Drain and set aside.
  2. Chop the crab meat. Next, coarsely chop your crab meat into small pieces, either by hand, or with a food processor (pictured below).
  3. Mix ingredients together. Place the chopped crab in a large bowl and mix with the chopped celery and any additional veggies. Salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Prepare the dressing. In a small, separate bowl, stir together mayonnaise, milk, and sugar. Add this into the crab mixture.
  5. Add the pasta. Finally, fold the cooked pasta into the crab mixture and garnish with dill if you wish.
  6. Serve and garnish. You can serve immediately, or refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Garnish with a sprig of dill.
Cutting board with cut up imitation crab. Knife, celery and lemons on the side.

Helpful Hints

Make it Ahead of Time: You can make this crab pasta salad the night before you need it and just keep it covered in the refrigerator. When you uncover it the next day, if you find it a little dry, add small amounts of mayonnaise or milk to the salad, a little at a time, to bring it back to life. Stir it in well until everything looks well coated.

We’re Going on a Picnic: This is the perfect pasta salad for a picnic. Bring a turkey sandwich, some dill pickle dip and some chips, some monster cookies, along with your crab pasta salad, and you’re ready to boogie!

Make it a Meal: This salad is great on its own as a lunch or smaller meal. Serve with grilled salmon, grilled chicken, or salmon burgers to make it more of a full meal.

Hand holding a spoon of Crab Pasta Salad.

Storing Crab Pasta Salad

If you used imitation crab, the salad is good for 3-5 days, as that is the refrigerated shelf life of opened imitation crab. If real crab was used, the pasta salad is good for 1-2 days. Be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge. Always use your best judgement, if something smells fishy, don’t eat it.

Bowl of Crab Pasta Salad.

Crab Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes
The fresh, vibrant flavors of this Crab Pasta Salad are perfect for any occasion. You will love this coastal inspired dish!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Seafood
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound medium or small pasta shells
  • 1 pound imitation crab meat
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrot (optional)
  • 2 1/2 cups mayonnaise (we always use Best Foods / Hellmann's)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • fresh dill (optional for garnish)

Instructions

  • Cook shells according to package directions. Rinse with cold water to cool the shells quickly. Set aside.
    Glass bowl with cooked shell pasta.
  • Chop crab meat into small pieces with a knife or coarsely chop in a food processor.
    Cutting board with cut up imitation crab. Knife, celery and lemons on the side.
  • Place crab in a large bowl and toss with chopped celery, shredded carrot (optional), salt, and pepper. In a small separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, milk, and sugar and stir into the crab mixture.
    Mixing bowl with crab salad mixture with spatula.
  • Fold in the cooked pasta shells and stir until evenly coated. Top with fresh dill for garnish (optional).
    Mixing crab mixture with pasta in a glass bowl with a spatula.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
    Hand holding a spoon of Crab Pasta Salad.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 389kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 25gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 362mgPotassium: 41mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1.117IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.1mg

Love this recipe?

We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.

Rate and Review



Share This With the World

PinYummly

About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

More about Erica Walker
5 from 3 votes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    hit it out of the park again Family Favorite! Delicious, made it exctly as written but used half low calorie mayo. My daughter and I had two helpings, haha oink, oink