Crab & Pasta Salad

Crab & Pasta Salad is a light and filling pasta salad full of imitation crab, pasta shells and crunchy veggies in a creamy dill-icious dressing! This pasta salad is great for family gatherings or even make-ahead lunches for the week!

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Why You’ll Love This Crab Pasta Salad Recipe

Don’t miss these tips to be sure your crab pasta salad is perfect for any backyard bbq or potluck!

• Don’t skimp on the crab – get the big package so there’s some in every bite! It’s affordable and healthy!
• SPG – I’ve recently become OBSESSED with SPG! It’s just coarse sea salt, coarse ground black pepper and garlic. I use these seasonings in everything so finding them all together in one container is so great! Grab and go!

Crab Pasta Salad Ingredients

• Pasta Shells – Pasta shells, bow tie or rotini are great for pasta salad – the shells capture little bits of the dressing which is why I love using them and are bite-sized.
• Imitation Crab – ok – so it’s not actually crab – it’s a cooked white fish that is then pieced together to look like crab legs. It’s slightly sweet so it gives the hint of crab leg flavor. It’s healthy and really affordable!
  • You can use real crab – but it’s going to be a LOT more expensive!!! Like $4 vs $25!
  • Cooked shrimp would be another seafood you could add to this salad!
• Vegetables – celery, red onion, bell pepper all add crunch!
  • You could also add frozen peas or green onions.
• Cheese – colby jack cheese is my favorite because it’s mild – but you can also use cheddar or mozzarella or even pepper jack cheese
• Dressing – mayonnaise, lemon juice, fresh dill (go with fresh if at all possible!), Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic salt
  • You can add sour cream or nonfat Greek yogurt instead of mayo or mix the two..

How to make Creamy Dill Pasta & Crab Salad

This is such a simple recipe with that perfect summer seafood flavor – I made the pasta yesterday and refrigerated over night – then mixed it all together today! Now I have lunches all week! Here’s how to make it:

1. COOK PASTA – Cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until cooled.
2. WHISK – In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, salt pepper garlic and dill. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
3. ADD cooked pasta, crab, celery, bell pepper, red onion and cheese.
4. STIR WELL to coat all ingredients with dressing. Taste the salad, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
5. COVER the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid. Put the crab pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Chill the salad to allow the flavors to blend together.

How to Store

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
• I love the Caraway Mixing bowls because they come with sealed glass lids. (You get 10% off with my link!)
• Do not freeze this pasta salad, the dressing isn’t going to freeze well.

More Imitation Crab Recipes

• Cold Imitation Crab Dip
• Chinese Buffet Crab Casserole
• Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls

More Main Dish Pasta Salad Recipes

• Cheddar’s Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
• Jimmy Buffet Pasta Salad
• Greek Tuna Pasta Salad
• Sausage Pasta Salad

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Crab Pasta Salad

Crab & Pasta Salad is a light and filling pasta salad full of imitation crab, pasta shells and crunchy veggies in a creamy dill-icious dressing! This pasta salad is great for family gatherings or even make-ahead lunches for the week!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 1.5 cup servings

Calories 718 kcal

Equipment

• Caraway Mixing Bowls
• Strainer
• Nakano knife
• Silicone spatula

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 16 oz medium pasta shells
• 2 cup Dukes mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp Salt Pepper Garlic or 1/4 tsp of each
• 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 16 ounces flaked-style imitation crab meat
• 1 cup celery finely chopped (3 stalks)
• 1 cup bell pepper 1 bell pepper, finely diced
• ½ cup red onion finely chopped (1/2 onion)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese finely diced

Instructions

 

• Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until cooled.
  16 oz medium pasta shells
• In a large mixing bowl (you’ll eventually be adding all the ingredients to this bowl), whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, salt pepper garlic and dill. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
  2 cup Dukes mayonnaise, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning, 1 tsp Salt Pepper Garlic, 2 tbsp fresh dill
• To the same bowl, add the cooled pasta, crab, celery, bell pepper, red onion and cheese.
  16 ounces flaked-style imitation crab meat, 1 cup celery, 1 cup bell pepper, ½ cup red onion, 1 cup cheddar cheese
• Stir well to coat all ingredients with dressing. Taste the salad, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid; refrigerate the crab pasta salad for at least an hour before serving. Chilling the salad allows the flavors to blend together.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 718kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 15gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 26gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 782mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 839IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 1mg

Keyword crab, pasta, salad

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