Crab Pasta Salad
A cool, creamy, and refreshing pasta salad featuring crab, crunchy veggies, and a tangy dressing, perfect for picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients
Pasta and Crab
- 12 oz short pasta like rotini, shells, or bow ties Cooked until just tender.
- 8 to 12 oz imitation crab or real crab meat, chopped Imitation crab is budget friendly.
Vegetables
- 1 cup diced celery Adds a nice crunch.
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper Can use a mix of peppers for color.
- 2 to 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion Optional but adds flavor.
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayo Use a mayo you like.
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice Fresh is best.
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning Use more to taste.
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped dill or parsley For freshness.
Instructions
Preparation
- Cook pasta in well-salted water until just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
- In a large bowl, mix together mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon, Old Bay, and a pinch of pepper to create the dressing.
- Add the drained pasta, crab, celery, bell pepper, and red onion to the bowl. Toss gently to combine.
- If the salad looks dry, add a spoonful of mayo or a splash of milk.
- Stir in the chopped dill or parsley. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours.
Notes
Chill the salad before serving for better flavor. Save some dressing to stir in before serving if making ahead. Avoid overdoing the onion.