• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Dinner Ebook! Get your copy!
  • About
  • Videos
  • Learn to Cook
  • Visit my other site: Fun Cookie Recipes

Little Sunny Kitchen

Delicious Recipes for Real Life

  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Sides
    • Dinner
    • Casseroles
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Pasta
    • Soups & Chilis
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Beverages
  • Holiday
    • Easter
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Valentine’s
    • Game Day
    • Ramadan
  • Method
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Slow Cooker
    • Oven
    • Casseroles
    • Stovetop
    • Grill
    • Bread Machine
  • Easy Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Air Fryer
  • Breakfast
  • Snacks
  • Copycat Recipes
  • Beef
  • Low Carb
  • Chicken
Home Recipes By Type Salads

Shrimp Pasta Salad

Shrimp Pasta Salad is ready in under a half hour, and is the perfect creamy seafood macaroni salad for a summer party or barbecue dinner.
5
/5 –
Rate Recipe 2 Comments
Jump to Recipe
  • Share
By: Diana Last updated on January 9, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

a large bowl of shrimp pasta salad on the table. White text at the top of the image says Shrimp Pasta Salad in capital letters

Shrimp Pasta Salad is a quick and easy macaroni salad recipe that is the perfect addition to your next cookout!

a large white bowl filled with shrimp macaroni salad with diced bell peppers


You have to try making pasta salad with shrimp! This recipe is similar to the familiar tuna pasta salad, but with tiny shrimp and sweet bell peppers added in to make it delightfully different.

Shrimp Macaroni Salad is a summer staple around here, and I probably make at least one type of pasta salad every week in the warmer months to serve with grilled dinners or take to friends’ houses.

I think you’ll be glad to have this tasty summer salad recipe in your recipe box too! Be sure to check out my other easy pasta salads, like Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, Tortellini Salad, and Caesar Pasta Salad.

a closeup shot of a bowl of shrimp macaroni salad being served with a metal spoon

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  1. Easy Recipe– Just cook the macaroni, chop up some veggies, and mix up a simple, creamy dressing. Shrimp Pasta Salad is ready in no time!
  2. Make Ahead Side – Make the salad early in the day and keep it in the fridge until dinner time. This will make cooking the main dishes way less stressful.
  3. Versatile Recipe – Pasta salads like this one are very forgiving, so feel free to add in any other ingredients, seasonings, or extras that you enjoy!

Ingredients In Shrimp Pasta Salad

Here’s what you need to make this simple and delicious macaroni salad with shrimp:

All of the ingredients needed for shrimp pasta salad, measured into separate bowls on a counter, viewed from overhead

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

  • Salad Shrimp: Small shrimp, usually called “salad shrimp” are the perfect size for this pasta salad. They are bite-sized and just a bit larger than elbow macaroni noodles. I like to buy the pre-cooked frozen variety, but canned salad shrimp can also be used.
  • Elbow Macaroni: What’s a macaroni salad without some elbow noodles, right? You can use any type of short pasta to make this salad, but I think elbows are classic.
  • Veggies: Diced red onion, celery, and bell pepper add crunch, color, and flavor to the salad. I used some red and some yellow bell pepper, and you can use any color that you like.
  • Mayo and Sour Cream: The base of this shrimp pasta salad dressing is mayonnaise, mixed half and half with sour cream. You can use plain greek yogurt in place of the sour cream if you like, just be sure that both creamy mixers are full-fat. The low-fat varieties of mayo and sour cream won’t give you the same flavor and creaminess.
  • Dijon Mustard: A single tablespoon of Dijon goes a long way to making this dressing perfect.
  • Lemon Juice: This thins the creamy dressing out just enough, and brightens up all of the flavors.
  • Dill: Fresh dill is so good with all types of fish and seafood. I use it in many of my pasta salads. Fresh dill should be easy to find at the grocery store. Dried dill can be used, but you’ll want to reduce the amount to 2 teaspoons rather than 2 tablespoons.
  • Salt and Pepper: To be sure that our Shrimp Pasta Salad is ready to eat.

How To Make Shrimp Pasta Salad

a collage of four images showing ho to make shrimp macaroni salad
  1. Cook the Pasta: Follow the instructions on the package to cook the elbow macaroni. Be sure not to overcook the pasta. When finished, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Make the dressing: While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or mixing cup, and set aside.
  3. Mix everything together: Fill a large bowl with cooked pasta, shrimp, diced celery, onion, and bell peppers. Pour the dressing over and stir to combine.
creamy dill dressing being poured over the rest of the shrimp salad ingredients
  1. Serve: This salad is ready to eat as soon as you stir it, but I like it better after it’s had a chance to sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Tip!

Be careful not to overcook the macaroni when making this salad. You should cook the pasta to exactly the doneness that you like. Use a timer to ensure that you don’t forget about it.

Recipe Tips

  • Thaw Shrimp First – If you add the salad shrimp still frozen, they’re likely to be frozen when you’re ready to eat. Rinse them under cool water until they are thawed.
a small glass bowl of shrimp pasta salad with dill and bell peppers

Storing Tips

Shrimp Pasta Salad will last in the fridge for about 3 days. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Pasta Salad is not a dish that I would recommend freezing. It won’t be the same after that – likely mushy with a separated dressing that is oily.

More Summer Salad Recipes

Seven Layer Salad

Tortellini Salad

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Panzanella Salad

All Salads →

FAQs

What are Salad Shrimp?

These little shrimp are meant for recipes like this one! They are listed as 150-200 count per pound. Compared to Jumbo shrimp, which are usually about 23 per pound, salad shrimp are much smaller than the shrimp you’d use for grilling or frying.

Can I make macaroni salad with large shrimp?

If you have larger shrimp already on hand, you can use these to make shrimp pasta salad instead of going out to get a bag of the small ones. Cook the shrimp if they’re raw, and cut them into bite-sized pieces to add to the salad.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, this is an easy recipe that you can double, triple, or scale as large as you like to feed any sized crowd!

Is crab pasta salad the same recipe as shrimp pasta salad?

You can add in any cooked seafood that you want to this creamy macaroni salad with dill and lemon. Chopped imitation crab, or fresh lump crab or lobster would be a fancy and tasty inclusion!

Shrimp Pasta Salad is the perfect summer get-together side dish! Save this recipe for the next time you need to whip up a side dish quickly.Pin it for more people to enjoy too!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe
a large white bowl filled with shrimp macaroni salad with diced bell peppers
5 from 4 votes
(Click stars to rate!)

Shrimp Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 20 minutes mins
Author: Diana
Print Rate Recipe
Shrimp Pasta Salad is ready in under a half hour, and is the perfect creamy seafood macaroni salad for a summer party or barbecue dinner.
6 servings (can serve up to 8 as a side)
Shrimp Pasta Salad is ready in under a half hour, and is the perfect creamy seafood macaroni salad for a summer party or barbecue dinner.

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk

Ingredients 

  • 3 cups/12 oz. (340 g) elbow macaroni pasta or any small shape pasta
  • 1 pound (450 g) frozen pre-cooked salad shrimp thawed and drained, see note 1
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • ½ small red onion finely diced

For the Dressing:

  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise full-fat
  • ⅓ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Cook macaroni in salted water according to the package instructions. Most small pastas will be ready in 10-12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
  • As the pasta is being cooked, make the dressing: In a bowl, combine mayo with sour cream, dijon mustard, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with small salad shirmp, celery, bell pepper, and red onion Dress the salad and give everything a stir until well combined. Garnish with additional fresh dill if desired.
  • Cover and chill until you’re ready to serve.

Notes:

  1. Use 150-200 count per pound shrimp for this recipe. You can also use canned salad shrimp that you’ve drained and rinsed. If you want to use larger shrimp, cut them into bite-sized pieces first. 
  2. I like the spicy bite of red onion in this recipe. You can use sweet onion or green onion instead if you prefer. You can also remove some of the bite of diced red onions by soaking them in ice water for 20 minutes before adding them to the salad. 
  3. Other fresh veggies like carrots can be chopped up and added to shrimp pasta salad. Chopped hard-boiled eggs, sliced green olives, and shredded cheese are also sometimes added to this recipe.
  4. Be sure to use full-fat mayo and sour cream or yogurt to make the dressing. I’d also avoid Miracle Whip or other similar salad dressings.
  5. Fresh dill is best, but if you can’t find it, you can use 2 teaspoons (not tablespoons!) of dried dill weed instead.  
  6. To Store: Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure not to allow this salad to sit out at room temperature or on a hot day for very long. It’s best to keep it refrigerated at all times. 
  7. To Make Ahead: Assemble the salad up to 2 days ahead of time, but only dress it with half of the creamy dressing. Save the other half in a separate container. Just before serving, stir in the rest of the dressing so that it will taste like you just made it!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 585kcal, Carbohydrates: 90g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 812mg, Potassium: 210mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 933IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 2mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

Did You Make This?I love to see what you made! Tag me @LittleSunnyKitchen and hashtag #LittleSunnyKitchen
Pin Recipe Tag on Insta Leave Review

You may also like...

  • Grilled shrimp skewers served on a blue platter with grilled lemons, and chopped parsley
    Garlic Grilled Shrimp
  • Poached shrimp served over ice on a white platter with lemon wedges and Cocktail sauce
    How to Poach Shrimp
  • Shrimp Boil
  • a large white bowl filled with caesar salad topped with shrimp
    Shrimp Caesar Salad
a dutch oven filled with soup. A ladle is holding a scoop of 15 bean soup over the pot.
Previous Post
Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup
a female hand with red nails, using an aeropress to make a cup of coffee.
Next Post
How to Use an Aeropress

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review! Cancel reply

Have a question or just want to say how much you loved the recipe? Leave a rating below, save for later on Pinterest, and share on Facebook. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe!




  1. Tom Burger says

    Posted on 9/27/22 at 19:46

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe the only thing I would add is maybe cut the dry dill if you use it back to 1 teaspoon or 1 1/4 teaspoon. 2 teaspoons pretty heavy dill flavor.

    Reply
    • Diana says

      Posted on 9/28/22 at 15:21

      Thank you for sharing this with me, Tom! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Diana, author of Little Sunny Kitchen.
Welcome

Meet Diana

Welcome to Little Sunny Kitchen! I'm Diana and I’m here to teach you how to make easy meals that are quick, family-friendly, and delicious!

Read More
Follow on Pinterest for more ideas!
Free ebook!

Download My Free Dinner eBook!


Get my copy!

Free eBook

Download My Free Dinner eBook!

Popular Recipes

Marry Me Chicken

Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

Rasta Pasta Recipe

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Reader Favorites

a light green plate of spaghetti and meat sauce with hidden vegetables.

Meat Sauce with Hidden Vegetables

top down view of cheesy beef enchiladas in a casserole pan.

Ground Beef Enchiladas

Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

three mahi mahi tacos on a wooden board.

Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos

Cheesy Chicken Fajita Casserole

two white bowls of lasagna soup with a dollop of ricotta cheese and other cheeses, garnished with fresh herbs.

Lasagna Soup

Instant Pot Air Fryer Crockpot Easy Dinners Salads Grilling
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

As Featured On:

Dinner tonight
Free ebook!

Get My Free Dinner eBook!

Join us and receive new recipes every week! Receive our FREE eBook with quick and easy dinner recipes that are family-friendly and delicious.

Back to Top

explore

Recipe Index

Videos

Cooking Guides

Follow Along on Social:

Join My Free Cookie Facebook Group
Back to Top

About

Contact

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

© 2025 Little Sunny Kitchen
|
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required