Description
This Easy Shrimp Pasta Salad is a creamy, flavorful dish bursting with crunchy veggies, savory feta cheese, and juicy shrimp. Perfect as a refreshing side dish for BBQs or a light main course, it combines tender pasta, asparagus, corn, cherry tomatoes, and red onions dressed in a tangy, cheesy mayo dressing.
Ingredients
Pasta and Seafood
- 1 pound pasta (your favorite variety)
- 1-2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21-25 count), peeled, deveined, and tails discarded
- 2 cups asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about ¾ pound)
Vegetables
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (or any color peppers, chopped)
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 cup red onion, chopped or diced
Dressing
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook Pasta and Shrimp: In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 7 minutes. Add shrimp and asparagus before draining and cook together for another 2 minutes until shrimp turns pink and curls into a perfect C shape.
- Reserve Pasta Water: Scoop out about ⅓ cup of the hot pasta cooking water and set aside for the dressing.
- Drain and Cool: Drain the pasta, shrimp, and asparagus mixture in a colander and run cold water over it to cool everything down. Place the colander over a bowl filled with cold water and let it soak until the mixture is cold. Drain again thoroughly.
- Dry the Mixture: Transfer the cold pasta mixture to a bowl lined with paper towels, then pat the top dry with more paper towels to remove excess water. Alternatively, use a clean dish towel to achieve the same result.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a medium bowl, use a handheld mixer to blend together feta or goat cheese, mayonnaise, roasted peppers, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add reserved pasta water little by little (up to ¼ cup) to thin the dressing to your desired consistency.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Pour the dried pasta mixture into a large bowl. Gently fold in corn, cherry tomatoes, and red onion to evenly combine.
- Add Dressing and Chill: Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir until everything is coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy your flavorful shrimp pasta salad!
Notes
- Cooking shrimp just until it curls into a “C” shape ensures it’s perfectly cooked—straight indicates undercooked, while an “O” shape means overcooked.
- Patting dry the pasta mixture is essential to prevent a watery salad and to help the dressing cling better.
- Feel free to substitute cauliflower or gluten-free pasta to accommodate dietary needs.
- This salad is best served chilled and makes a fantastic make-ahead dish for picnics and parties.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
