Pasta Salad with Shrimp
This shrimp pasta salad is crisp, colorful, and mayo-free. Tender pasta, juicy shrimp, and fresh veggies get tossed in a garlicky vinaigrette for a light, flavorful dish that’s perfect to make ahead.
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry pasta cooked and chilled
- ½ medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 6 green onions white and green, thinly sliced
- ½ English cucumber diced
- 1 cup Kalamata olives sliced
- ⅓ cup red onion chopped
- 1 bunch curly leaf parsley chopped
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp poached and chilled
Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves grated or minced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add all chopped vegetables, pasta and shrimp to a large salad bowl.
- Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to a small jelly jar, shake to combine.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine.
- Serve in 6 chilled salad plates.
Notes
Pasta options: Tri-color spirals add color and fun, but any pasta shape or variety will work.
Cook al dente: Slightly firm pasta holds its shape best in a cold salad.
Make ahead: Can be prepared up to a day in advance. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If it sits for several hours, add a little extra dressing before serving to freshen it up.
Shrimp tips: Fresh shrimp work beautifully, but thawed frozen shrimp are just as good. For a quick thaw, place shrimp in a colander and run under cold water for 10–15 minutes, then pat dry before cooking.
Variations: Switch up the dressing and use a creamy dressing like Ranch or Caesar dressing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 319mg | Sodium: 1676mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
