Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad

5 from 6 votes
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This Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad is a healthy summer recipe made with just 4 ingredients! It’s tossed in a creamy, savory homemade dressing to tie it all together.

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close up top shot of Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad studded with sliced cucumbers and plump shrimp

An Easy Shrimp Pasta Salad Recipe

This is one of the easiest shrimp dishes you’ll ever make! You can bake, grill, or sauté your shrimp – whichever you prefer. Add the shrimp to a bowl with pasta and veggies, whip up your creamy dressing, and your salad is complete!

This pasta salad makes the perfect summer appetizer or light lunch. It’s simple, healthy-ish, and full of flavor from the juicy shrimp plus the savory seasonings in the dressing.

top view of a Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad in a white salad bowl

Recipe Ingredients

For the Salad

  • Small Pasta Shells: You don’t have to make your salad with shells, but I do recommend using small pasta.
  • Cooked Shrimp: Be sure to remove the tails before adding your shrimp to the salad.
  • English Cucumber
  • Celery

For the Dressing

  • Yogurt
  • Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise will make your dressing nice and creamy. You can use more than the recipe calls for if you want it to be even creamier.
  • Mustard
  • Salt
  • Onion Powder
  • Black Pepper
  • Fresh Dill: Garnish your salad with fresh dill, if desired.
silver spoon stirring and preparing a creamy dressing in a white bowl

How to Make Shrimp Pasta Salad

  1. Prepare Pasta: Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse the cooked pasta until it’s cold. Transfer cold pasta to a large salad bowl.
  2. Add Shrimp & Veggies: Add prepared shrimp, cucumbers, and celery to the bowl; set aside.
  3. Make Dressing: In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, onion powder, and pepper, whisking until incorporated.
  4. Add Dressing to Salad: Add your dressing to the pasta salad, mixing until well combined. Taste and adjust accordingly.
  5. Chill: Cover and refrigerate the salad until you’re ready to serve it. Garnish salad with fresh dill before serving, if desired.
small pasta shells set over diced cucumbers and celery in a white bowl

Tips for the Best Shrimp Pasta Salad

  • Use English Cucumbers: I recommend using English cucumbers for this recipe so you don’t have to peel or seed the cucumbers.
  • Chill Salad: This salad tastes amazing served right away, but the flavors will really intensify if you refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • Use Small Pasta: You can technically use any kind of pasta for this salad, but I prefer making mine with small shells that are easy to grab with a fork.
  • Use Low Fat Mayonnaise: If you want to make your salad even healthier, use low fat mayonnaise or substitute some of the mayo with plain yogurt.

Serving Suggestions

  • Roasted Veggies: If you want to pair this salad with a healthy dish, throw together my Roasted Sugar Snap Peas. They’re easy to make, and they have a nice touch of sweetness!
  • Mushrooms: These Garlic Butter Mushrooms will go so well with your pasta salad.
  • Burgers: Any barbeque food would be a great match for this shrimp salad. Try pairing it with a black bean burger or a classic beef patty!
close up shot of Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad studded with sliced cucumbers and plump shrimp

How to Store Leftovers

  • This shrimp salad is best served on the same day it was made, but you can definitely store your leftovers for later!
  • If you keep your salad in an airtight container in the fridge, it’ll last for 3-4 days.
5 from 6 votes

Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad

This Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad is a healthy summer salad recipe made with just 4 ingredients! It's tossed in a creamy, savory homemade dressing to tie it all together.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Refrigerate: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients 

For the Salad

  • 3 to 4 cups small pasta shells,, uncooked
  • 1 pound shrimp,, cooked, tails removed
  • 1 English cucumber,, diced
  • 3 to 4 celery stalks,, thinly sliced

For the Dressing

  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise,, add more for a creamier consistency
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • fresh dill,, optional, for garnish
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Instructions 

  • Prepare pasta according to directions on the package; drain and rinse until cold.
  • Transfer pasta to a large salad bowl. To the pasta, add prepared shrimp, cucumbers and celery; set aside
  • In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, onion powder and pepper; whisk until incorporated.
  • Add dressing to the pasta; mix until well combined. Taste and adjust accordingly.
  • Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Garnish with dill and serve!

Equipment

  • Stove

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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18 Comments

  1. Beth says:

    5 stars
    Yum! My daughter and I love shrimp! We can’t wait to try this recipe!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      I hope you and your daughter enjoy these! Thank YOU! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Catalina says:

    5 stars
    Shrimp and pasta in the same dish sounds so good! Love it!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Thank you, Catalina! I hope you enjoy it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Toni says:

    5 stars
    A new favorite meal at my house! Everyone loved it!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Thank you so much, Toni! I am very glad you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Sara Welch says:

    5 stars
    Gave this a try for dinner and it was both perfectly crisp and flavorful. Made the perfect meal for a light dinner!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Cathy says:

    I could make a meal out of this delicious pasta salad!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Suzy says:

    5 stars
    The shrimp is so good in this pasta! Love the flavor of the dressing too!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Thank YOU! I am very glad you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Sandra says:

    5 stars
    Such a great salad!! Everyone at my house loved it!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Ruth Ann Ponsonby says:

    Which mayo did you use, I think it makes a differerence

    1. Katerina says:

      Yes, it does make a difference. I used Hellmann’s, but you can use your favorite mayo.

  9. Joan says:

    I was just wondering what size shrimp are best and also Greek yogurt or regular?

    1. Katerina says:

      Hi!
      I used regular, plain yogurt. The shrimp size should be small to medium.