The “Potluck Perfect” Salad: The Easiest, Creamiest Shrimp Pasta Salad!

Have you ever been invited to a potluck or a barbecue and had that momentary flash of panic, wondering what on earth you should bring? You want to bring a dish that is easy to make, travels well, and that you know for a fact that everyone will absolutely love. It is the never-ending quest to find the perfect, crowd-pleasing recipe.

This is where the simple, beautiful magic of a classic creamy pasta salad comes to the rescue. Imagine tender macaroni pasta and plump, juicy shrimp, all tossed with crunchy celery in a rich, tangy, and luscious mayonnaise-based dressing. It’s a nostalgic, comforting, and completely irresistible dish that is always a hit.

Today, we are making the ultimate version of this beloved classic: The Easiest Shrimp Pasta Salad with Mayo. This simple recipe is your new secret weapon for being the undisputed hero of every single potluck. Get ready to bring the dish that everyone will be asking you for the recipe for.

The Ultimate “Crowd-Pleaser”: Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe

This Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe is the ultimate crowd-pleaser for any party or gathering. It brilliantly combines the classic, comforting elements of a macaroni salad with the delicious, savory addition of tender shrimp. The simple, from-scratch mayonnaise dressing is the perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet.

A Perfect Easy Potluck Side Dish for Simple Summer Salads

You will find that this is the perfect easy potluck side dish. It is incredibly simple to make, can be prepared ahead of time, and is always one of the first things to disappear from the buffet table. This is also one of the absolute best simple summer salads, a cool, creamy, and satisfying dish that is perfect for a barbecue or a family reunion.

Your Guide: How to Make a Simple Creamy Dressing for Pasta Salad

For anyone wondering how to make a simple creamy dressing for pasta salad, the secret is to start with a high-quality mayonnaise as your base and then to thin it out slightly while you add layers of delicious flavor. For a classic, old-fashioned dressing like the one in our recipe, you will want to whisk your mayonnaise with a little bit of acid, like an apple cider vinegar, and a touch of sweetness from either a little sugar or some sweet pickle relish. Adding some simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and a bit of onion powder creates a perfectly balanced and flavourful dressing that is ideal for coating every noodle.

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Pasta Salad

You are going to love this recipe because it is a ridiculously easy and foolproof side dish that is absolutely packed with a classic, nostalgic, and comforting flavor. You’ll also adore the incredible combination of textures, from the creamy dressing and soft pasta to the crunchy celery and the tender, juicy shrimp. Plus, it’s the perfect make-ahead dish that actually tastes even better the next day, making it completely stress-free for entertaining.

Nutritional Benefits

This beautiful and classic pasta salad is a wonderful and satisfying side dish for any gathering. The tender shrimp is a fantastic source of high-quality, lean protein. By making your own simple dressing from scratch at home, you also have complete control over the quality of your ingredients, creating a more wholesome and flavourful result than many store-bought, deli-style versions.

Full Recipe

Are you ready to create the most popular, addictive, and delicious pasta salad at your next party? This detailed guide will walk you through every simple step, from creating the tangy dressing to getting that perfect texture combination. Get ready to master a new go-to recipe that will make you a potluck legend.

Bring the best dish to the potluck with this easy shrimp pasta salad recipe with mayo. It’s a classic Creamy Pasta Salad that’s always a favorite, with tender shrimp, macaroni, and crisp celery. This is the ultimate Pasta Side Dish.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Chilling Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Yield: 8-10 servings | Category: Side Dish, Salad | Method: Boiling, Mixing | Cuisine: American | Diet: N/A

Essential Ingredients for Shrimp Pasta Salad

This crowd-pleasing pasta salad comes together with a handful of simple, classic ingredients.

• Pasta: 1 pound (450g) of elbow macaroni or small shells
• Shrimp: 1 lb (450g) of cooked, peeled, and deveined small shrimp
• Veggies:
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • ½ a red onion, finely diced
• For the Creamy Dressing:
  • 1 ½ cups of mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• Seasoning: Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients Notes

A little more detail on our key ingredients will ensure your pasta salad is a spectacular success.

• The Pasta: It is best to use a small pasta shape for this classic salad, like an elbow macaroni or some small shells. These shapes are perfect for catching and holding onto the delicious, creamy dressing. Be sure to cook the pasta until it is just al dente, as it will soften slightly as it sits in the dressing.
• The Shrimp: The ultimate shortcut for this recipe is to use pre-cooked, frozen, small salad shrimp. You will just need to thaw them completely and pat them very dry before you add them to the salad. You can also cook your own raw shrimp by simply boiling them for a few minutes until they are pink and opaque.
• The Mayonnaise: The quality of your mayonnaise will have a big impact on the final taste of your dressing. It is highly recommended to use a good quality, full-fat mayonnaise for the richest and most authentic flavor.
• The Celery and Red Onion: The finely diced celery and red onion are crucial for providing a fresh, crunchy texture that is a perfect contrast to the soft pasta and the creamy dressing. Be sure to dice them into very small, uniform pieces.

How to Make The Dish for Potlucks

Let’s walk through the incredibly simple steps to create this perfect, crowd-pleasing pasta salad.

• Step 1: Cook the Pasta. First, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package directions, until it is just al dente. Drain the pasta well and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool it down completely.
• Step 2: Create the Creamy Dressing. While the pasta is cooking, you can prepare your simple dressing. In a very large serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, the apple cider vinegar, the granulated sugar, the Dijon mustard, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
• Step 3: Combine the Salad. To the large bowl with the dressing, add the completely cooled and drained pasta, the cooked shrimp, the finely diced celery, and the finely diced red onion.
• Step 4: The Final Chill. Gently fold everything together until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the delicious, creamy dressing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.
• Step 5: Serve and Enjoy. Give the pasta salad one final stir before you serve it. You can serve it chilled, straight from the refrigerator.

Storage Options

This classic shrimp pasta salad is a fantastic make-ahead dish. You can store the finished pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will actually get even better as it sits and chills.

Variations and Substitutions

This classic recipe is a wonderful and versatile template that you can easily adapt to your tastes. For an extra boost of flavor and nutrition, you can add about a cup of thawed frozen peas or some chopped hard-boiled eggs to the salad. For a different flavor profile, feel free to add other fresh herbs like some chopped fresh dill or parsley to your dressing.

Practical & Valuable Tips

For the best pasta salad that is not sticky, be sure to rinse your cooked pasta with cold water immediately after you drain it; this removes the excess starch from the outside. The most important tip for this recipe is to allow your pasta salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least one full hour before you serve it; this is the key to allowing all the flavors to meld together for the most delicious result. Finally, if your pasta salad seems a little dry after it has been sitting, you can simply stir in an extra spoonful of mayonnaise to make it perfectly creamy again.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make this pasta salad ahead of time for a party? Yes, this is the perfect make-ahead salad! You can prepare the entire dish and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before your party. The flavors will actually get even better overnight.
2. Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe? Yes, using pre-cooked, frozen salad shrimp is the easiest and fastest option for this recipe. You will just need to make sure that the shrimp are completely thawed and patted very dry with a paper towel before you add them to the salad.
3. My pasta salad seems a little dry the next day. How can I fix this? Pasta can absorb a lot of the dressing as it sits, which can sometimes make the salad seem a little dry. An easy fix is to simply stir in an extra tablespoon or two of mayonnaise right before you serve the leftovers to bring back its perfect, creamy texture.
4. Can I use a different kind of pasta? Of course! While elbow macaroni is a fantastic choice, this salad is great with any short pasta. Some other wonderful options include rotini, bow-tie pasta (farfalle), or ditalini.
5. How can I make this recipe a little bit lighter? To make a lighter version of this salad, you can use a light mayonnaise and substitute half of the mayonnaise with an equal amount of a plain, non-fat Greek yogurt for your dressing.

Conclusion

This Easy Shrimp Pasta Salad with Mayo is the perfect solution for a fun, comforting, and incredibly easy side dish. It’s a recipe that takes beloved, classic flavors and transforms them into a creamy, savory, and crowd-pleasing pasta salad. It is a foolproof, family-favorite recipe that is guaranteed to be the star of your next barbecue or potluck. It’s a simple, no-fuss recipe. If you love this easy and delicious recipe, don’t forget to share it and save it to your favorite pasta salad board on Pinterest!