Description
A vibrant, creamy pasta salad tossed with flaked imitation crab, crisp veggies, sweet peas, and a zesty Old Bay–dill dressing perfect for picnics, potlucks, or refreshing lunches straight from the fridge.
Ingredients
Dressing
1¾ cups mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
2½ tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp granulated white sugar
3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 2–3 tsp dried dill)
Salad
1 lb medium shell pasta
1 lb imitation crab meat (flake-style), cut into ~1″ pieces
1 cup celery, chopped
½ cup red onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Instructions
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Cook Pasta:
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Step: Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
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Make Dressing:
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Step: In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth. Cover and chill.
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Prep Salad Mix:
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Step: In a large bowl, combine pasta, imitation crab, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, and peas.
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Dress & Toss:
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Step: Pour dressing over salad mix and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
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Chill:
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Step: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight), then stir again before serving.
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Notes
- Chill thoroughly allowing the salad to sit for 1–2 hours lets the dressing meld beautifully with the pasta and crab.
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Old Bay adds a rich seafood flavor feel free to adjust the seasoning to taste.
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Evenly chop ingredients ensures a balanced bite each time.
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Perfect for make-ahead meals, safest refrigerated up to 3–5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Boil → Mix → Chill
- Cuisine: American (seafood twist)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1½ cups (approximately 340 g)
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 790 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
Keywords: imitation crab pasta salad, Old Bay pasta salad, seafood pasta salad, creamy crab salad, shell pasta salad