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    Home » Recipes » Salad Recipes » Pasta Salads

    Shrimp Macaroni Salad

    By: Jessica · Posted: Dec 5, 2021 · Updated: Jun 30, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Shrimp macaroni salad recipe

    Shrimp Macaroni Salad: A shrimp pasta salad, using simple, everyday ingredients like mayo, and a few spices, that can be made in only 20 minutes!

    We absolutely LOVE pasta salads around here and when it’s as easy as this one, it’s definitely one of our favorite side dishes to go with just about any dinner recipe!

    Shrimp Pasta Salad With Mayo
    Creamy Shrimp Macaroni Salad

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    It doesn’t matter if you’re accustomed to midwest living, southern living, or living somewhere else- I’m pretty sure that barbecued meat and cold side salads are a universally beloved thing. This shrimp pasta salad with mayo would be the perfect side dish to whip up for your next cookout! (As well as this tuna pasta salad!)

    Let me ask you this – do you like tender pasta? Do you like fresh shrimp (or frozen shrimp that’s been thawed and cooked)? Would a good creamy mac salad make the list of your favorite salads?

    If you answered yes to ALL of those questions, then this macaroni and shrimp salad with mayo dressing will probably be one of your new favorite recipes!

    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe
    • Ingredients for shrimp pasta salad
    • Instructions to make macaroni and shrimp salad
    • Substitutions & variations
    • Storage
    • Expert tips and FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Shrimp Macaroni Salad

    Ingredients for shrimp pasta salad

    You really only need a few simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store to make this shrimp salad! So scan over the ingredient checklist below, check your cupboards, or head to the grocery store and get started!

    • 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
    • 1 cup cooked salad shrimp (small shrimp you can find in most grocery stores- if you buy it frozen, you’ll need to thaw it before using it in this recipe)
    • 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
    • 1/4 cup celery, chopped
    • fresh parsley (optional)

    Dressing ingredients

    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
    • 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    Assemble all of your ingredients.
    Ingredients for shrimp macaroni salad

    Instructions to make macaroni and shrimp salad

    1. Put some cold water in a small pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and cook pasta until al dente (or simply cook macaroni according to package directions). Drain and set aside to cool.
    2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, seasoned salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
    Combine mayo, vinegar, seasoned salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic.
    Put in small bowl.
    Mix together your dressing.
    Mix well.
    1. In a large bowl, combine macaroni, mayo mixture, green onions, celery, parsley and cooked salad shrimp.
    Assemble ingredients.
    Assemble salad ingredients.
    Add may mixture to your cooked macaroni.
    Add mayo mixture.
    Combine your macaroni, celery, green onions and parsley.
    Add veggies & parsley.
    Add shrimp to large bowl.
    Add shrimp.
    1. Gently stir until evenly combined and it’s ready to serve!
    Creamy shrimp macaroni salad.
    Stir together.
    1. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers!
    shrimp macaroni salad in bowl
    Finished Shrimp Pasta Salad

    Substitutions & variations

    Do you know why, in my opinion, salads are one of the best foods to make? They are very forgiving! If you are missing an ingredient or want to adjust the flavor profile a bit, you can substitute it with something else and the end result will still be delicious!

    For this macaroni and shrimp salad…

    Instead of elbow macaroni, you could use shell pasta (or really any other kind of small pasta).

    Don’t have any celery? Try adding 1/2 teaspoon celery seed to the dressing mixture in its place. You could also use 1/4 cup chopped bell peppers (we’d recommend green pepper) instead of celery.

    No mayonnaise? You can use miracle whip or sour cream (although each of these will adjust the flavor profile so it’s a good idea to sample the dressing and adjust it to your taste before mixing it with your macaroni and shrimp).

    Out of seasoned salt? You could replace it with old bay spice!

    Can’t find salad shrimp? You could use larger shrimp and simply cut them into smaller pieces.

    Looking for lots of flavor? Replace the white vinegar with white wine vinegar for an extra kick!

    There’s no “perfect way” to make a pasta salad- the options are endless, really! You could get creative and add hot pepper sauce, sweet pickle relish, red onion, creole seasonings… See what I mean? SO. MANY. OPTIONS.

    Shrimp macaroni salad in bowl with fresh parsley on top
    Shrimp Macaroni Salad with Fresh Parsley

    Storage

    Store your shrimp pasta salad with mayo in an airtight container in the fridge and it should stay good for 3-5 days (honestly, sometimes I find I like pasta salad even better the next day).

    Read the expert tips and FAQs below to find out the best way to freeze this creamy shrimp macaroni salad…

    Expert tips and FAQs

    Can you freeze macaroni salad with shrimp?

    Technically, yes, you can freeze macaroni salad (with or without shrimp). Be warned though – it never tastes quite as good after you’ve frozen it. If you need to make your macaroni salad ahead of time, we would recommend freezing the ingredients all separately (after you have cooked the noodles and chopped the veggies) and combining them when you are ready to serve them.

    While you could freeze the dressing, the mayo will likely separate in the freezer. If you do combine the dressing ingredients and freeze them (separate from the rest of the ingredients), you will need to give it a really good stir to recombine it before putting it on the dressing. It’s much easier to make the dressing when you are ready to serve it instead.

    Can you freeze macaroni salad made with mayonnaise?

    As we said above, you technically can freeze it but the mayo will likely separate a bit in the freezer and that will change the texture. We would recommend freezing the other ingredients separately and making the dressing when you are ready to serve the salad instead of freezing it.

    How long does homemade macaroni salad last?

    Homemade macaroni salad should last 3 – 5 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

    You may be wondering, “Ok, but how long does pasta salad with mayo last in the fridge?”. The answer is the same. Whether it’s a vinaigrette dressing or a mayo-based dressing, it should still keep for 3-5 days in the fridge if stored properly.

    How do you keep macaroni salad from getting watery?

    The key to keeping your macaroni salad from getting watery, is the pasta! Make sure not to overcook or undercook it- undercooked pasta won’t cling to the sauce as well, and overcooked pasta will make your salad watery. Al dente is usually best for pasta salad (that’s where your pasta is cooked/soft but still has a bit of firmness when you bite into it).

    Related Recipes

    If you loved this shrimp pasta salad with mayo, you’ll love these other shrimp recipes like The BEST Fried Shrimp Recipe or this Incredible Shrimp Marinade!

    Or, if you’ve never had crab salad before, it’s a definite “must” to try for an easy side dish recipe too!

    Shrimp Pasta Salad With Mayo

    Shrimp Macaroni Salad

    Jessica Burgess
    Shrimp Macaroni Salad: A shrimp pasta salad, using simple, everyday ingredients like mayo, and a few spices, that can be made in only 20 minutes!
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Salad, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 252 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup elbow macaroni uncooked
    • 1 cup salad shrimp cooked (small shrimp you can find in most grocery stores- if you buy it frozen, you'll need to thaw it before using it in this recipe)
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
    • 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt adjusted to your taste
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4 cup green onion chopped
    • 1/4 cup celery chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Put some cold water in a small pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and cook pasta until al dente (or simply cook macaroni according to package directions). Drain and set aside to cool.
    • In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, seasoned salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
    • In a large bowl, combine macaroni, mayo mixture, green onions, celery, parsley and cooked salad shrimp.
    • Gently stir until evenly combined and it's ready to serve!
    • Refrigerate any leftovers.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords cold pasta salad recipe, easy pasta salad, low calorie recipes, shrimp pasta salad
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Filed Under: No Bake, Pasta Salads, Recipes, Salad Recipes, Side Dishes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. April says

      December 07, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious! I made it exactly as the recipe states – wouldn’t change a thing, it was perfectly tangy and slightly sweet, nom nom nom.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 08, 2021 at 2:50 pm

        Woo hoo!! Haha, I’m so glad you liked it April. Thank you for letting us know!

        Reply
    2. wilhelmina says

      December 07, 2021 at 1:42 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good! We always have some type of pasta salad and this was a great new twist. Really delicious!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 08, 2021 at 2:49 pm

        Excellent!! Pasta salads are so delicious, aren’t they!? So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Andrea Thueson says

      December 07, 2021 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      My husband and kids love shrimp, so they were excited when they saw what I was whipping up, and it was a huge hit! They keep begging me to make it again.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 08, 2021 at 2:49 pm

        Haha, that’s so great! I’m so glad that you all liked this shrimp pasta salad! Thank you for letting us know!

        Reply
    4. Yajaira G. says

      April 24, 2022 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      This was such a delicious and simple recipe to make. I just substituted the vinegar for lemon juice, used fresh garlic paste instead of powder & just used the parsley for decoration. (My family doesn’t like the taste of Presley) Served it with garlic bread and it was a hit with my seafood loving family…..

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 24, 2022 at 8:02 pm

        This is so wonderful to hear, and I’m so glad that you liked it too! Serving this shrimp pasta salad with garlic bread sounds delish!! Thank you so much for sharing and for leaving a review!

        Reply
    5. Karen says

      May 11, 2022 at 4:54 pm

      5 stars
      Out of this world. Yum 😋 was wonderful for a dish to take and share. Thanks I only added fresh garlic. And lemon pepper. Because l Love both of them

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        May 12, 2022 at 10:24 am

        Hello Karen! I’m so glad that you liked this shrimp pasta salad! Love what you added too, thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    6. Linda Lorenzo says

      May 30, 2022 at 12:02 pm

      5 stars
      This was really good. I’m not a huge fan of pasta salads but loved this. I did add a couple. tablespoons of Caesar salad dressing and did regular salt instead of seasoned.

      Reply

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