Shrimp Macaroni Salad with Old Bay
If you want a tasty and simple side dish that everyone will love, try making this shrimp and old bay macaroni salad. It’s full of tender shrimp, crisp vegetables, and the distinct taste of Old Bay, which seafood lovers adore. The great thing is it’s quick to prepare and can be cooled until it’s time to eat—perfect for summer BBQs, an easy addition to a potluck, or even as a meal prep for lunch. The creamy sauce combines everything nicely, and the taste improves the longer it stays in the fridge, making your prep work easier. This recipe is worth trying, especially if you picked cucumbers from your garden.
Shrimp and Old Bay Macaroni Salad
Equipment
- Large pot
- Mixing Bowls
- Colander
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Plastic wrap or lid
- Mixing spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 8 ounces elbow pasta (half a box) (slightly undercooked)
- ½ cup diced fresh cucumber
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup cooked mini shrimp (look for pre-cooked salad shrimp in the freezer aisle)
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Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. Whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, salt, black pepper, and Old Bay seasoning in a small mixing bowl until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the elbow pasta in salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package instructions recommend (about 6 minutes for most brands). Then, drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set it aside to cool completely.
- Combine the ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta. Then, pour the dressing over the pasta and toss gently to coat. Next, add the diced cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and cooked shrimp. Stir everything together until evenly mixed and coated with the dressing.
- Chill and serve. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours or overnight for deeper flavor. Serve chilled, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This salad is my go-to recipe as an ultimate summer dish for seafood lovers. I just mix the punchy taste of Old Bay with tender shrimp and fresh, colorful veggies. This recipe always runs out quickly at BBQs and family events.
The best part? It’s easy for me to make, refreshing to eat, and I can prepare it beforehand—perfect for those busy days when I still want something homemade. I’ve got a little trick: I slightly undercook the pasta, so the salad stays creamy and just the right texture, even after being in the fridge. Trust me, this is one recipe I find myself making over and over. If you’re a fan of shrimp salads and want to try something a little different, check out my Maryland Shrimp Salad.
I’m confident you’ll find it just as delicious.
Key Ingredients and Tools
Here’s everything you need when making this recipe:
- Old Bay Seasoning: This special mix of spices makes the salad taste so good. You can find it where the spices are in the store. If you can’t find it, a combination of celery salt, paprika, and pepper might work, too.
- Pre-cooked salad shrimp: These small, ready-to-eat shrimp are in the frozen seafood area. They’re convenient and save time. These are usually found in the frozen seafood section and come in small, bite-sized pieces perfect for salads. If they’re unavailable, you can also cut up bigger cooked shrimp into smaller pieces.
- Full-fat mayonnaise: It makes the salad creamy and rich. You can also use light mayonnaise instead of full-fat, but the dressing might not be as thick.
- Elbow pasta: It’s great for this dish because it holds the creamy dressing well. Small shells or rotini pasta can be used instead if you don’t have it.
- Cucumber: It adds crunch and freshness, balancing the creamy dressing. Choose cucumbers that are firm and have smooth skin, and cut them into even pieces. Diced celery will give you a similar crunch if you’re out of cucumber.
Remembering these ingredients and tools will help make sure your salad tastes and feels great. They’re essential for making the dish easy to prepare and enjoyable to eat!
Troubleshooting and Help
Sure! If Old Bay isn’t your thing, try Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, or just a sprinkle of paprika and garlic powder. It’s all about finding the flavor you like best! Don’t miss Grandma’s Macaroni Salad for a classic take on macaroni salads.
The trick is to undercook the pasta slightly to hold its shape better and not soak up too much dressing. Also, make sure the pasta is completely cooled before mixing everything—hot pasta tends to absorb more dressing.
Add chopped hard-boiled eggs, cubed cheese, or even some cooked bacon if you want to bulk it up. It’ll make the salad heartier and more of a main dish.
Yes! You can swap the full-fat mayo for a lighter version or use half mayo and half Greek yogurt for a healthier twist. Just remember that the texture and flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
Definitely! This recipe is super flexible, so feel free to toss in whatever veggies you have on hand—cherry tomatoes, celery, or even peas would be a great addition.
Yes! You can add any cooked seafood you like. Crab, lobster, and scallops would all be great in this salad.
Absolutely! This salad tastes better the longer it chills. You can make it the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Just stir it well before serving to redistribute the dressing.
This salad is best served cold because the flavors combine as it chills. But if you’re in a pinch and want to serve it right away, you can—know it won’t have quite the same flavor as when it’s had time to rest in the fridge.
This salad mixes fresh, creamy, and tangy tastes, making it a great side dish for any meal. I find it quick to whip up, easy to tweak with my favorite add-ins, and even better when I prepare it in advance. It always wins people over whether you bring it to a barbecue, dishing it up at a family dinner, or prepping it for an easy lunch. So try it, and you’ll find it easily becomes a regular in your meal plans!
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
can the recipe be doubled?
yes but it will be A LOT!!! big bowl 🙂
not that great of dressing.
This is an amazing recipe. I always boil my shrimp with lemon, LOTS of salt, & add a beer for flavor. The precooked shrimp is quite flavorless. It really makes a difference when you prepare your shrimp for any recipe. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
hi elizabeth! that is a great tip! thank you so much! 🙂
I made it and it was delicious! Thanks for sharing ♥️
Wonderful, modernized take on a family favorite from the the 70s and beyond. Completely lost to time for me, yet your tweaks and clear improvements enticed enough to give it a try last night. Result: Both of our young adult sons (one foodie, the other def NOT), my agreeable husband, and my restaurant-crawlin’ self LOVED it, and we’re opinionated and not so easy to please these days. Thanks MUCH for one forgotten slice of childhood, my new-find fellow foodie. (Expert level, of course.) 💖
Adult ADD on full display, always… 🙄😑
Please edit my review stars to show 5 out of 5. Not sure how I messed that one up so clearly, but “not sure” is a frustrating mainstay…
thank you so very much sara for both trying the recipe and letting me know that you enjoyed it! have a lovely week! ❤️❤️🇺🇸
Made this for a cookout it was awful, and My whole family agreed.
Well i’m glad it brought you all together 🤷♀️
Random thoughts: 💯 Dig it! There really couldn’t be a better reply. That is, sadly, with an assumption of the writer’s ability to accept light-hearted banter in a society that’s fully lost its “humor” across all seven senses.
P.S. Butt-hurt bone, however, is fully engaged and ready to roar 🦁 (aka “share”).