• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Life Jolie logo
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work with me!
    • Video Production
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work with me!
    • Video Production
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    The Life Jolie » Sides » Crab Pasta Salad

    Crab Pasta Salad

    Published: Aug 8, 2023 by Jessy Freimann · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    A bowl of crab mac salad on top of a second bowl with celery and an onion behind it.

    This Crab Pasta Salad recipe is the perfect way to make a traditional macaroni salad extra special! It comes together in less than 20 minutes and is a total crowd-pleaser!

    A bowl of crab mac salad on top of a second bowl with celery and an onion behind it.
    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love This Crab Pasta Salad Recipe
    • Ingredient Information And Substitutions:
    • How To Make Pasta Crab Salad
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Tips For Making This Mac Salad Recipe
    • Make it a meal
    • Other Awesome Mac Salad Recipes:
    • Crab Pasta Salad Recipe

    Why You’ll Love This Crab Pasta Salad Recipe

    Is it even summer without mac salad? I say it's totally not! One thing I love is the ability to elevate an already awesome recipe by simply changing up some ingredients. So I knew that I needed to take my super popular Tuna Macaroni Salad recipe and made it even better! Here’s why you’ve got to try it:

    • Ready in under 20 minutes 
    • Seriously easy to make
    • Minimal ingredients
    • Totally customizable
    • A real crowd pleaser
    • Perfect to make ahead
    A close up of this crab macaroni salad recipe in a white bowl.

    Ingredient Information And Substitutions:

    • Macaroni- my preferred pasta is elbow macaroni, but if you have a smaller pasta that you prefer, you can totally use that.
    • Crab- I used imitation crab for this but if you’re feeling fancy, use the real thing! I like to leave it chunkier so each bite gets a nice meaty piece. I personally use chunks or stick that are cut up but you could also use flake if that's your preference.
    • Vegetables- Diced celery and onion add a satisfying crunch. Other good add-ins include peas, bell pepper, carrots and green onions. If the onion flavor is too strong, you can take the edge off by soaking the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes and draining well before adding to the salad. You could totally add your favorite fresh herbs, I bet dill would be fantastic in this!
    • Wet ingredients- Mayonnaise is my preferred dressing for this. Optional add-ins could include lemon juice, mustard, hot sauce or even apple cider vinegar.
    • Seasonings- Kosher salt, ground black pepper. If you want to kick it up a notch old bay, garlic powder, chopped dill pickles or hard boiled eggs would be awesome.
    Ingredients for this recipe labeled and in bowls.

    How To Make Pasta Crab Salad

    Step 1: Boil pasta

    Boil your macaroni in salted water until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to cool completely.

    A pot of boiling water with elbow pasta in it.

    Step 2: Mix the ingredients

    Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate and serve.

    Ingredients for this salad in a mixing bowl.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you eat Imitation Crab raw?

    Yes- it’s actually fully cooked fish (usually Wild Alaskan Pollock) and formed into sticks, chunks or flakes.

    Can macaroni salad be made in advance?

    Totally! Just cover and refrigerate until serving and if necessary, adjust the mayonnaise if it's dried out (the pasta can absorb it, but adding a bit more will fix that).

    What is the best way to cool pasta quickly?

    Right after draining, run the pasta under very cold water, gently mixing until fully cooled (it usually takes a couple of minutes max).

    Do I have to use real crab meat?

    Yes- I use imitation crab meat (also known as surimi seafood) because it’s more affordable and is a great source of protein. Either option tastes great!

    How long does it last?

    Generally, around 4-5 days. That said, if you're using real crab meat, it will only last a day or two.

    Can you freeze macaroni salad?

    I've heard of people doing this before but I wouldn't recommend it as it will affect the texture of the pasta.

    A bowls of mac salad with crab with celery in the background.

    Tips For Making This Mac Salad Recipe

    • Be sure to use salted water to boil the pasta to make the pasta more flavorful.
    • Cook the macaroni al dente as it will soften up more as it absorbs the mayo and be sure to cool it completely before mixing together the salad.
    • Taste and adjust the ingredients to your unique taste as you mix it. I listed the ingredients in the amounts that I personally enjoy. Like most of the other cooking that you'll see on this blog, the amounts of ingredients are completely subject to your own personal tastes.
    • Be sure to refrigerate before serving, it tastes better cold.
    • Leftovers and storage: This will last up to 4-5 days covered in the refrigerator.

    Make it a meal

    Here are some great recipes to serve alongside this:

    • Easy Crockpot BBQ Chicken
    • Red Cabbage Salad
    • Balsamic Grilled Asparagus
    • Pina Colada Dump Cake

    Other Awesome Mac Salad Recipes:

    • A close up shot of the side of a shallow bowl of shrimp mac salad.
      Shrimp Macaroni Salad
    • We all love a Caprese salad, but what's even better? Caprese Pasta Salad! Sweet tomatoes and basil, tender fresh mozzarella cheese and orzo pasta make a salad that you won't be able to stop eating!
      Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
    • Pesto Tortellini Salad is the easiest pasta salad you'll make! Throw this quick and delicious pasta salad together in minutes and wow your friends and family!
      Pesto Tortellini Salad
    • A white bowl full of classic tuna macaroni salad.
      Tuna Macaroni Salad

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!

    A bowl of crab mac salad on top of a second bowl with celery and an onion behind it.

    Crab Pasta Salad Recipe

    Jessy Freimann
    This Crab Pasta Salad recipe is the perfect way to make a traditional macaroni salad extra special! It comes together in less than 20 minutes and is a total crowd-pleaser!
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Cooling time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 191 kcal

    Equipment

    • Sauce pan
    • cutting board
    • Chef Knife
    • Measuring cups and spoons
    • mixing bowl
    • Wooden Spoons

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 16 ounce box dried elbow macaroni, boiled al dente per package directions and cooled completely.
    • 4 ribs celery, diced
    • ½ small-medium onion, finely diced
    • 1 16 ounce package lump crab meat or imitation of crab meat, drained if there is liquid
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
    • Mix well and taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
    • Refrigerate until serving.

    Video

    Notes

    • Be sure to use salted water to boil the pasta to make the pasta more flavorful.
    • Cook the macaroni al dente as it will soften up more as it absorbs the mayo and be sure to cool it completely before mixing together the salad.
    • Taste and adjust the ingredients to your unique taste as you mix it. I listed the ingredients in the amounts that I personally enjoy. Like most of the other cooking that you'll see on this blog, the amounts of ingredients are completely subject to your own personal tastes.
    • Be sure to refrigerate before serving, it tastes better cold.
    • Leftovers and storage: This will last up to 4-5 days covered in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 0.2gProtein: 0.3gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 468mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 0.02gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 19IUCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Shrimp Macaroni Salad
    Marinated Vegetable Salad »
    8067 shares
    • Share
    • Flipboard
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. OMAR says

      November 09, 2021 at 11:19 pm

      Made this for my wife she loved it , i added all the extras
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        December 06, 2021 at 11:20 am

        Thats awesome Omar- so glad you loved it!
        Reply
    2. G. Tyler says

      December 21, 2021 at 4:37 pm

      I make mine with boiled eggs, green onions, sweet vandalia onion dressing with the celery, crab meat, oregano and mayo. Everybody that taste this dish loves it, with the macaroni noodles.
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        December 23, 2021 at 3:59 pm

        Yum- what delicious additions- so glad you loved it!
        Reply
    3. Dallas says

      December 01, 2022 at 12:43 pm

      This is delicious!!!!!
      Reply
    4. Laura says

      June 04, 2023 at 4:48 pm

      I made a half batch cause. I didn't want to waste. Then had to make a double batch. But, my change was I added a couple dashes of hot sauce and some celery seed.
      Reply
    5. MARIANNE HAMMAN says

      July 17, 2023 at 4:14 pm

      i make mine with both black and green olives in mine. those are my extras :-]
      Reply
    6. Tina says

      July 25, 2023 at 2:33 pm

      My mom used to make this! I was so excited to make as well for my family. She’s looking down on me happy I’m sure
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        August 08, 2023 at 2:54 pm

        Love this <3
        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Jessy in a kitchen holding a white casserole pan and smiling.
    Hi, I'm Jessy!

    Welcome to The Life Jolie! I share simple, delicious recipes and ingredient prep tips to make your weeknight cooking a breeze!

    More about me →

    Summer Recipes

    • A pile of sour cream cookies where the one in the middle has a bite out of it exposing the cakey center of the cookie.
      Sour Cream Cookies
    • A straight on image of 3 cinnamon cereal bars stacked on each other exposing the inside of the bars.
      Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars
    • An overhead image of one side of a bowl of vegetable salad on a blue placemat.
      Marinated Vegetable Salad
    • A piece of pineapple chicken breast with a grilled pineapple slice on a pan with other pieces behind it.
      Aloha Chicken Recipe
    • A white bowl of red cabbage salad with a large glass bowl of it and a chunk of red onion in the background.
      Red Cabbage Salad
    • A slice of coconut cake on a place with the full cake behind it.
      Easy Coconut Cake Recipe

    Popular Recipes

    • A square image of how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave showing the chocolate once it's melted.
      How to Melt Chocolate Chips in the Kitchen
    • Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats are the healthy weeknight meal you'll want to make again and again. This is a seriously easy recipe that's full of delicious flavor without all the guilt!
      Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats
    • A close up shot of the side of a shallow bowl of shrimp mac salad.
      Shrimp Macaroni Salad
    • A square image of a white pot pouring cheese sauce over a bowl of broccoli with a blue towel behind it.
      Cheese Sauce for Broccoli Recipe
    • Do you love the Cheesecake Factory's Thai Lettuce Wraps! Well then why not make them at home? They're easy to make and totally delicious!
      Reader Request: Copycat Cheesecake Factory Thai Lettuce Wraps
    • A square image of Greek Yogurt Roasted Chicken Thighs.
      Greek Yogurt Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy + Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Video Production

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright 2014-2021 - Jolie Ventures, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy.