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!
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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
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.
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.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes- it’s actually fully cooked fish (usually Wild Alaskan Pollock) and formed into sticks, chunks or flakes.
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).
Right after draining, run the pasta under very cold water, gently mixing until fully cooled (it usually takes a couple of minutes max).
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!
Generally, around 4-5 days. That said, if you're using real crab meat, it will only last a day or two.
I've heard of people doing this before but I wouldn't recommend it as it will affect the texture of the pasta.
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:
Other Awesome Mac Salad Recipes:
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!
Crab Pasta Salad Recipe
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.
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