This easy shrimp pasta salad is creamy, colorful, and loaded with pre-cooked shrimp, diced veggies, cheddar cheese, and a zesty dressing that comes together in minutes.
With just 15 minutes of prep time, it's perfect for busy days when you need an easy meal or side dish. Whether you're serving it at a cookout, packing it for lunch, or bringing it to a potluck, this creamy shrimp pasta salad always gets rave reviews.
If you like shrimp pasta salad, try my One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta for an easy weeknight dinner and my Lemon Feta Orzo Salad for another fresh and flavorful side dish. You should also bookmark Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad for another easy option.
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Shortcut Notes
- Only 15 minutes of prep: Frozen cooked (and peeled) shrimp keeps prep easy. Just thaw it and add it to the pasta mixture.
- Simple dressing: The dressing uses mayonnaise and bottled Italian dressing, so there's no need to measure a long list of ingredients.
- Make-ahead friendly: This shrimp and pasta salad tastes even better after chilling, making it ideal for meal prep and gatherings.
Ingredient Breakdown
For the Pasta Salad
- Rotini pasta: The spiral shape holds onto the creamy salad dressing.
- Shrimp: Pre-cooked and peeled frozen shrimp are convenient and require no cooking. Just thaw before adding to the salad. Look for small, "salad," or extra-small.
- English cucumber: Diced for a cool, crisp crunch (and is less watery than garden cucumbers).
- Red bell pepper: Diced.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sliced in half.
- Avocado: Pitted, peeled, and diced.
- Red onion: Diced.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Cubed cheddar gives it that deli-style pasta salad feel.
For the Dressing
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Mayonnaise: Creates the creamy base for the dressing.
- Italian dressing: Your favorite Italian or zesty Italian salad dressing.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the dressing with a little zing.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Boil the pasta: Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
Combine: In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, thawed shrimp, diced cucumber, diced bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, diced red onion, and cubed Colby Jack cheese.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Stir to coat: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and gently toss until evenly coated.
Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Toss before serving.
Pasta Salad Tips for the Best Shrimp Pasta Salad
The key to great cold pasta salads is properly cooked pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain it and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta quickly.
If using frozen shrimp, thaw completely before adding to the salad. Pat the salad shrimp dry with paper towels before adding to the pasta mixture so excess moisture doesn't thin the dressing.
And last but not least, save a handful of the colorful ingredients, like vegetables, cheese, or fresh herbs, to sprinkle on top before serving. Once everything gets tossed together, pasta salad can start to look like one color, and this simple trick makes it look much more fresh and appetizing.
Substitutions
- Rotini pasta: Use bow tie pasta, penne, or elbow macaroni.
- Shrimp: You can use larger cooked shrimp cut into bite-sized pieces or canned shrimp (well-drained).
- English cucumber: Regular cucumber works well. Remove excess seeds if desired.
- Red bell pepper: Try orange, yellow, or green bell pepper.
- Cheddar: Sharp cheddar, extra-sharp cheddar, and pepper jack are my personal favorites for this pasta recipe.
Behind the Recipe
My husband loves shrimp, and I love having a make-ahead lunch waiting in the fridge, so this shrimp salad is a meal prep win for both of us.
My top tip is to cook the pasta until al dente so the pasta stays tender without becoming mushy after chilling. And don't mix hot pasta with the other ingredients! Let it cool under the water and drain completely.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear what you think! Please take a moment to leave a rating and review—it helps me create high-quality recipes and lets others know what to expect.
FAQ
Yes. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, though it can be made a day ahead.
Yes. Cook shrimp until they turn pink and opaque, then cool completely before adding to the salad.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 12 oz frozen cooked peeled shrimp thawed (small or salad/extra small)
- 1 cup diced English cucumber
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large avocado diced
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cubed (about 1 cup)
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Italian dressing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, thawed shrimp, diced cucumber, diced bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, diced red onion, and cubed Colby Jack cheese.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Stir to coat: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Toss before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator according to the package instructions, not on the counter.
- Refrigerate the salad within 2 hours of serving. Discard any pasta salad that has been sitting out for more than 2 hours.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Kelsey Smith says
Hope y'all love this side dish, it's perfect for your next summer potluck. If you give it a try, I would love to see your review.