Creamy Crab Cake Pasta Salad
This creamy crab cake pasta salad combines tender shell pasta, sweet lump crabmeat, crisp vegetables and fresh herbs with a lemony Old Bay dressing. Buttery cracker crumbs give this easy make-ahead pasta salad the classic flavor and texture of a homemade crab cake.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 HOUR
- Cook Time: 10 MINUTES
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces small shell pasta
- 1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked over for shells
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup crushed buttery crackers
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shell pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Shake off as much excess water as possible and allow the pasta to cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper.
- Add the cooled pasta, diced celery, red bell pepper, green onions, parsley and chives to the bowl. Gently toss until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Carefully fold in the lump crabmeat, taking care not to break apart all the larger pieces. Taste and add salt or additional Old Bay seasoning as needed.
- Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Stir the chilled pasta salad gently. If it looks dry, add another spoonful of mayonnaise or a small squeeze of lemon juice.
- Sprinkle the crushed buttery crackers over the pasta salad immediately before serving. Garnish with additional chives, parsley, Old Bay seasoning and lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Lump or jumbo lump crabmeat gives the pasta salad the best texture and flavor. Always check the crabmeat carefully for small pieces of shell.
- Cook the pasta only until al dente. Overcooked pasta can become too soft once it absorbs the dressing.
- Drain the pasta thoroughly so excess water does not thin the dressing.
- Fold in the crabmeat gently to preserve some of the larger pieces.
- Wait to add the cracker crumbs until immediately before serving so they remain crisp.
- Pasta absorbs dressing as it chills. Reserve a few spoonfuls of dressing or add a little mayonnaise before serving if needed.
- Imitation crab can be substituted, but real lump crabmeat provides the best crab cake flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Do not leave the pasta salad at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. Keep the serving bowl over ice when serving it outside in hot weather.
- Freezing is not recommended.
Find it online: https://www.firsthomelovelife.com/crab-cake-pasta-salad/