Macaroni Salad with Shrimp
Perfect for a picnic, potluck or as part of your regular summer recipe rotation, this classic macaroni salad is always a hit. Keep the shrimp in or leave it out, it’s delicious either way! Mixing the dressing into the pasta while it’s still slightly warm helps coat everything evenly.
Macaroni Salad with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup fresh english peas
- 2 ribs celery diced
- ½ medium red onion diced
- ¼ cup mayonnaise high quality like Duke's or Hellmans
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Bring 2 large pots of water to a boil.
- In one pot, prepare pasta according to package directions. Before draining, place peas in the bottom of a colander. When it's time to drain the pasta, pour the hot water and pasta over peas. Allow to cool.
- In second pot, add shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool.
- While pasta and shrimp are cooking, prepare dressing. Whisk mayo, milk, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, add celery and onion. Once pasta and peas have cooled, but are still a bit warm, add to bowl and mix in the dressing to coat all the pasta.
- Add shrimp and mix gently. Best when served immediately but can be chilled until serving time.