Shrimp Macaroni Salad With Cajun Spices

Last Updated on June 10, 2021 by Chenée Lewis

Just in time for the summer cookout season, this easy spicy shrimp macaroni salad is a zesty, delicious way to celebrate with your family. It comes together in just a couple minutes with pasta, cooked shrimp, mayonnaise, ranch dressing, chopped celery and green onions, and Creole seasonings. It’s that easy and it definitely will be your new favorite shrimp macaroni salad!

Ingredients

This spicy shrimp macaroni salad is a fantastic easy summer dish, in part because it only takes a few ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need:

• macaroni or small shell pasta – I like the look of shell pasta, but you definitely can’t go wrong with elbow macaroni! Feel free to use whole wheat, chickpea, or any alternative type of pasta you like.
• cooked medium shrimp – makes this dish so easy! I bought a bag of frozen medium cooked shrimp, so all I had to do was thaw the shrimp and cut it into chunks!
• chopped celery and green onions – gives your salad a nice crunch! You can also add any other veggies you have on hand — I’ve seen this salad made with broccoli florets, green peppers, and white onions. Feel free to play around with what you’ve got!
• mayonnaise – crucial to give this shrimp macaroni salad that creamy consistency! I prefer Hellmann’s because it produces a creamier result.
• ranch dressing – secret weapon! Adds a lot of flavor and more creaminess. I can’t be the only Midwestern girl that grew up putting ranch on everything!
• Cajun or Creole seasoning – I use Tony Chachere’s, but feel free to use any that you prefer!
• fresh lemon juice – just to brighten it up and complement the Cajun seasoning.
• salt & pepper – you can add salt and pepper according to your preference to bring out the already amazing flavors in this shrimp pasta salad.
• hot sauce – this is optional, but for people who love their food spicy (like me), it’s really not optional. If you prefer, serve it on the side so that folks can add a little kick as the wish. I like Crystal hot sauce, but any hot sauce you like would be great!

Equipment

This spicy shrimp macaroni salad doesn’t take any special tools — just a pot to cook your pasta, a big bowl to mix it all up, and some measuring cups and knives. It couldn’t be easier!

Step by Step…

There almost aren’t any steps to this spicy shrimp macaroni salad recipe. Once you have your ingredients ready, just toss them in a bowl and stir. It’s that simple! This is one of the easiest summer side dish recipes you’ll try! Here’s what you need to do:

1. Cook and drain pasta. Boil your pasta in well-salted water, and make sure you cook your pasta so that it’s al dente. Since it’ll absorb some of the liquid once it’s mixed with everything else, you don’t want your shrimp macaroni salad to end up too mushy.
2. Chop up your shrimp and veggies. Since we’re using cooked shrimp, getting the rest of the ingredients takes no time at all! I like to cut my shrimp into smaller pieces to distribute them more evenly, and chop my celery and green onions pretty finely.
3. Toss all your ingredients in a big bowl. Get everything well coated with the mayo, ranch, lemon juice, and seasonings.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings. Give it a taste and add more cajun seasoning if you like. If you’re like me, you’ll also add a little hot sauce for even more of a kick!

Tips and F.A.Q.

Related Recipes

If you like the cajun spices in this creamy shrimp macaroni salad, you should definitely try my New Orleans-style Barbecue Shrimp recipe! It’s a super quick stovetop recipe that sautés jumbo shrimp in a savory, buttery, Creole-spiced sauce. Perfect with crusty French bread to sop it all up!

Or, for another light pasta salad that’s perfect for a summertime meal, try my spicy peanut noodle salad! It’s gluten-free, thanks to the fantastic swap-in of chickpea noodles, and it’s vegan! But there’s nothing missing in this spicy, crunchy, satisfying cold noodle dish.

Shrimp Macaroni Salad – Creamy and Spicy!

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How to make the best easy cold shrimp macaroni salad with shell pasta, cajun spice, mayo, and ranch dressing. Super quick recipe perfect for outdoor parties!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine :American

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 348kcal

Recipe Source: Chenée Lewis

Equipment you may need

• mixing bowls
• measuring cups and spoons
• rubber spatula

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 1 lb (454 g) small shell or elbow macaroni pasta
• 1 lb (454 g) cooked medium shrimp - peeled, deveined and tails removed; cut in half
• 3 stalks celery - finely chopped
• 4 whole green onions - chopped
• 1 cup (224 g) mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup (80 g) buttermilk ranch dressing
• 3 tsp (15 ml) cajun or creole seasoning - plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• salt & pepper - to taste (optional)
• hot sauce - optional

Instructions

• Cook pasta one minute less than package directions in well salted water. Rinse, drain and place in large bowl.
• Add all other ingredients to bowl and stir.
• Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired.
• Chill at least 30 minutes until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Make ahead: Store your shrimp macaroni salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cooked Shrimp: I used a bag of cooked shrimp from the market, but you can also boil your own.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 348 kcal | Carbohydrates: 30 g | Protein: 14 g | Fat: 19 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 87 mg | Sodium: 551 mg | Potassium: 176 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 1.5 g | Calcium: 48 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

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