Irresistible Shrimp Pasta Salad

I’ve been making this shrimp pasta salad on repeat all summer, and I’m convinced the secret is the bright lime juice and Old Bay seasoning that give it such incredible flavor. It’s one of those dishes that comes together easily but tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did. Trust me, once you try this combo of tender shrimp, cavatappi pasta, and fresh veggies, it’ll become your new go-to for potlucks and weeknight dinners.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1350-1500
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 35-42 g
• Carbohydrates: 170-190 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1 medium red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 3 large limes, juiced
• 4 tbsp Lucini extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tbsp salt (for boiling water)
• 1/2 tsp honey

For the salad:

• 1/2 lb Barilla cavatappi pasta
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 orange bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely diced

Step 1: Prepare the Lime Vinaigrette Base

• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 3 large limes, juiced
• 1/2 tsp honey

In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced red onion, fresh lime juice, and honey.

Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to allow the onion to soften slightly and begin pickling in the acidic lime juice—this mellows the raw onion's harshness and builds flavor complexity.

The onions will also release their natural juices, creating a flavorful base for your dressing.

This is the foundation that will tie all your ingredients together.

Step 2: Cook Pasta and Shrimp in Parallel

• 2 tbsp salt for boiling water
• 1/2 lb Barilla cavatappi pasta
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Bring two separate pots of salted water to a boil—one for the pasta and one for the shrimp.

In the larger pot, cook the cavatappi pasta according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes), then drain thoroughly in a colander.

In the second pot, add the shrimp to gently boiling salted water and cook for exactly 2 minutes until they just turn pink and opaque.

I find that cooking these simultaneously saves time and keeps your workflow efficient—the shrimp cooks so quickly that it's the perfect parallel task while pasta finishes.

Step 3: Cool Shrimp and Pasta

Immediately transfer the cooked shrimp to an ice bath and let sit for 2 minutes to stop the cooking process and maintain their tender texture.

While the shrimp cools, spread the drained pasta on a sheet pan or large plate and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

This cooling step is crucial—warm pasta will wilt your vegetables and cause the dressing to separate, so don't skip it.

Once cooled, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Step 4: Prepare Fresh Vegetables

• 1 orange bell pepper
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro

While the pasta and shrimp are cooling, dice the orange bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely dice the celery, and chop the fresh cilantro.

I like to prep vegetables in order of how they'll be used, which keeps your workflow organized and everything ready to assemble.

Having all components prepped ensures you can quickly come together in the final step without any rushing.

Step 5: Assemble and Dress the Pasta Salad

• cooled pasta from Step 2
• cooled shrimp from Step 3
• prepared vegetables from Step 4
• 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 4 tbsp Lucini extra virgin olive oil

Add the cooled pasta from Step 2, the dried shrimp from Step 3, and all the prepared vegetables from Step 4 to the lime-onion mixture in your bowl.

Sprinkle the Old Bay seasoning evenly over everything, then drizzle the extra virgin olive oil across the top.

Using a large spoon or fork, gently toss everything together until well combined and evenly coated.

The order of adding the oil last helps distribute the seasoning throughout the salad and ensures every component gets properly dressed.

Step 6: Chill and Serve

Transfer the assembled pasta salad to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This resting time allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully and creates a more cohesive dish.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving—the lime and Old Bay flavors will deepen as it sits.

Irresistible Shrimp Pasta Salad

Delicious Irresistible Shrimp Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 1425

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dressing

• 1 medium red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 3 large limes, juiced
• 4 tbsp Lucini extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tbsp salt (for boiling water)
• 1/2 tsp honey

For the salad

• 1/2 lb Barilla cavatappi pasta
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 orange bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely diced

Method

 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced red onion, fresh lime juice, and honey. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to allow the onion to soften slightly and begin pickling in the acidic lime juice—this mellows the raw onion's harshness and builds flavor complexity. The onions will also release their natural juices, creating a flavorful base for your dressing. This is the foundation that will tie all your ingredients together.
2. Bring two separate pots of salted water to a boil—one for the pasta and one for the shrimp. In the larger pot, cook the cavatappi pasta according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes), then drain thoroughly in a colander. In the second pot, add the shrimp to gently boiling salted water and cook for exactly 2 minutes until they just turn pink and opaque. I find that cooking these simultaneously saves time and keeps your workflow efficient—the shrimp cooks so quickly that it's the perfect parallel task while pasta finishes.
3. Immediately transfer the cooked shrimp to an ice bath and let sit for 2 minutes to stop the cooking process and maintain their tender texture. While the shrimp cools, spread the drained pasta on a sheet pan or large plate and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. This cooling step is crucial—warm pasta will wilt your vegetables and cause the dressing to separate, so don't skip it. Once cooled, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
4. While the pasta and shrimp are cooling, dice the orange bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely dice the celery, and chop the fresh cilantro. I like to prep vegetables in order of how they'll be used, which keeps your workflow organized and everything ready to assemble. Having all components prepped ensures you can quickly come together in the final step without any rushing.
5. Add the cooled pasta from Step 2, the dried shrimp from Step 3, and all the prepared vegetables from Step 4 to the lime-onion mixture in your bowl. Sprinkle the Old Bay seasoning evenly over everything, then drizzle the extra virgin olive oil across the top. Using a large spoon or fork, gently toss everything together until well combined and evenly coated. The order of adding the oil last helps distribute the seasoning throughout the salad and ensures every component gets properly dressed.
6. Transfer the assembled pasta salad to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting time allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully and creates a more cohesive dish. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving—the lime and Old Bay flavors will deepen as it sits.