Easy Broccoli Pasta Seafood Salad Recipe

Last Updated on May 8, 2022 by Ellen Christian

This pasta seafood salad recipe is a family favorite. Make a crab or shrimp and broccoli pasta salad with chunks of fresh garden vegetables.

As the weather warms up, our schedules start to get a little crazy. The kids make more plans with their friends and go off for the day hiking or swimming. I start spending more time in the garden and less time in the house. In the end, that means we all eat at different times of the day.

Pasta Seafood Salad Recipe

Because we are all coming and going at different times, making one meal for everyone to enjoy together is more of a challenge. I still want to have a wholesome meal but I’m not cooking four different times a day.

Instead, I make a bowl of this pasta seafood salad recipe to keep in the refrigerator. The kids can grab a bowl as they have time, and I don’t have to worry about them choosing a less wholesome option.

Seafood pasta salad with Italian dressing

So, I make this seafood pasta salad with Italian dressing. My son in law isn’t a fan of mayonnaise so I had been searching for a seafood pasta salad without mayonnaise when I realized that dressing was a great option. You can use your favorite type of Italian dressing. 

If you want a creamy seafood pasta salad, you can certainly use mayonnaise.

Best pasta for seafood pasta salad

I started with Barilla ProteinPLUS Pasta because it’s a good source of lean protein from a simple blend of egg whites, grains, lentils and chickpeas. Then I added fresh broccoli, colorful sweet peppers, and seafood for color, texture, and taste. You can make a seafood pasta salad with shells, rotini or any other shape you like.

You can use fresh cauliflower, snap peas or any other crunchy fresh vegetable you have on hand. For the seafood, you can experiment with canned tuna or baby shrimp. Or, make it vegetarian and add chickpeas. How you put it together is entirely up to you.

High protein pasta

Barilla ProteinPLUS is a delicious wholesome pasta that provides 17g of protein (per 3.5oz portion) from all-natural vegetarian ingredients. The higher protein level helps you stay full longer. Plus, it’s a good source of Fiber and ALA Omega-3. Did you know that Barilla Gluten Free pasta has recently been named one of Parents Magazine’s “Top 25 Allergy Free Foods?”

If you’re still looking for recipe inspiration, check out these recipes from Barilla and this Pinterest recipes board. 

What goes good with seafood salad?

I always treat this as a complete meal since it has protein, vegetables, and a starch. But, you can use it as a side dish when you make chicken on the grill or with hamburgers or hotdogs.

How long can I store this?

You can make this pasta seafood salad recipe up the night before and store it in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container.  This is a wonderful way to save time at dinner.

And, you can keep it in the refrigerator for two to three days if you have leftovers. If you want to, you can add a bit more dressing before serving.

How to make this pasta seafood salad recipe

This is really the ultimate seafood pasta salad because you can customize it to what you have on hand. You are basically taking cold pasta, your favorite fresh veggies, some type of seafood, and dressing and combining them.

You could make an imitation crab pasta salad. Or, you could make a crawfish pasta salad. It’s all up to your taste preferences and your budget.

Scroll to the end for the printable recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 box of Barilla ProteinPLUS pasta (I chose Rotini.)

• 2 cups of precut broccoli

• 1 cup of chopped sweet peppers

• 1 package of imitation seafood (or your choice)

• 3/4 to 1 cup of Italian vinaigrette dressing

Directions

1. Cook the pasta per the directions on the box.
2. Rinse in cold water.
3. Cut the precut broccoli and the sweet peppers into small, bite-size pieces.
4. Cut the seafood into small, bite-size pieces
5. Mix together with the dressing.
6. Refrigerate and serve as needed

More summer salad recipes

If you enjoyed this pasta seafood salad recipe, you might like these.

• Quinoa salad recipe

• Healthy broccoli salad with bacon

• Paleo shrimp salad

• Tuna antipasto salad

• Aeolian salad

• Caprese salad with sardines

• Mexican corn pasta salad

Or, if you’re looking for a summer salad recipe, you may want to try my homemade coleslaw recipe.