Old Bay Shrimp and Macaroni Salad
Published July 29, 2024
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
⅓ cup Old Bay seasoning, plus more for garnishing
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
1 cup frozen peas (5 ounces, not thawed)
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup buttermilk
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 large lemon, plus more as needed
½ cup chopped dill, parsley or a mix
Preparation
- Step 1
In a large pot, bring 2 quarts (8 cups) of water and the Old Bay to a boil. Stir in the macaroni and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and peas and stir until bright in color and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and leave in the colander to cool slightly for 5 minutes. (Do not rinse.)
- Step 2
Transfer the macaroni, shrimp and peas to a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, buttermilk, celery and red onion. Stir until well coated. Zest and juice the lemon into the bowl, add the herb(s) and stir to combine. Season with more lemon juice and Old Bay until bright and peppery. Top with a sprinkle of Old Bay before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
Just made it. Used the recipe exactly as printed except I cut everything in half because I was only making it for small group (and I just used parsley because I was out of dill). But absolutely delicious! The only thing I would say is that I added a slight sprinkle of salt after it was all finished but not everyone might agree with me. This one is definitely a keeper!
This sounded like a recipe my mother use to make. I’m 80, so that was a long time ago. I tried it, following the recipe exactly. It’s fabulous and definitely reminds me of my mother’s dish. I will make it again. It would be great to take to a potluck!
I thought this was delicious, but the buttermilk made it just a bit soupy, even though I liked the flavor. I liked the suggestion of another reviewer to add some Greek yogurt to thicken it up and coat the pasta more evenly.
This hits the spot! Following other advice, I added a pound of diced imitation seafood to up the meat. Used heavy cream instead of buttermilk adding a splash of pickled jalapeno juice for tart. This makes A TON! Next time I may halve the pasta, unless I'm taking it to a party!
Definitely too heavy on the old bay, we were sneezing at the table! 1/8 C would be plenty however you can double the veggies and herbs.
We think this is better the next day. I’ve made it twice and it is forgiving. If you have large shrimp, I would suggest just chopping it up. Throw your fave herbs and veggies. The celery is a must.

