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Crab Pasta Salad

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This Crab Pasta Salad is a family recipe, one of my favorites! Packed with veggies and delicious flavor, it’s a staple at summer BBQs! This crab pasta salad is made with Italian dressing and either Spike or Old Bay Seasoning. It is made with imitation crab, though you could certainly substitute real crab meat int his pasta salad. The pasta shells work perfectly in this recipe, holding on to the sauce and making a great crab pasta salad recipe that you will want to make again and again. Looking for more recipes to bring to your potluck? Try this taco pasta salad, this simple fruit salad, and this super easy beet salad.

This Crab Pasta Salad is a family recipe, one of my favorites! Packed with veggies and delicious flavor, it's a staple at summer BBQs!

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Today my mom would have been 69 years old. And I’m sure that she would have loved me sharing that with the internets.

Or maybe at this point in her life, she would have been completely cool with it. She might have even worn it as a badge of honor.

My mom was diagnosed with fourth stage metastatic breast cancer when she was 57 years old. I was just shy of my 21st birthday. I remember vividly taking a walk with her in the brisk cold April Wisconsin weather just after she was diagnosed. I can remember the exact coat and hat she was wearing. Her doctors had told her to just go home and enjoy the last month of her life with her family. She was talking about fighting. She was talking in terms of years. And she was saying if she could just have two more years. She and I agreed that that would be amazing.

And then two years flew by.

I graduated college, started graduate school, bought a house, got engaged.

Two years wasn’t nearly enough. There was no time that would have been enough.

This Crab Pasta Salad is a family recipe, one of my favorites! Packed with veggies and delicious flavor, it's a staple at summer BBQs!

After I became pregnant with Gavin my mom told me all confession style that she had really wanted to live just to see me get pregnant. And then Gavin was here, and just hours later she made her exit. Like once she knew he and I were safe she could succumb and give her body some peace.

This Crab Pasta Salad is a family recipe, one of my favorites! Packed with veggies and delicious flavor, it's a staple at summer BBQs!

Regularly I think to myself, “Okay, now I really need my mom.” As if all the challenges that came before were just a rehearsal compared to this current challenge. I mean, I’m totally kidding myself. There was nothing about Elliot that was a dress rehearsal. It’s just that when you are in the current challenge, and the past is the past . . . you get it.

I’ve been having those moments recently. The “Okay, now I really need my mom,” moments. And I just keep thinking that if I can’t have her here, the least I can do for myself is try to be the kid that she would have been proud to have raised. Scratch that. My mom would never have wanted to take credit for my poise, strength, patience with my screaming kids, etc. . . . I want to be the kid that I feel like lives up to the amazing mom that Betty was.

This Crab Pasta Salad is a family recipe, one of my favorites! Packed with veggies and delicious flavor, it's a staple at summer BBQs!

So that was kind of intense for a Friday morning, huh?

Let’s have some Crab Pasta Salad, shall we?

This was one of my mom’s recipes and I LOVE it. It was one of those recipes that meant summer to me. One of those recipes that I would just stand in the door of the fridge and eat out of the container with a fork when I was a teenager, until my mom would walk in and say, “Lisa. Just put some in a bowl for yourself.” Sooooooooo good!

One of the things you are going to love about this recipe is that it is super forgiving. My mom didn’t even use a recipe. The recipe I have from her is like, “a generous squirt of mustard.” So if you don’t really like that much dressing on your pasta salads, just cut back on the yogurt. Don’t like olives? Leave ’em out. No celery? Add some frozen peas instead. You get it.

Make it for your summer picnics and love it year after year!

If you make this recipe leave me a comment letting me know what you think!

Print Recipe
4.58 from 14 votes

Crab Pasta Salad

This Crab Pasta Salad is a family recipe, one of my favorites!  Packed with veggies and delicious flavor, it's a staple at summer BBQs!  
Prep Time20 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crab pasta salad, seafood pasta salad
Servings: 10
Author: Lisa Longley

Ingredients

  • 1 lb medium pasta shells
  • 1 pound package imitation crab meat cut bite size
  • 1 can medium black olives sliced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper diced
  • 3 or 4 green onions sliced thin about two inches into the green
  • 3 stalks of celery diced

Dressing

  • 1 1/2 cups plain non fat yogurt see note
  • 1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
  • 1/2 TBSP Spike found in the spice aisle
  • 1 tsp celery salt
  • 1 TBSP yellow mustard
  • 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup Italian vinaigrette salad dressing see note

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  • In a very large bowl, mix the pasta, crab, olives, red peppers, green onions, and celery.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayo, Spike, celery salt, yellow mustard, soy sauce, and salad dressing.
  • Pour the dressing over the pasta and veggies and stir to combine. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Notes

Do NOT use Greek yogurt for this recipe. It is way too thick and doesn't give the dressing the right consistency or flavor.
My mom always used Seven Seas Viva Italian salad dressing for this recipe. I used Wishbone because it's what Nathan picked up at the store. Again, this recipe is forgiving, so just use what you find.

Comments From Social Media:

“Lisa, I tripled your recipe and was very pleased with the outcome. At the gathering I took it to, the people raved. Thank you. The only change I made was to use Old Bay Seasoning instead of Spike.”

This Crab Pasta Salad is a family recipe, one of my favorites! Packed with veggies and delicious flavor, it's a staple at summer BBQs!

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Comments

  2. This dear Lisa is exactly what I needed to read a day after Betty’s birthday. I’m gardening like crazy this morning, begging the kids to help, trying to pacify a cranky spouse who doesn’t understand why we are cleaning the porch just to watch it get dirty in seconds. All the stuff that beginning summer is made of and your post has totally centered me. Brought me back to my dear friend Betty. I miss her more than I ever imagined and think of her often. Her spirit is a fierce one. She is present in the red geraniums, the roses, the cool mornings when I weed my garden and now in a pasta salad that I have long forgotten. And she is in your dear friend, in your children and in your relationships. Hang in this week, I’m guessing it will be an interesting one.

    Reply

    • Ruth, this was such a sweet comment. Thank you for taking the time to leave it. Also, “trying to pacify a cranky spouse” <----- laughed so hard I cried. I really often forget, and need to be reminded, that I'm not alone in my missing of Betty. Man. She wasn't perfect, but she was pretty awesome. I think in our next lives I'd like to trade the roles of mother and daughter for BFFs.

      Reply

      • 5 stars
        This is such an incredible recipe! Thank you for sharing it and your love for your mother….My mother is still alive but doesn’t have a clue who I am….I have so many emotions about that, but I think Mom would love this salad….but I have to ask…what is Spike?? I live in the Southeast and am not sure what that is….but I am totally ready to work this up!! Thank you and God Bless you for sharing this!!

        Reply

        • Oh, Janet. I’m so sorry. That is a whole different kind of grief that I can’t even imagine. Spike is a spice blend. If you can’t find it, try Old Bay!

          Reply

        • I just read your comment about your mom. My mom had Alzheimer’s and it’s a horrible disease. I lost her in November of 2017. Thankfully she kept her sense of humor through it all. I miss her dearly.

          Reply

  4. Lisa, this is a very sweet post. I had no idea about your Mom! I know she would be so proud of you right now. I’m so glad she got to stay long enough to be there for some of the most important moments of your life!
    Melissa recently posted…Are You a Type Two Woman?My Profile

    Reply

  7. Dear Lisa,
    You are never ready for your mom to leave you. It hurts….bad! Mine has been gone for 14 years and I still find myself saying, “Oh! I’ve got to tell Mom! She is going to LOVE this!” The preciousness that they left in our lives can sometimes be the thing that gives us enough umph to make it through the day!

    May I say bless your sweet heart!? What a wonderful mom and person she must have been to have raised such a sharing and precious daughter. I follow your blog and am constantly finding myself blessed with your goodness.

    Prayers and God’s Peace are being sent your way!

    Reply

    • Monda, thank you so much for this amazingly sweet message. I just got done answering a lot of comments, many of them full of complaints. And then I came across this. As a matter of fact, I’m going to stop working now, because this is the perfect note to end my day on. Thank you so much for your kindness.

      Reply

  8. Hello there! Really excited to try this recipe today! Can you tell me how many servings this recipe makes??
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hi Beth Ann, I have a feeling I’m too late in answering this, but for anyone else who wants to know, this would be a good side dish portion for about a dozen people.

      Reply

  14. Lisa I am so sorry to hear about your mother! I too lost my mom when I was only 23. She had Leukemia and 4 yrs before that,she had Lymphoma. I was pregnant with my 3rd child(which I found out later,was a boy. I had two girls. I then lost my father exactly three months to the day, later! After I had my son and he was about 8 months old,my husband left me. It was the most difficult time of my life! I later married again and I had three more sons. I know my parents wouldve loved my four sons as much as they did my two daughters. I too find myself wishing I had my mom around to give me guidance. She was my best friend! This recipe looks DELICIOUS,I can’t wait to try it! I just stumbled upon your site today. I’m so glad I did! Thank you and God Bless!

    Reply

    • Oh Carolyn!! I can totally appreciate your story. After losing my mom, I lost my second child. A little boy. I’m sure during your divorce all you wanted was your mom. I’m so sorry you belong to the no moms club, but it is always helpful hearing from someone who gets it.

      Reply

  15. Just now did a brief scroll-through of your web site. Delightful, so user friendly, beautiful photos, wonderful recipes, and more. I’ll take more time during the day this coming week to sort through and save ideas/recipes I want to explore further. Such talent drips from your pages!! And, I lost my mom 58 years ago to ovarian cancer when I was nineteen. Met my husband in 1960, married in 1961, and keep looking for recipes/crafting ideas and wonderful web sites with life, love and happiness to share. I know your great ideas will become commonplace with me. Thanks and best wishes for many years of a great life. I’m trying the taco pasta salad first!!

    Reply

    • The only thing I can think of that might work would be sour cream, but I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure how it would work in terms of flavor and consistency.

      Reply

    • I wouldn’t personally recommend this for someone trying to lose weight. As for the calories, if you use My Fitness Pal, you can enter this website and it will pull all the ingredients and the amount of calories in them.

      Reply

  19. Living in Australia I am unsure as to what type of spice Spike is could you please let me know some of its contents and I may be able to find an alternative. Looking forward to making this as it looks delicious.
    Thanks

    Reply

  21. Hi Lisa, found your recipe on Facebook. Have you ever made this with real crab meat instead of imitation? Being a Marylander don’t eat imitation crab., we’ re a little crab snobby.
    I read your post about your Mom. I was fortunate to have my Mom until I was 52, she died 4 years ago at 85. Wasn’t expected, she didn’t tell anyone she was sick but I think she knew. We lived in different states and I would talk to her for hours when I traveled for work. I miss her all the time and I don’t like the car tripsanymore.

    Reply

    • Millie, I totally get the crab snobbery. I’m that way about some other things. So, I wouldn’t actually recommend making it with real crab meat because I don’t think it would hold up in this pasta salad. Maybe some miniature shrimp would work instead! I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. I had a 45 minute commute home from work the year my mom was dying and I talked to her several times of week. Even though I miss calling her for EVERYTHING I’m so grateful for that god awful commute because of all the extra conversations it gave us that year.

      Reply

  23. why not greek yogurt? what does it do to the consistency? also can you use sour cream non fat instead of yogurt?

    Reply

    • The greek yogurt is too thick and makes the dressing pasty instead of creamy. You could try sour cream. I haven’t made it that way yet, so I can’t speak personally to how it would taste/turn out.

      Reply

  24. Thank you so much for sharing your sweet story! I’m sure she would never proud of you! I just know it! I’m making this tomorrow and lifting you up in prayer! Thank you
    Linda

    Reply

  25. This is the best blog post I have read in a long time. What a touching story! (And I totally plan on making this crab salad next week!)

    Reply

    • Hi Regina! I’m not sure what you mean by “regular” Italian dressing. You are looking for one that is oil and vinegar based as opposed to a creamy dressing. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  28. Hi .. this looks delish .. i assume the Spike spices are American .. do you what I could buy in Canada pls? Thank you in advance!

    Reply

  29. Lisa,

    I have never responded or to be honest read someones’ story before but I think there is a reason I fell unto yours. I too lost my mother to cancer. I was 12 years old and her name was Betty. It is not a name you hear very often so I felt an immediate connection to your story. I don’t think the missing ever stops but somehow you always know that her presence and spirit are always around you and your children.

    Reply

    • Oh Ruth, well I’m so glad you decided to read and comment here. I agree. The missing really doesn’t stop. You just kind of learn to live with it. Thank you for sharing your story with me!

      Reply

  30. I don’t care for imitation crab.. I would use claw crab in the can.. it is little expense but worth it .. it make a statement with fresh dungeon crab.

    Reply

  33. I would love to try your recipe but we cannot get ‘Spike’ or ‘Old Bay’ seasonings here in western Canada. Not even sure what they are. Please explain or a substitute suggestion?

    Reply

  36. This looks good. Make sure you have extra dressing if you made this salad ahead of time. The pasta really absorbs it.

    Reply

  37. 4 stars
    Lisa, reading your story brought me to tears. I lost both my parents in 2015, and so true, it’s never the right time. This recipe looks amazing. When I make it, I’m sure I’ll be thinking of my mom, who loved crab. Happy Mother’s Day!, And thanks for sharing your touching story and your recipe.

    Reply

  38. My boyfriend & I made a similar recipe all on our own recently. The only differences were choice of pasta, pimiento instead of fresh red bell pepper, and our dressing. Great minds think alike, right? Lol.

    Reply

  40. 5 stars
    It was delicious. I used lump crab meat from freshly picked crabs, and it was and excellent side dish. The guests loved it. I sprinkled some Old Bay on the top.

    Reply

    • Certainly they could Tiffany, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It won’t hold up well in this recipe. If you are against using fake crab, then I would suggest shrimp.

      Reply

  43. Where can I find “Spike”? I’ve check with three grocery stores and people look at me like I’m nuts. I can’t even explain to them what it is because I’ve never heard of it before this recipe. You said I could use Old Bay but I haven’t heard of that one either. HELP!

    Reply

    • Oh no!! So you can order Spike and Old Bay on Amazon, but that seems a bit extreme. I would check with stores for Old Bay (it’s a seasoning used in a lot of cooking with seafood). If you can’t find that, you can search on google for a reacipe for Spike or Old Bay. I know you can make both at home, they are just seasoning mixes.

      Reply

    • I haven’t tried subbing anything, but if I were going to, I would maybe start with sour cream and see how the dressing takes before tossing it with the whole salad.

      Reply

  46. Hello Lisa,
    I just came across this recipe being shared on Facebook. I thought it sounded good so followed the link. I never realized I would end up reading someone else’s story that would so deeply touch my heart & leave me in tears of love, joy, and pain. I would like to share my story with you as well.
    My mother was a wonderful baker as well who never used a recipe either. I have a biscuit recipe she used to make that is awesome. My mother was diagnosed with 2 Melanoma tumors in her brain when I was 13yo (I was an only-child). She had surgery, chemo, & radiation to help buy some time (though it was a losing battle at that point). She passed away exactly 1 month before her 51st birthday & 3 weeks before my 15th. 2 years later, I met my husband who I married 2 months after our high school graduation… on her birthday (my husband’s choice for our wedding day). We will celebrate our 26 anniversary this year, which was also the number of the last anniversary my parent’s had. I have 4 boys, my own home, & 63 chickens (we had some when I was little & she loved them, but was also allergic to them!) lol. She never got to meet my husband or any of her grandsons, but I am secure in knowing that she will in Heaven some day. The part that got the tears going was when your mother (with whom I proudly share the name, Betty), got to see your son. Thank you for sharing your story…. and your mother’s wonderful recipe!
    Betty Libbey
    Gladwin, MI

    Reply

    • Oh, Betty. Thank you for taking the time to tell me your story. I am so sorry you lost your mom, but grateful there are kind souls in the world like you who know what it is to try to adult without your amazing mom.

      Reply

  47. I noticed that the recipe says “Italian Vinaigrette Salad Dressing” but in the recipe notes, you put that your mom used “Seven Seas Viva Italian”. I know there is a difference in a regular Italian dressing and a vinaigrette as a vinaigrette is thinner and has more of a vinager/tart flavor. It seems like the Seven Seas one is a “regular” Italian dressing with oil (and maybe some vinegar but not a full “viniagrette), but i could be wrong. I think that is what someone meant when they asked if they could use “regular Italian Dressing” . Can you verify if you are using a true Vinaigrette or just “Italian Dressing” (but not the creamy kind -we know that for sure). thanks!

    Reply

    • Honestly, Brandi, I have used both kinds and they both work great. The more generic thicker is what you will see in the video, the Seven Seas is thinner and also works wonderful!

      Reply

  48. Lucky you to have such a wonderful relationship with your mom, I am also lucky and I cherish it everyday. May your mom live on in all that you do!

    Reply

  49. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious. What a lovely tribute to your mother. I have recipes that my mom used to make that I call comfort food–literally. We keep our loved ones alive through the making and sharing of recipes. God Bless you and know that your mother is always close by. I feel my mom sometimes and it is a great comfort to me. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe!

    Reply

  50. Hi Lisa
    I agree with Kirsten about how we keep our loved ones with us with recipes. I tried this pasta today and my family loved it. My hubby ate me pasta than meat and he is a meatitarian. He was stuffed but wanted to eat more. Needless to say I will definitely be making this some more this summer. Thank you and your mom for this wonderful recipe!

    Reply

  51. This is my favorite. Now, I am badly craving for one (haha!) I would love to try your recipe. It looks really good. Will go out tomorrow to grab some ingredients. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  54. I searched our grocery stores for Spike and could not find it. I finally did find it because I was actually looking in the wrong place. I found it in the natural/organic aisle of the local grocery store.

    Reply

  56. 4 stars
    Prepared following the recipe exactly. with the following recommendations: If you only have Greek yogurt, thin it with buttermilk to get the right consistency . I added the juice of i lemon and 1 teaspoon of sugar to pop the crab flavor. Used Old Bay seasoning (couldn’t find Spike) and it turned out great. Flavors DO continue to develop…my batch tasted best after the second day. Bon Appetit!

    Reply

  57. It so good, by the time I was going to take a picture to post it, was all home thank you for that recipe ????

    Reply

  60. 5 stars
    ***** DELICIOUS! *****
    I was out of celery – added chopped water chestnuts instead. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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