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A vibrant and flavorful cold pasta salad with tri-color rotini, butter-seared shrimp, tender crab meat, crisp cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and green onions, tossed in Olive Garden Italian dressing with seasonings. Perfect for gatherings and make-ahead meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 boxes tri-color rotini pasta
  • 3 bags large uncooked deveined shrimp
  • 2 packs crab meat (fresh, lump, or imitation crab)
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, divided
  • 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
  • 2 packs cherry tomatoes (about 3 cups halved)
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 large bottle Olive Garden Italian dressing (24 to 32 fluid ounces)
  • Salad Supreme seasoning, to taste
  • Old Bay seasoning, to taste
  • Complete Seasoning, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook tri-color rotini until just al dente according to package instructions.
  3. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to stop cooking; spread on a sheet pan or place in a large bowl to cool completely.
  4. Pat shrimp and crab meat dry with paper towels.
  5. Season shrimp generously with Salad Supreme, Old Bay, salt, and pepper.
  6. Melt 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  7. Add shrimp to the skillet and cook until opaque and firm, about 2–4 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C). Remove and set aside.
  8. Optionally warm crab meat briefly in the same skillet and season lightly, or add cold crab directly to the salad.
  9. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cooked shrimp, and crab meat; pour any reserved butter from the skillet into the bowl.
  10. Add thinly sliced green onions, peeled and seeded diced cucumber, and halved cherry tomatoes.
  11. Pour in about three-quarters of the Olive Garden Italian dressing and gently toss to coat.
  12. Taste and adjust seasoning with Salad Supreme, Old Bay, Complete Seasoning, salt, and pepper as needed.
  13. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30–60 minutes to allow flavors to meld, then taste and adjust dressing or seasoning if desired.

Notes

Cook pasta until just al dente and rinse with cold water to prevent mushiness., Pat seafood dry before seasoning to prevent watering down the salad., Add dressing gradually to control sauciness., Salad tastes better after chilling for several hours or overnight., Handle crab meat gently to preserve chunks; reduce added salt if using pre-seasoned imitation crab., Do not freeze the salad as seafood and vegetables will lose texture., Can substitute different dressings, pasta shapes, vegetables, heat elements, or seafood as desired., Store in airtight container in fridge; best consumed within 2 to 3 days., Keep dressing separate for longer meal prep to maintain vegetable crispness and prevent sogginess., Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature; shrimp can be reheated separately if preferred warm.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cozyovenkitchen.com/seafood-pasta-salad/