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Are you tired of bland pasta salad recipes? If so, you’re in the right place! My soul food shrimp spaghetti pasta salad, tossed in Italian herbs and dressing, guarantees that your pasta will never be boring again!

This delicious recipe offers a light and flavorful take on the classic cold pasta salads, featuring a zesty sauce, irresistible sautéed shrimp, and a delightful blend of seasonings. It’s the perfect summertime dish that showcases the mouthwatering essence of soul food.

Soul Food Shrimp Spaghetti Pasta Salad With Italian Dressing

What is soul food pasta salad?

Spaghetti noodles are dressed in Italian dressing and seasoned, the soul food way, with a generous amount of Italian herbs and spices. Fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and savory shrimp are then added, creating a satisfying main dish perfect for cookouts, picnics, and potlucks.

This Southern pasta salad with Italian dressing is an ideal light lunch, a summery brunch dish, or a nearly effortless dinner. It’s quick and easy to prepare. You can even make it a day in advance if desired.

Why shrimp pasta salad with Italian dressing?

Shrimp pasta salad with Italian dressing is a quick meal option and a delicious way to include healthy ingredients in your diet without compromising on flavor!

Soul food Southern pasta is easy to make and can be served as a main dish or side. Serve with crackers or soft sweet bread. It’s an excellent recipe for those summertime BBQs, picnics, and potlucks.

Ingredients

This recipe features ripe fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, garlic-butter shrimp, and a Salad Supreme blend of herbs and seasoning, all tossed with zesty Italian dressing and al dente pasta. Yum!

Measurements for the recipe can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Shrimp – Use jumbo shrimp, either fresh or frozen. Peeled and deveined. You can leave out the shrimp altogether for a vegetarian recipe or use Italian sausage, grilled chicken, or imitation crab meat if you don’t prefer shrimp.
Water – The necessary liquid to boil the pasta.
Avocado and olive oil – To cook the shrimp and keep the pasta from clumping while cooking.
Pasta – Preferably, use spaghetti pasta because it’s sturdy enough to blend perfectly with the meaty shrimp and crisp vegetables. Angel hair pasta can be used as a swap for a thinner noodle.
Tomatoes – Slice whole or cherry tomatoes in half.
Cucumbers – Peel and slice cucumbers into thin rounds.
Dressing and seasonings – Preferably use Salad Supreme seasoning or dry Italian dressing with wet Italian dressing. The McCormick brand Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme seasoning is usually found in the same aisle as other seasonings or in your local grocery store’s salad dressing/condiment section.
Butter – Used to sauté the shrimp.
Garlic, salt, and black pepper – The soulful and flavorful combination of seasoning and spices for the shrimp

Soul Food Southern Pasta Salad With Shrimp

How to make spaghetti pasta salad with shrimp

This is an easy meal of chopped vegetables, quick-cooked pasta, and shrimp. As a cold salad, it’s an excellent change of pace from the usual hot pasta salad side dishes, and it’s easy to enjoy on summer days.

Step-by-step guided instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Heat the butter and oil in a large pan or skillet.
Sauté the garlic, salt, pepper, and shrimp.
Then, remove the shrimp from the skillet and set them aside.
Break the uncooked spaghetti pasta in half.
Boil the pasta according to the package instructions.
Put olive oil into the water to keep the noodles from clumping.
Drain the liquid from the pasta using a colander.
Then rinse the noodles in cold water and allow the excess water to drain.
Mix the Italian dressing and Salad Supreme seasoning or dry Italian dressing seasoning.
Fold in the chopped vegetables and shrimp.
Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad.
Serve this soul food shrimp spaghetti pasta chilled, and enjoy!

Want to make this recipe in the Instant Pot?
Check out my recipe for Instant Pot shrimp pasta salad HERE!

Why shrimp pasta salad with Italian dressing?

Should you rinse pasta for cold pasta salad?

After the pasta is cooked, rinsing it will help lower its temperature and stop the cooking process immediately.

How to keep shrimp pasta salad moist

The key to keeping pasta salad moist is the pasta itself. The pasta won’t grab onto the dressing if you don’t cook it enough. Instead, it’ll dry out and become rubbery.

If you overcook the pasta, it will get soggy. Cook it just right (al dente—the ideal consistency for pasta), and your pasta salad will stay perfectly moist.

How to make spaghetti pasta salad with shrimp

Can you make soul food pasta salad the night before?

This recipe is ideal for making the day before an event. Making this Southern soul food pasta salad with Italian seasoning the night before allows the flavors to mesh together, making it a little more “complete” and yummier!

How long does shrimp spaghetti pasta salad last?

Properly stored pasta salad will maintain its best quality in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

What to serve with cold shrimp spaghetti salad

Ironically, cold spaghetti salad is best enjoyed with a hot main dish.

This soul food pasta recipe tastes good when served chilled. Before the salad is served, you can add optional toppings like green onion, red onion, bell pepper, black olives, or feta cheese, and then pair with these soul food favorites: Southern soul food fried chicken, Southern shrimp boil, baked mac and cheese, Southern potato salad, or an heirloom tomato watermelon salad.