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If you're fishing for an easy seafood pasta salad, this salad made with gluten-free shell pasta, imitation crab meat, Colby cheese, water chestnuts, peas, black olives, and everyday spices makes a great side dish or a light main-dish meal perfect for summertime eating!

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Satisfying Seafood Pasta Salad made with Imitation Crab

This is an easy seafood pasta salad recipe, perfect for summer when the temperatures rise and you don’t want to be stuck cooking over a hot stove.

Gluten-Free Food: Seafood Pasta Salad in bowl closeup

ABOUT THIS RECIPE
(per serving)

Gluten FreeQuick & Easy
Servings | 8
AVG. Maker RATING: 
5 from 3 votes
Write a Recipe Review
Prep Time :20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course : Dinner, Lunch, Supper
Cuisine : American
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories 352
Fat 22.2
Carbohydrates 27.3
Protein 10.9

If you’re like me, during summer, I find myself wanting to spend way less time in the kitchen. Because busy days of outdoor activities, swimming at the lake, local splash pad, or in the pool call for something quick and easy when you’re hot and too tired to cook.

When it comes to light dishes for hot summer nights, there’s nothing better than a salad to make eating healthy delicious.

One of our favorite hot day meal salads is Seafood Pasta Salad, made with imitation crab. When made with imitation crab, it’s very inexpensive! And it’s an ideal whole-meal in a salad dish, where you can easily swap out the imitation crab for lump crab meat if you can afford the real deal.

#GlutenFree #Seafood #PastaSalad with #ImitationCrab a #SatisfyingFood #SummerMeal for when you’re hot and too tired to cook! #Recipe #GFreeDeliciously

I make this Seafood Pasta Salad a lot every summer. It's perfect for picnics and potlucks too!

Gluten-Free Food: Seafood Pasta Salad in bowl with closeup overlay
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Step-by-step here's how to assemble the salad...

Did you like this recipe? Try these popular pasta salad recipes too!

Lemon Fusilli Salad with Shrimp

Asparagus and Pea Macaroni Pasta Salad

Still looking to up your salad game with more meal-time salad ideas?

Salads used to be one of my least favorite foods. Eating one was like being on a diet, and we all know dieting is the absolute worst. I was always hungry, and then I’d binge – the exact opposite of why I ate it in the first place.

Then I discovered that salads aren’t boring. They’re delicious!

They’re explosions of texture, flavor, and… Dare I say it? The nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that make our bodies run smooth and rockin’.

When I was younger, I made the most uninspired salads with droopy iceberg lettuce, cold tomato, chewy carrots, and the most horrible bottled dressing ever. It gave me salad horrors. I barely ate them for years.

Once I started proactively managing my gluten-free health with a clean, whole foods diet is when I turned the corner on salads. Then I realized just how excellent salads could be. It’s like having all the foods you love in one bowl with the bonus that it gives you energy, defends you from inflammation and disease, helps your body repair itself, and leaves you feeling super satisfied to boot!

That’s why I pulled together an eBook filled with 20 yummy, gluten-free, nutrient-filled salad recipes to leave your tummy happy.

20 Amazing Salad Recipes to Make Healthy Eating Delicious

The Best News is that It's absolutely FREE!!

20 Amazing Salads | Recipe eBook cover
PIN IT! Click the red icon in the upper left corner of this picture to save it on Pinterest!

You’re going to love these 20 salad recipes because they make healthy eating exciting and do-able.

Grab your FREE Recipe eBook for:

  • 20 yummy salads with a rainbow of veggies & fruits
  • Veggie colors & how they help our bodies
  • How to take your gluten-free health to the next level with even more healthy habits

Download your FREE recipe eBook to get 20 Amazing Salad Recipes to make eating healthy delicious! Just click the button below...

This collection of 20 Amazing Salad Recipes to Make Eating Healthy Delicious gives you options for simple lunches and dinners to help you enjoy eating healthy salads year-round.

In the meantime, summer is here everyone, let’s enjoy every bite!

XXO

Kymberley

P.S. Have you tried this recipe for Seafood Pasta Salad? Click the blue-green comment bubble at the bottom right corner of your screen to let me know your thoughts. I would love to hear!

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Gluten-Free Food: Seafood Pasta Salad in bowl closeup

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Seafood Pasta Salad {Imitation Crab}

If you're fishing for an easy seafood pasta salad, this salad made with gluten-free shell pasta, imitation crab meat, Colby cheese, water chestnuts, peas, black olives, and everyday spices makes a great side dish or a light main-dish meal perfect for summertime eating!
Kymberley @GfreeDeliciously
5 from 3 votes
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review! It’s super helpful for others and us!
This recipe may contain affiliate links. For more information, visit our Affiliate Disclosure.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Supper
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 352 kcal

EQUIPMENT

  • Large pot or saucepan
  • Colander
  • Cutting Board
  • Cook's knife
  • Utensils (Whisk, Large Spoon, Measuring Cups and Spoons)

INGREDIENTS
 
 

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INSTRUCTIONS
 

Cook pasta in large pot or saucepan using the package directions as a guideline.

  • Most kinds of pasta cook in 8 to 12 minutes. Cook until it is tender and firm but no longer crunchy - al-dente' (ahl-DEN-Tay). Drain the pasta, then rinse in cold water to bring the temperature down quickly, stopping the cooking process and keeping the noodles loose for the salad. Once cooled, transfer the cooled pasta to a colander or mesh strainer, shake to remove excess water. Set aside.

Prep the Ingredients

  • Drain the water chestnuts, then slice or chop into small pieces.
  • Cut the Colby cheese into approximately 1/4-inch cubes.
  • Drain and slice the Imitation Crab legs into bite-size 1/2-inch chunks.
  • If using whole black olives, slice them into 1/8-inch slices.

To Assemble the Salad

  • Add the drained and cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl, then add the water chestnuts, black olives, peas, cheese, and Imitation Crab.
  • Add the mayonnaise and sprinkle the seasonings over the top of all the ingredients.
  • Using the back of a large spoon, lightly spread the mayonnaise, seasoning and spices over the ingredients, then gently fold the mayonnaise and spice mixture into the pasta until evenly blended.
  • Cover and place into the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes to allow for the flavors to blend. Stir gently before serving. Enjoy!

YOUR OWN NOTES

KITCHEN NOTES

 
G-Free Quick Tip: Nearly everyone knows and loves Lawry's ® Seasoned Salt, the famous seasoning blend with endless uses.
At G-Free Deliciously, we've made a gluten-free copycat version that tastes just like you remember it, at a fraction of the supermarket price. To make it, check out the recipe for Gluten-Free Seasoned Salt {Lawry's ® Seasoned Salt – Copycat Recipe}.

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.3g | Protein: 10.9g | Fat: 22.2g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.8g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 488.4mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 3.9g | Vitamin A: 75.4IU | Vitamin C: 4.7mg | Calcium: 140.2mg | Iron: 1.8mg
Keyword pasta, quick and easy, salad, summer

Recipe Card powered by WP Recipe Maker 

(Nutritional values are an approximation. Actual nutritional values may vary due to preparation techniques, variations related to suppliers, regional and seasonal differences, or rounding.)

Copyright © 2017-2024 Kymberley Pekrul | GfreeDeliciously | gfreedeliciously.com | All content and photographs are copyright protected. The sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. However, copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please read my Photo Use Policy for detailed guidelines and further clarification.

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Kymberley @gfreedeliciously

Hi, I'm Kymberley, the creator of GfreeDeliciously and the Amazing, Glorious Journey Programs. I pray that my work will inspire you to honor your body through God and Good Food from the inside out, all while enjoying your Amazing, Glorious Journey!

Take a peek at the behind GfreeDeliciously

Being creative, cooking, fresh veggies, the violin, decorating for holidays, sewing, hand-quilting, cowgirl boots, country music, fresh herbs in pots, blowing dandelions to the wind, walking barefoot in the grass, hanging out with eclectic interesting people, reading, writing, warm lazy summer days, and yoga!

Gluten, cilantro, mixed vegetables (the frozen kind I grew up with), negativism, rudeness, narcissism, overstaying a welcome,
not helping out, liars, promiscuity, cockiness, know-it-alls, being overly-dramatic, goal-less-ness, poor hygiene, chauvinism, lacking a sense of humor, excessive competitiveness, Laziness, horrifying spellers, people-bashing, criticism and mockery of others and their beliefs, flakiness (because flaky people are really unappealing), more swagger than substance, people who constantly manage others (those folks who think they have all the answers…)

Lambrusco, my iPad, popcorn suppers, dark chocolate, cookbooks, Almond-Rocca, historical romances, sun-bathing, weekend coffee with a good book in bed, PBS cooking shows, romantic comedies, cozy sweaters, fuzzy socks, and fragrant bubble baths with soft music and wine…

Say please and thank you, LAUGH, Pray often, ENCOURAGE others, Be KIND, HONEST, HAPPY, Keep your PROMISES, Be GRATEFUL, Wash your hands, FORGIVE yourself and others, LISTEN, Have FAITH, Be CONFIDENT, Honor your parents, CHERISH your children and grandchildren, TREASURE your family, ABIDE in GOD’s love, Be POLITE, Guard your HEART, SEEK your purpose, FEED your mind, body and soul, Be HOPEFUL, Resist temptation, Lay your burdens down, TRUST your gut, CONNECT with nature, Know that GOD made you perfect just the way you are, SERVE others, LIVE to love, Be COURAGEOUS, Shine bright, OPEN your mind, RESPECT differences, HONOR your inner hunger, SING loud, Be PROUD of who you are, Practice PATIENCE, Never give up, WEATHER the storms of life, Say I love you, LOVE one another

  • I’ve traveled to 32 states in the USA where I’ve enjoyed the food, history, people and the local culture while visiting.
  • Among the states, I’ve lived in are Arizona, California, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
  • My favorite island is Maui.
  • I’ve also been to Canada and Mexico.
  • I rode horses as a kid, and barrel-raced.
  • I broke my neck when I was 18 and went to senior prom in a neck brace.
  • As a little girl, I grew up living next door to my grandma and grandpa on a small lake in rural southern Michigan.
  • The first thing I learned to cook was pancakes.
  • The craziest thing I ever made was mint-flavored green cupcakes when I was 13. My family didn’t like them much…
  •  

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Kymberley @gfreedeliciously
Coach | Cook | Creator | Publisher

A self-taught Gfree lifestyle expert on [most] gluten-free things, I’ve always loved cooking and creating delicious foods from scratch for myself and those I love.

My journey began when everything I thought I knew about cooking and eating suddenly changed when I discovered I was celiac. So, I re-learned how to eat, cook, and navigate through life gluten-free – trusting God and His plan for me.

I live in the Holylands of Central Wisconsin. All the recipes you’ll find here are gluten-free and inspired by the people and places I love most. Whenever possible, I cook with seasonal ingredients using fresh whole foods, making dishes suitable for everyday life and bringing food lovers together at the same table. I hope my recipes, and tips can make your life a little easier.

Gfree cooking, maintaining my healthy gut, and wellness are my life. This little corner of the internet is where I share what I’ve learned—where my passion is to nourish every GfreeDeliciously!

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Plate servings individually or transfer all of the salad to a large bowl for family-style or potluck serving. Garnish with lemon slices, a lemon wedge, or sliced scallions on top.

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