Description
Creamy cilantro dressing, tender macaroni, shrimp, white-lump crab, and roasted corn all come together to create this amazingly delicious and different Mexican Seafood Pasta Salad.
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 2 – 4 oz. bags frozen wild caught salad shrimp, cooked and peeled
- 1 – 6 oz. can fancy white-lump crab meat
- 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1/2 Tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup diced yellow pepper
- 1/4 cup minced green onions
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup Cotija cheese crumbles
- 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chopped capers
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground Chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 a hot pepper jalapeño, finely chopped
- 2 limes
Instructions
1. Fill a large pot, halfway, with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook elbow macaroni till al dente, about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain.
2. Rinse and drain shrimp and lump crab. Set aside.
3. In a small skillet over high heat, melt 1/2 Tablespoon butter. Add drained corn. Do not stir. As corn roasts and begins to pop, gently stir until about half the kernels are golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. To make the dressing, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped cilantro, cumin, capers, oregano, Chipotle chili powder, dried dill weed, finely chopped jalapeño pepper, and juice of two limes. Mix well.
5. In a large bowl, add cooked macaroni, shrimp, crab, chopped onions, peppers, and additional cilantro. Add roasted corn and mix well. Add 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese.
6. Add dressing mixture and stir gently until everything is well combined.
7. Chill salad for 3 hours before serving.
Notes
This salad is best served cold, so make it ahead and let it chill thoroughly. Adjust the spice level by using more or less jalapeño. For a more intense flavor, use roasted fresh corn instead of canned.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 342
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 438mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 72mg