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Creamy Crab Pasta Salad

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz pasta, rotini or elbow
  • 1½ cups imitation crab, chopped
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream, or Greek yogurt
  • 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Cook The Pasta
    First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then, cook the pasta until al dente, usually about 8–10 minutes.
    After that, drain and rinse the pasta with cold water. For pasta salad, rinsing helps stop the cooking and keeps the pasta from turning sticky.
  2. Step 2: Prep Your Ingredients
    Meanwhile, chop the crab into bite-sized pieces. Next, dice the celery and onion finely so every bite feels balanced.
    If raw onion feels too strong, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes. That way, you soften the bite without removing the flavor completely.
  3. Step 3: Make The Dressing
    In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Then, taste the dressing before adding the pasta.
    This is your moment to adjust it. For example, add more lemon for brightness, more mayo for richness, or a little more salt if it tastes flat.
  4. Step 4: Bring It All Together
    Next, add the pasta, crab, celery, and red onion to the bowl. After that, gently fold everything together until evenly coated.
    Don’t rush this part. Since overmixing can break the pasta, think of it more like tossing than stirring.
  5. Step 5: Chill
    Finally, cover and refrigerate for at least 30–60 minutes.
    Of course, you could eat it right away. However, if you give it time, the flavors settle in and the salad tastes even better.