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Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Salad

by Lynne Webb on August 23, 2019 (Updated June 23, 2021) // 6 Comments

Recipes » Main Dishes » Pasta » Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Salad

by Lynne Webb on August 23, 2019 (Updated June 23, 2021) // 6 Comments

Artichokes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a creamy lemon dressing add fresh Mediterranean flavor to this easy shrimp and pasta salad.
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A plated serving of shrimp and pasta salad topped with feta cheese, extra lemon on the side.

Everyone should have one or two pasta salad recipes in their repertoire for when they want a quick, easy dinner, or a healthy pack-and-go lunch.

Our shrimp and pasta salad is tossed with a creamy garlic and lemon dressing that blends perfectly with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients to make a fresh, flavorful dish that looks as good as it tastes.

Rotini pasta salad with shrimp, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, lemon, and feta cheese.

How to Make a Delicious Pasta Salad

Here are a few tips for making this pasta salad a deliciously easy success.

  • Use pre-cooked shrimp for convenience: To make this shrimp and pasta salad as easy as possible, start with pre-cooked shrimp from the seafood department of your local grocer. We generally buy jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), the type sold for shrimp cocktail.
  • Pick the right cut of pasta: When it comes to choosing a cut of pasta, pick one with grooves or ridges that will hold the dressing well. Rotini, penne, and farfalle are good choices.
  • Add red onion: Red onion is a classic ingredient in Greek salads. Its flavor holds up well against other bold ingredients like olives and artichokes. If you don’t care for it (and many people don’t) choose a sweet onion like Vidalia.
  • Use cherry (or grape) tomatoes: A favorite choice for pasta salad, cherry tomatoes hold their shape when tossed with other ingredients. Of course, you can use wedges of tomato too, just add them right before serving and toss gently so they don’t break up.
  • Kalamata olives add bold flavor: This variety of Greek olive has a dark purple color, fruity flavor, and comes marinated in red wine vinegar and olive oil. If your local grocer has an olive bar, look for them there, but if not, jarred is fine. Mezzetta Pitted Kalamata Olives are our favorite.
  • Canned artichoke hearts are convenient: We often use canned artichoke hearts in salads. While not as quite as good as fresh or frozen, they’re still very tasty and you can’t beat the convenience. As far as brands go, we’ve used both Cento and Reese. They’re easy to find and we’re never disappointed.
  • Feta cheese is the finishing touch: Feta cheese is another classic Greek ingredient and it adds creamy, salty goodness to this salad. We recommend buying feta in a block and crumbling it yourself as the pre-crumbled variety can be overly salty.

More Shrimp Salad Recipes:

  • Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Creamy Tarragon Dressing
  • Classic Greek Salad with Shrimp
  • Shrimp Cocktail Salad

Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Salad

4.65 from 14 votes
  |  Leave a Review
Artichokes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a creamy lemon dressing add fresh Mediterranean flavor to this easy shrimp and pasta salad.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time : 15 mins
Total Time : 25 mins
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Ingredients 

  • 6 ounces pasta, see notes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 lb cooked jumbo shrimp, see notes
  • 1/3 cup red onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
  • 1 can, 14 ounces artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Lemon wedges for serving

For the dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and return to the pan.
  • Toss with the olive oil and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
  • While the pasta cools, make the dressing. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise, lemon zest, and garlic together until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Add the shrimp, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and kalamata olives to the pasta. Pour on the dressing and toss to combine.
  • Add the feta cheese and parsley and mix gently.
  • Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with lemon wedges.

Recipe Notes

  • Start with pre-cooked shrimp from the seafood department of your local grocer. We generally buy jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), the type sold for shrimp cocktail.
  • Pick a pasta with grooves or ridges that will hold the dressing well. Rotini, penne, and farfalle are good choices.
  • Red onion is a classic ingredient in Greek salads and its flavor holds up well against bold ingredients like olives and artichokes. If you don’t care for it choose a sweet onion like Vidalia.
  • Cherry (or grape) tomatoes hold their shape when tossed with other ingredients. If you prefer to use tomato wedges, add them right before serving and toss gently so they don’t break up.
  • Kalamata olives are another classic Greek ingredient and they add a key flavor to this salad. If your local grocer has an olive bar, look for them there, but if not, jarred is fine. Mezzetta Pitted Kalamata Olives are our favorite.
  • Canned artichoke hearts, while not as quite as good as fresh or frozen, are very tasty and you can’t beat the convenience. As far as brands go, we’ve used both Cento and Reese. They’re easy to find and we’re never disappointed.
  • Feta cheese is another classic Greek ingredient and also key to making this salad. We recommend buying feta in a block and crumbling it yourself as the pre-crumbled variety can be overly salty.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Salad
Amount per Serving
Calories
434
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
27
g
42
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
20
g
Cholesterol
 
192
mg
64
%
Sodium
 
570
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
 
25
g
8
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
5
g
6
%
Protein
 
25
g
50
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.

Author: Lynne Webb | 

Course: Seafood
 | 
Cuisine: Mediterranean

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Comments

  1. Yelena Knudsen says

    August 26, 2022 at 11:50 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe. I love this pasta salad, great for hot waves days. Even my father in law loved it. I’ll sure make it again. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Tori says

    May 17, 2022 at 4:19 pm

    4 stars
    Loved this dish!  Easy to put together.  Adding it to the rotation!  Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      May 21, 2022 at 4:52 pm

      Hi Tori,
      Glad you enjoyed the shrimp and pasta salad! Thanks for taking time out of your day to let us know.

      Reply
  3. Shannon says

    June 21, 2021 at 10:33 am

    5 stars
    So good! I was originally planning to do a shrimp cocktail with steaks I had planned on having for Father’s Day with a boring baked potato when I found this recipe. Big hit with the hubby!

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      June 21, 2021 at 5:22 pm

      Hi Shannon,
      So happy to hear you and the hubby liked the salad. Thanks for taking the time to comment!!

      Reply
  4. Blossom Smith says

    September 17, 2019 at 3:06 am

    Had this for lunch, it’s a B limited on the keto plan I am on however it’s very nice and a meal I will cook again for the family once in a while .

    Reply

Hi there! We’re Lynne & Erika, seasoned home cooks and recipe creators here at My Gourmet Connection. Our aim is to bring variety and new flavors to your everyday meals and we’ve got hundreds of recipes for you to explore. Welcome!

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