Turn a classic summer side dish into a main course when you serve up a batch of this Grilled Shrimp Pasta Salad! Turmeric-kissed grilled shrimp are tossed in a seasonal pasta salad, complete with asparagus, fresh tomatoes, and summer squash.
We are knee-deep in summer eats and I couldn’t be happier about it!
Which is really saying something, since the sweltering, humid season is definitely on the bottom of my favorite time of the year list.
I might hate the weather, but the food…I just can’t complain about it.
Our grill has been getting more use this summer than ever before, and I’ve been having a ton of fun dreaming up crazy concoctions just like this Grilled Shrimp Pasta Salad.
Most of the shrimp pasta salads you find on the internet are doused in mayo.
Or, at least, one of those creamy dressings that make it more like a side dish than a dinner-appropriate recipe.
This Grilled Shrimp Pasta Salad is definitely something you can put up on the table as the main course of a meal!
The shrimp in this pasta salad is very simply grilled. Seasoned with salt, red pepper, and a bit of turmeric, it’s then quickly fired over hot coals…just long enough for it to turn pink. If you don’t want to use your grill for your shrimp, they can easily be cooked in a grill pan or a tabletop grill. You can even saute them in a skillet if you don’t NEED the grilling aspect.
As for the pasta, use whatever you have! Bowtie pasta is used here, but elbow macaroni, penne, or something fancy like orecchiette would also work.
The shrimp and pasta are tossed in a cilantro-lime vinaigrette with summery veggies, in this case, tomatoes, asparagus, and zucchini. If you have a lot of avocados or roasted corn to use up, feel free to lightly grill it and add it! To make it even heartier, toss in some black beans or chickpeas.
This recipe is so tasty, you might use it as your clean-the-fridge-at-the-end-of-the-week dinner!
How to make Grilled Shrimp Pasta Salad
- Thread your shrimp onto water-soaked wooden skewers (to avoid burning them!) Season the shrimp with salt, red pepper, and turmeric to taste.
- Brush the grates of your grill with cooking spray before preheating. Grill the shrimp skewers for 2-3 minutes on each side until they’re pink.
- Set the shrimp aside to rest while you whip up your dressing. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar, seal the lid, and shake vigorously until emulsified.
- Meanwhile, boil your pasta until slightly al dente. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl with the shrimp, asparagus, zucchini, onion, and tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss well, and serve with as much feta cheese as you can handle.
Eat more shrimp!
My favorite pasta salads!
Grilled Shrimp Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 pound large shrimp
- Kosher salt
- Red pepper flakes
- Ground turmeric
- 2 cups bowtie pasta
- 1/2 pound asparagus spears trimmed & quartered
- 1 cup zucchini or summer squash quartered
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
For the Lime Vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon ground oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley chopped
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup olive or avocado oil
Instructions
For the Salad:
- Rinse the shrimp then pat dry with paper towels. Thread them onto wooden skewers (that have been soaked in water for 15 minutes). Season the shrimp with salt, red pepper, and turmeric to taste.
- Brush the grates of a gas or charcoal grill with olive oil or cooking spray, then preheat the grill to 350 degrees F. Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side, until opaque.
- Remove the shrimp from the from grill and set aside to rest.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until slightly al dente (check package for specific instructions.) Drain, rinse, and transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl.
- Add the shrimp, asparagus, zucchini, onion, and tomatoes to the bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the ingredients and toss well with two large spoons. When ready to serve, sprinkle on the feta cheese.
For the Lime Vinaigrette:
- Place all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar (or blender) and seal the lid. Shake the jar vigorously (or pulse the blender) to combine and emulsify the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
A pasta buffet for dinner sounds delish, doesn’t it?
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Salad
Erica is a Florida-bred, Dominican-wed, nerdy foodie with an eye for pretty photos and incurable wanderlust, who learned everything she knows in the kitchen and about life from her Nana. She discovered her love of food at a young age and launched The Crumby Kitchen in 2014, where she shares her kitchen triumphs with a bit of sass and panache.
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