This is truly the best ever Macaroni Salad with Shrimp! It’s tossed with a simple yet flavorful mayonnaise dressing, and topped with hard boiled eggs.
If you like shrimp, you will love this salad!
Macaroni Salad with Shrimp is a classic recipe, taken from my grandma’s recipe book. (Another favorite from Grandma: German Potato Salad with Eggs.)
The salad is a delightful combination of tender pasta, celery, hard boiled eggs, green pepper, and small shrimp in a flavorful mayonnaise dressing.
The secret to the dressing is a scoop of dill pickle relish. It really does jazz up a mayo-based salad beautifully. Egg Salad with Pickles is another great example of that!
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Recipe tips
- Use small shrimp for this recipe. I used 71/90 count shrimp, which I found in the frozen section at Target. You can also use fresh or one 7-oz can of shrimp (drained). If you have extra shrimp, you can try Shrimp Scampi (without wine) recipe OR Shrimp Dip with Cream Cheese for any leftovers!
- Don’t want shrimp? You can substitute 2 cans of drained tuna or even lump crab.
- You can make this recipe up to 24 hours in advance of serving. I love a good make-ahead dish!
Ingredients
Be sure to check the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions!
How to make Shrimp macaroni salad
Start by boiling the macaroni according to package directions.
Defrost the shrimp under cool running water if you’re using frozen shrimp. Drain well.
While the macaroni is cooking, chop the celery, green pepper, and onion.
Stir together the mayonnaise, sugar, dill pickle relish, and dried dill. You can use sweet pickle relish in place of the dill pickle relish, if you’d like.
Drain the pasta and place it in a large bowl. No need to rinse it. Add the chopped veggies, along with the mayonnaise dressing. Toss to combine.
Gently stir in the hard boiled eggs. I purchased peeled, hard boiled eggs from my grocery store for this recipe, just to make it easier. But make your own if you’d like!
Chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to combine.
Top with extra hard boiled egg slices, and sprinkle with a little dill before serving.
Make ahead and storage instructions
Macaroni Salad with Shrimp can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Give it a stir before serving.
It will keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Give it a stir before serving.
I don’t recommend freezing macaroni salad. The mayonnaise dressing can separate and make the salad watery.
Substitutions
Here are a few ideas for substitutions (a few are straight from Grandma herself!):
- Use canned shrimp or canned tuna in place of the frozen shrimp
- Use 1 tablespoon of fresh dill in place of the dried dill
- Substitute half a bottle of salad olives for the green pepper
- Use lump crab in place of the shrimp
- Substitute sweet pickle relish for the dill pickle relish
- Use your favorite small pasta in place of the macaroni (like shells or rotini)
More hearty salad recipes
Grandma’s German Potato Salad is another recipe from Grandma’s recipe book (and it’s also topped with hard boiled eggs!). This recipe for the Best Red Potato Salad is another gem for summer cookouts.
Tuna Pasta Salad is also great for summer—it uses buttermilk and just a little mayo.
And I LOVE this Hot Chicken Salad. It’s topped with potato chips and cheese, and baked to bubbly, golden perfection!
And if you enjoy seafood, don’t miss my Old Fashioned Salmon Patties Recipe!
📖 Recipe
Macaroni Salad with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried macaroni
- 2½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped (reserve a few slices for garnish)
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1½ cups small frozen shrimp, defrosted (about 4–5 oz)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup dill pickle relish
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Cook the macaroni according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, place the green pepper, eggs, onion, celery, and shrimp in a large bowl. Reserve a few slices of hard boiled egg for the top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, pickle relish, dill, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- When the macaroni has finished cooking, drain it well. Transfer to the large bowl with the green pepper and shrimp. Pour the mayonnaise dressing over the top, and toss gently to combine.
- Transfer to the refrigerator to chill, about 1–2 hours. Serve chilled.
not buying anything at Target
Oh and I forgot to tell you I use 2 pounds of shrimp and if I want to splurge I use 4 pounds to 1 pound of pasta and definitely no eggs I repeat no eggs and the tomatoes 1 and a half pounds or to your liking get the sweetest tomatoes yanks enjoy I usually do not share my recipes but I could not resist. Thanks mike ps I am German and polish the recipes I have have been past down for generations
Why do you tell people to use canned shrimp that is gross I live on long Island near the water so if you are going to make shrimp macaroni salad I use 13 15 and I cut in thirds also I use apple cider vinegar and because it’s summer I use fresh tomatoes and a teaspoon of sugar .forget relish yuck stir Mac salad until it gets pink from the tomatoes now that’s how I make it you will see its a home run with people lined up at your door when you make it