Crawfish Pasta Salad

8 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 20 m Total: 35 m Beginner
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Crawfish Pasta Salad
Using crab boil, a Cajun’s favorite seasoning, this crawfish pasta salad serves up unique Louisiana flavor with rotini noodles, celery, and a tangy mayonnaise-ketchup dressing. This versatile dish can be served hot or cold and works as a main dish or side.

Ingredients

8 servings
  • 1 bag 12 ounce size of Rotini noodles
  • 1 pound crawfish tails
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • Tabasco to flavor
  • Zatarain's crab boil
  • salt to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Boil the rotini noodles according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a separate pot, season water with crab boil and add crawfish. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Let the crawfish soak in the seasoned water for 10-15 minutes. This way the crawfish can absorb more flavor. Drain before combining with other ingredients.
  3. In a glass bowl, make a dressing with the mayonnaise, ketchup and Tabasco. Toss in the noodles, celery, and crawfish. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Can I use leftover boiled crawfish from a crawfish boil?

A: Yes! If you have leftover seasoned crawfish, skip the boiling step and just toss them with the pasta and dressing. They're already perfectly seasoned.

Q: How long does this keep in the refrigerator?

A: This pasta salad will keep for 2-3 days refrigerated in an airtight container. The flavors actually develop more as it sits, making it perfect for make-ahead meals.

Tips and Techniques

For best flavor, let the cooked crawfish steep in the seasoned water while the pasta cooks and cools slightly. This multitasking saves time and ensures both components are ready at the same time. If serving cold, refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crawfish tails: cooked shrimp or lump crabmeat
  • rotini noodles: bow tie pasta, penne, or shell pasta
  • Zatarain's crab boil: any Louisiana-style crab boil or Old Bay seasoning

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot for boiling pasta
  • Medium pot for crawfish
  • Large glass bowl for mixing
  • Colander for draining

Historical Context

Pasta salad became popular in South Louisiana as home cooks adapted traditional crawfish boil seasonings to create year-round dishes. This recipe bridges classic Cajun crawfish boils with American pasta salad, creating a unique Louisiana fusion.