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Creamy Crab and Egg Pasta Salad

A classic potluck favorite featuring rotini pasta, sweet chunks of imitation crab meat, and rich hard-boiled eggs tossed in a tangy, creamy dill and lemon dressing.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

Salad Base
  • 16 oz Rotini Pasta Or fusilli/cavatappi
  • 12 oz Imitation Crab Meat (Surimi) Roughly chopped
  • 4 large Hard-Boiled Eggs Peeled and roughly chopped
  • 0.5 cup Celery Very finely diced
  • 0.25 cup Red Onion Very finely diced
Creamy Dill Dressing
  • 1 cup Mayonnaise High-quality
  • 0.5 cup Sour Cream Or plain Greek yogurt
  • 0.25 cup Fresh Dill Finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley Finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 0.5 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning Optional
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt Plus more for pasta water
  • 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly cracked

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Colander
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook 1 minute past al dente according to package directions.
  2. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  3. To the cooled pasta, add the chopped imitation crab meat, chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced celery, and diced red onion.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh dill, parsley, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper until completely smooth.
  5. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
  6. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld.
  7. Before serving, give the salad a gentle toss. If it seems dry, stir in a splash of milk or a spoonful of mayonnaise. Garnish with extra fresh dill and serve cold.

Notes

Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits. Cooking the pasta 1 minute past al dente ensures it stays soft when cold, and rinsing it prevents clumping. Keep chilled and consume within 3-4 days.