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–+ servings

30 Minute Crawfish Pasta Salad

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This Crawfish Pasta Salad combines tender crawfish tails, crisp diced vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs tossed in a creamy Cajun-spiced mayo and Italian dressing sauce. Fresh dill and lemon juice brighten the whole dish, while the Cajun seasoning ties everything together with a warm, savory kick. It works equally well as a main course for lunch or a hearty side at a cookout.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Cajun, Southern
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 1 lb crawfish tails Boudreaux's preferred for fat content
  • 10 oz pasta rotini or bowties work best
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning for cooking crawfish
  • 1/2 cup green pepper finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup red pepper finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup celery finely diced
  • 1/4 cup onion finely diced
For the Dressing
  • 6 tbsp mayonnaise Hellmann's preferred
  • 3 tbsp Italian dressing Ken's Steak House preferred
  • 1.5 tsp cajun seasoning Slap Ya Mama preferred
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Colander
  • Skillet
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Spatula
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. If your eggs aren't already hard-boiled, place them in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, then allow them to cool. While the eggs cook and cool, finely dice the green pepper, red pepper, celery, and onion into uniform 1/4-inch pieces, and finely chop the fresh dill. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Having everything prepped before assembly ensures the salad comes together quickly and the flavors meld evenly.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the package directions until just al dente, typically 8 to 10 minutes depending on the shape. Drain the pasta in a colander, then rinse it under cool water to stop the cooking process and prevent it from becoming mushy. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over low heat. Add the crawfish tails and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of cajun seasoning. Cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the crawfish are warmed through and evenly coated with the seasoning. Keep the heat low — the crawfish are already cooked and only need gentle warming; high heat will make them tough and rubbery. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool slightly.
  4. Add the cooked pasta, seasoned crawfish, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and all diced vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Gently toss everything together until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the bowl.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, 1.5 teaspoons of cajun seasoning, fresh dill, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and fold gently with a spatula until all components are evenly coated. Folding rather than stirring vigorously keeps the pasta, crawfish, and egg pieces intact. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  6. Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to come together and the dressing to fully coat all the ingredients. Serve chilled as a main course or side dish.

Notes

Boudreaux's crawfish tails are recommended for their higher fat content, which adds extra richness to the salad, but any brand of frozen crawfish tails will work. Shrimp can be substituted for crawfish — use cooked, peeled shrimp chopped into bite-sized pieces and warm them gently the same way. This salad can be made a day ahead; the flavors continue to develop overnight and the texture holds up well for up to 2 to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a gentle stir before serving to redistribute the dressing. This salad is not suitable for freezing, as the mayo-based dressing and the texture of the crawfish and vegetables will break down upon thawing.

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