Po’Boy Shrimp Pasta Salad + Video
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
My Shrimp Pasta Salad is creamy, hearty, spicy, and juicy — and it tastes just like your favorite Po’ Boy sandwich! Tender shrimp, tortellini, chopped dill pickles, crunchy romaine, and red onion are tossed in a creamy remoulade dressing to create this unique cold tortellini salad!
Table of Contents
Shrimp Pasta Salad
I am beyond giddy to bring you this recipe for shrimp pasta salad!!
It’s everything you love about the quintessential New Orleans-style shrimp Po’Boy sandwich, but with pillowy, cheesy tortellini — because cheese-stuffed pasta makes everything better.
Loaded with Cajun shrimp, juicy tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, and tangy pickles, plus the most fabulous remoulade dressing, this pasta salad with shrimp is one that family and friends will ask for again and again!
If you aren’t familiar with remoulade, it is a mayonnaise-based spread that is tangy, mildly sweet, and sour — making it the perfect companion for earthy, spicy seafood.
Toss everything together and you have a delectable combination of flavors in every bite!!
And it doesn’t stop there. You can use so many of your favorite sandwiches as inspiration for pasta salad. Try my Muffaletta, BLT, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and taco versions next!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cheese Tortellini – Like I said… cheese makes everything better!! You can use regular pasta if you don’t have tortellini on hand. Penne, rotini, or farfalle are all great options.
- Shrimp – Remove the shells and devein the shrimp before you get started, but feel free to leave the tails on. You’ll get so much more flavor that way!
- Olive Oil & Cajun Seasoning – Both get added to the shrimp before pan-frying them for extra flavor.
The Cajun blend adds that signature, spicy Po’Boy flavor — I don’t recommend skipping it! - Cherry Tomatoes – For a burst of freshness and a slight sweetness that cuts through the rich seafood and dressing.
They’re also super easy to slice in half. Opt for grape tomatoes as a sub if needed. - Dill Pickles & Red Onion – For crunch, tang, and a touch of sharp flavor. Plus, there’s always something pickled on a Po’Boy… same goes for onions!
- Romaine Lettuce – Adds more crunch and also helps balance out some of the heavier ingredients in shrimp tortellini salad. Iceberg lettuce or mixed greens are fine alternatives.
- Homemade Remoulade Dressing – To tie the entire thing together! You’ll need mayo, olive oil, Dijon mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, pickle juice, more Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce (optional but I LOVE) to make it.
Recipe Video
Be sure to watch the video! Look for it in the recipe card, at the bottom of this post.
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Pasta Salad with Shrimp
- Cook the tortellini to al dente.
It should still be a tad firm so it doesn’t fall apart when tossed with the other ingredients.
Don’t worry, it will also soften a bit more after it soaks up some of the dressing.
To stop your pasta from cooking further, rinse and drain it in cold water. Then, drizzle with a touch of olive oil to keep it from sticking together.
- Get perfectly seared shrimp.
Coat the shrimp with olive oil and add the Cajun seasoning, then let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before cooking.
The seasoning will adhere better, and it allows them to cook more evenly!
Cook in two batches so as to not crowd the pan — otherwise, the shrimp will just steam.
Once you add it to the pan, don’t touch it for 2 minutes. Then, flip it and leave it alone again so it develops a deep, colorful sear.
- Make it extra spicy.
While this shrimp pasta salad recipe does have a kick to it, you can amp things up by adding hot sauce to the dressing.
- Chill before serving for the best flavor.
You can technically get away with serving your shrimp tortellini pasta salad immediately, but I like to give it some time to chill in the fridge first.
Not only does it allow the flavors to meld together, but it also gives the dressing time to soak into the pasta and shrimp.
I also find the colder temperature makes the entire dish taste fresher!
Prep Ahead
- Mix and refrigerate the remoulade dressing
- Cook the tortellini
- Prep and cook the shrimp
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Large Pot and Strainer to cook and drain the pasta.
- Non-stick Skillet – Everyone needs a good skillet. I use this almost daily for everything from cooking eggs to browning chicken, ground beef, and seafood.
- Salad Tongs – These bamboo hands help to toss everything gently and are attractive enough for serving as well.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Prepare the shrimp pasta salad recipe as directed, but leave out the Romaine lettuce and add only half of the dressing.
Reserve the remaining dressing to pour over the top before you serve it. Then, add the lettuce and toss to combine.
You can also make the dressing for this shrimp salad recipe with pasta up to 24 hours in advance.
Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator and shake well before using.
Storing Leftover Shrimp Tortellini Salad
You can store the fully assembled shrimp tortellini pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
While the flavors will continue to develop and meld as it sits, understand the romaine will start to wilt after a day or two.
If you have leftover shrimp, tortellini, and dressing you didn’t add to the salad, they’re best stored separately to prevent the shrimp from softening.
They’ll all keep for 3-4 days, respectively, but the dressing will be good for up to 5 days.
Shrimp Pasta Salad Recipe FAQ
It’s a New Orleans creation featuring Cajun shrimp, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles on a toasted baguette that’s been slathered with remoulade dressing.
Sound familiar? We essentially replaced the bread and turned it into a pasta salad with shrimp and all the other fixin’s!
Honestly, it depends on your preference! The shrimp and tortellini are both warm, but the overall salad is served at room temperature when freshly prepared.
But remember that you can also enjoy it chilled!
The Cajun seasoning really does make this shrimp pasta salad taste like a po’boy sandwich! If you can’t find a premade blend the good news is that it’s really easy to make with a variety of spices you likely already have!
Combining paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, and cayenne pepper will give you a similar flavor.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Other Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipes
🔥 TSRI’s Sizzlin’ Summer Ebook
Ready to level up your summer cooking? This exclusive collection of 30 reader-favorite recipes is packed with potluck legends, no-bake treats, and BBQ showstoppers.
👉 Snag your copy today and bring the heat to your summer table!
Po’Boy Shrimp Pasta Salad + Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shelled, deveined shrimp, tails on
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2/3 cup chopped Dill pickles
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups packed roughly chopped romaine lettuce
Remoulade Dressing
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pickle juice, from Dill pickles above
- 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- Hot sauce to taste, optional
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the Remoulade Dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Add shrimp to a medium bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Let sit at room temperature while you prep your other ingredients and cook your pasta.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to directions on the package (do not add salt to the water). Rinse with cool water and drain, then add to a large bowl. Toss with a little of the Dressing to keep it from sticking together. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the shrimp in an even layer and cook 2 minutes, then flip shrimp over and cook another 2 minutes or until cooked through. Repeat with remaining shrimp. Once cool enough to handle, remove tails from shrimp.
- Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Pour desired amount of dressing over salad and gently toss with salad tongs until well coated. Add salt, pepper and/or hot sauce to taste.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published May 2018, updated and republished May 2025
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
Welcome!
Weโre Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
I used Old Bay Seasoning as we don't care for Cajun flavors!! It worked, all was delicious!! Guests practically inhaled the salad. Served with sourdough garlic bread – yum!! Thanks for the recipe – xoxoxo
We are so happy you enjoyed it!
which cheese tortellini you use. (the ones by regular dryed pasta or fresh pasta)
What is the purpose of leaving the tails on the shrimp, then removing after cooking?
I wondered the same thing, but I suspect it's just that shrimp tails are much easier to remove when cooked rather than raw.
Iโm guessing itโs because the tails add flavor. When I cook , I leave the tails on, remove them before I serve.
Ok, just HAD to make this after seeing the recipe on Facebook. It is truly delicious and not particularly hard to make, BUT… and this is a big but for some folks: be prepared for lots of pots, pans, plates & clean-up. You need a bowl or plate to pat the shrimp dry and season them; you need another bowl to whisk together the dressing; you need a cutting board to slice onions & tomatoes and chop the pickles; you need a big pot to boil the pasta; you need a saute pan or skillet to cook the shrimp. You also need a colander for the pasta. Then you need a big bowl to toss it all together. I was taking it to a pot luck so add a giant container and another bowl (but that's a pot luck thing). Not sure the purpose of leaving the tails on the shrimp (as asked by another reader) but it could be that tails are much easier to remove once cooked. I think the effort was worth it though. I made a big batch and everyone loved it.
Just like the sandwich but with PASTA! OMG it was so good and gone in minutes! A keeper for sure!