7 Seafood Salads That Feel Like A Vacation From Your Usual Recipe Rotation

As we all know, the word “salad” has far-reaching interpretations in the South—lettuce need not apply. Like any good roundup of Southern salad recipes, these tasty seafood salads run the gamut from comforting pasta salads that would be at home on Grandma’s table to fresh green salads that would pass the Instagram-worthy photo test. Fresh shrimp is a must-buy if you’re lucky enough to live in or visit a coastal locale, but frozen shrimp is a great option for a healthy and accessible protein. If you have some sitting in the freezer right now, these seafood salad recipes are the perfect way to use it up. Our Tuna Pasta Salad or Seafood Pasta Salad will be potluck superstars, and our Shrimp Salad and West Indies Crab Salad are ready for any luncheon on your calendar. Our Cast-Iron Salmon With Baby Kale Salad and Mediterranean Shrimp and Couscous Salad are lightened-up, beautiful options for weeknight dinners that are elegant enough for company as well. These fresh seafood salads can all be altered with what you have available, and the reviews for them are stellar. From weeknight dinners to dressy luncheons, these versatile, showboat recipes can do it all. 

Orzo Salad With Shrimp And Lemon Dressing

This springy salad is just the light and refreshing lunch you’ll want to meal prep after a big weekend. Since it’s so pretty, though, it’s also ready to serve at your next shower or potluck. 

Shrimp Salad

Crisp and cool, shrimp salad is a Southern favorite for beach trips, luncheons, and showers. However you choose to present it—in lettuce cups, on croissants, as a shrimp salad roll, and more—it will bring delicious nostalgia to any table. 

Southern Shrimp Pasta Salad

Test Kitchen Pro and Senior Producer Ivy Odom created this recipe as an ode to two Southern classics—pickled shrimp and pasta salad. Apparently, it’s just the potluck recipe Southerners have been searching for online. 

Shrimp Cobb Salad with Bacon Dressing Recipe

Who doesn’t love a Cobb salad? We like the addition of shrimp for a healthy protein option to make it more filling, and you’ll love the Bacon Dressing. 

Cast-Iron Salmon With Baby Kale Salad

“Love this recipe!” writes a five-star reviewer. “Never thought to do salmon in a cast-iron, but it made for the crispiest skin I’ve ever gotten at home.” This reader is correct—your cast-iron skillet will yield incredible texture, and our Test Kitchen does specifically recommend skin-on fillets for this recipe. 

Seafood Pasta Salad

This pasta salad recipe screams “easy beach meal.” Grab fresh shrimp from the local seafood spot and whip up a big batch of this salad for simple and tasty lunches and dinners that won’t take away from your valuable beach time. 

West Indies Crab Salad

This Mobile, Alabama, specialty is the best combination of easy and elegant. Be sure to work with the absolute freshest crab meat available for the most delicious results. This appetizer tastes better as it chills and marinates, so give yourself plenty of time before serving.