Best 8 Cold Seafood Salad Recipes

MIXED SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• For the court bouillon: Combine the white wine, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, dill, serranos, lemons and fennel in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then add 8 cups room temperature water and the shrimp. Put the squid and the scallops in a fine-mesh strainer and lower them directly into the court bouillon. Gently poach the seafood until cooked through and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the seafood to a plate, strain the court bouillon into a bowl, and then add the seafood back to the court bouillon. Add a few ice cubes to cool the liquid down. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the seafood salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, oregano and black pepper. Whisk well. With a slotted spoon, remove the chilled seafood from the court bouillon and add it to the bowl along with the cherry tomatoes, olives, pepperoncinis and bell peppers. Toss well.
• Arrange a bed of arugula on a large serving platter. Mound the seafood salad on top and garnish with the feta and capers. Serve immediately.

ITALIAN SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water and add the Old Bay seasoning and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, add the shrimp, lower the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes, until just firm. With a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Leave 2 cups of the poaching liquid in the pot and discard the rest.
• Add the wine to the poaching liquid and bring to a boil. Add the scallops, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes, until just cooked. With the skimmer, transfer the scallops to the bowl with the shrimp. Bring the poaching liquid back to a boil, add the calamari, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until just cooked. Be careful not to overcook any of the seafood or it will be tough! With the skimmer, transfer the calamari to the bowl.
• Bring the poaching liquid to a boil again, add the mussels, cover, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until all the shells have opened, discarding any that don't open. Turn off the heat and set aside until the mussels in the broth are cool enough to handle. Remove the mussels from the shells and add to the bowl. Add 12 of the shells to the seafood and discard the rest. Set aside 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid, discarding the rest. Drain the seafood in a colander and put it all back into the bowl.
• For the dressing, heat the olive oil in a medium (10-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. (Be careful: Overcooked garlic will be bitter.) Add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 2 more minutes. Add the reserved poaching liquid, the limoncello, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Pour the sauce over the seafood and toss gently. Add the fennel and parsley. Cut a lemon in half lengthwise, cut it thinly crosswise, and add it to the salad. Toss gently to combine and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• To serve, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the juice of the remaining lemon. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

COLD SHRIMP PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, peas, green onions and parsley. Stir in the pasta. , In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over pasta mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

COLD SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Roast red and yellow peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened. Place in a paper bag to cool. Peel and seed peppers, and cut into strips. Set aside until ready to use.
• Poach seafood separately in simmering salted water. Cook mussels and clams until shells open, 5 to 7 minutes. Cook scallops, shrimp, and calamari until opaque, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels and clams. Drain all the seafood and let cool; set aside until ready to use.
• In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large serving bowl, combine cooled seafood (keep mussels and clams in their shells), pepper strips, artichoke hearts, olives, and basil. Pour dressing over salad; mix to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately.

SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Break the imitation crab into bite-size chunks or chop with a knife; place in a large bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHILLED ITALIAN SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• For the calamari: Combine the calamari and buttermilk in a large glass container. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.
• For the Venetian vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in the oil slowly to emulsify. Once thickened, whisk in the parsley, cilantro, oregano and scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready for use (or up to 48 hours).
• For the court bouillon: Place 12 cups cold water, the celery, carrot, onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, chili, lemon and black peppercorns into a large stockpot fitted with a fine mesh colander attachment. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Poach by placing the calamari and the shrimp into the colander and simmering until the calamari is firm and the shrimp is pink, about 3 minutes. Remove to a mixing bowl and set aside. Poach the clams until the shells open, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Transfer the clams to the already poached shellfish, discarding any unopened shells. Add the sliced tomato to the shellfish. Toss with two-thirds of the vinaigrette, season and refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes.
• For the salad: Gently toss the arugula and fennel in a large mixing bowl with the remaining vinaigrette to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large serving dish. Arrange the marinated seafood atop the salad. Garnish with the diced tomatoes, scallions, lemon wedges and fennel fronds around the platter.

SEAFOOD PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; rinse under cold water until cool and drain.
• While pasta is cooking, chop celery and crabmeat. Run hot water over peas to defrost.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, milk, salt and pepper. Add the pasta, celery and crabmeat and stir until evenly coated. Adjust the salt, sugar or mayonnaise to suit your taste. Chill several hours before serving.

COLD SHRIMP SALAD

Steps:

• Place shrimp in a large mixing bowl with red and green bell peppers, garlic, onion, cilantro, and avocado. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. Serve chilled.