Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta Salad

Forget everything you think you know about pasta salad - this Mediterranean shrimp pasta salad with red chermoula will completely change the game. Finally, a side dish that's actually exciting to eat.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Roasted red peppers: These are the base of the red chermoula sauce, providing sweetness, smokiness, and a rich red color.
• Smoked paprika: This spice is crucial, adding warmth and a distinctive smoky depth without heat. If you can't find smoked paprika, substitute it with regular paprika.
• Shrimp: Transforms this from a side dish into a substantial main course. Shrimp absorbs the chermoula marinade beautifully, and its sweet, briny flavor pairs perfectly with the other ingredients. The quick cooking time makes it ideal for this type of salad.
• Pearl couscous: This provides the hearty base and unique texture that sets this apart from regular pasta salad. Pearl couscous (Israeli couscous) has a chewy, satisfying bite that holds up well to the bold flavors and doesn't get mushy when dressed.
• Dates: Add natural sweetness that balances the tangy feta, lemon juice, and savory herbs. If you dislike dates, use dried figs or dried cherries instead.
• Mint: Brightens the entire dish and cuts through the richness of the olive oil and feta. You can also add dill if desired.

Substitutions and variations

• Vegetarian: Omit the shrimp and replace it with chickpeas or add extra vegetables such as roasted zucchini.
• Spicy: Add chopped Calabrian chilies to the pasta salad or the chermoula sauce. You can also add cayenne to the sauce.
• Gluten-free: Substitute couscous with your favorite shortcut gluten-free pasta, such as gluten-free orzo or gluten-free shells.

Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta Salad

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: pasta, shrimp

Servings: 6

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Red chermoula

• ¾ cup roasted red peppers coarsley chopped
• ¾ cup cilantro
• ¾ cup parsley
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Pasta salad

• 1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined
• ½ medium red onion sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ cups dry pearl couscous
• 2 cups water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• ½ cup chopped dates
• ¼ cup chopped mint
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Instructions

• Make red chermoula sauce. Combine roasted red peppers, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander in a food processor. While the machine is running, slowly add extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until well combined. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Toss shrimp and red onion with ½ cup chermoula, reserving the remaining sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Melt butter in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add pearl couscous, stirring to coat. Toast for 2 minutes or until couscous is golden brown. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until all of the water has evaporated. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Lay shrimp and red onion in an even layer and cook until shrimp is pink and onion is tender. Remove from heat.
• Combine couscous, shrimp, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta, dates, mint, and pine nuts in a large bowl. Pour ¾ of the remaining chermoula sauce, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper and add more chermoula if desired. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

You can prepare the red chermoula sauce up to 3 days in advance.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make red charmoula

The main flavor of this dish is the red chermoula, and thankfully, it couldn't be easier to make. While traditional green chermoula is made primarily with herbs, red chermoula gets its gorgeous color and smoky sweetness from roasted red peppers, creating an equally delicious and completely different flavor profile.

To make the sauce, simply toss roasted red peppers, fresh cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander into your food processor.

While the machine runs, slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil until everything comes together into a smooth, vibrant sauce. The key here is not to over-process - you want it well combined but with just a bit of texture remaining.

Season generously with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust. This sauce is doing all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so make sure it's perfectly balanced before moving on.

Step 2: Cook shrimp

Once your chermoula is ready, toss ½ cup of it with your peeled and deveined shrimp along with sliced red onion, then let it marinate for 10 minutes.

This brief marinating time allows the flavors to penetrate the shrimp without "cooking" it with the acid.

When you're ready to cook, preheat your grill pan over medium-high heat - don't skip this step because a properly heated pan ensures you get those beautiful grill marks and prevents sticking.

Cook the shrimp in an even layer until they're pink and just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. The key to perfect shrimp is not overcooking them - they should be firm but still tender.

If you're using an outdoor grill, cook them over medium-high direct heat for the same amount of time, just keep a close eye on them since they can go from perfect to rubbery quickly.

I also recommend using a grill pan to prevent the shrimp and red onion from falling through.

Step 3: Prepare toppings

While your shrimp cooks, you'll prepare the pearl couscous, which is the secret ingredient that makes this salad special. Unlike regular couscous (which is actually a tiny pasta), pearl couscous has a chewy, satisfying texture that holds up beautifully to bold flavors and won't get mushy when dressed.

Toast it in butter until golden brown - this step adds incredible depth of flavor - then add water and salt, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. You'll know it's done when all the water has evaporated and the couscous is tender but still has a slight bite.

Let it rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let it cool slightly.

Now comes the fun part: combine the couscous with your cooked shrimp and onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, crumbled feta, chopped dates, fresh mint, and toasted pine nuts in a large bowl. Pour in most of the remaining chermoula sauce, toss everything together, and taste for seasoning.

The beauty of this salad is that it tastes incredible both warm and cold, so you can serve it immediately or let it chill in the fridge to develop even more flavor.

This Mediterranean shrimp pasta salad is ideal for entertaining because it actually gets better as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing to gatherings. The flavors meld together beautifully over time, and the pearl couscous maintains its texture even after being dressed.

Once you try this fresh, vibrant alternative to traditional pasta salad, you'll never go back to the mayo-heavy versions again.

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: This pasta salad actually tastes better after the flavors have time to meld. You can make it up to 24 hours in advance. Store it covered in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving, or serve it cold.
• Store: This dish will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. The flavors continue to develop over time, making it great for meal prep.

Frequently asked questions

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