Chinese Pasta Salad with Shellfish

This Chinese-style pasta salad combines rice vermicelli with shrimp and crab tossed in a punchy sesame-ginger dressing. Snow peas, red bell pepper, and sliced cucumber add crunch against the silky noodles, making every bite a mix of textures.

The dressing is where this stands apart from generic noodle salads. Fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil, lemon juice, and a splash of red wine vinegar create a bright, aromatic coating that clings to every strand of vermicelli.

Blanching the snow peas in boiling water for just ten minutes keeps them crisp-tender with that satisfying snap. Overcook them and they go limp and lose their color.

Pro Tips

• Rinse the noodles in cold water right after cooking. This stops the cooking, washes off excess starch, and keeps the vermicelli from clumping into a sticky mass.
• Chill before serving. The flavors need time to meld in the fridge. An hour minimum, but two hours is better.
• Toss the dressing with the noodles first before adding the vegetables and shellfish. The noodles absorb flavor better when they’re dressed alone.
• Use real crab if possible. Imitation crab changes the texture and flavor profile significantly.

Variations

• Spicy version: Add chili oil or sambal oelek to the dressing for heat.
• All-shrimp: Double the shrimp and skip the crab for a simpler shopping list. Seared scallops work beautifully here too.