This red white and blue pasta salad is a fun and flavorful side dish that adds a patriotic touch to any summer celebration.
With bold pops of red, white, and blue, this pasta salad is a crowd-pleasing favorite for cookouts, potlucks, and backyard barbecues. Especially when you need something quick, easy, and perfect for a warm summer evening.
Easy red white and blue pasta salad recipe.
This festive pasta salad is a great pick for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or Labor Day. Made with tender rotini, juicy cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, black olives, and a light vinaigrette, it’s full of patriotic colors and fresh, balanced flavor.
Served cold and tossed in a simple dressing, this unique salad is the kind of dish people keep going back to for seconds.
We've got more pasta salads! Start with Hawaiian pasta salad next.
Recipe Highlights
- Festive and colorful: It’s a playful nod to the flag with red, white, and blue pasta and classic toppings.
- Flavor-packed: Italian dressing, pepperoni, olives, and mozzarella make every bite tasty.
- Party-ready: Great for holiday cookouts and easy to transport to gatherings.
- Kid-friendly: The colors make it fun, and the ingredients are familiar favorites.
Ingredients
- Rotini pasta: A great pasta shape for holding dressing and mixing evenly.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halved for easy bites and bright color.
- Mozzarella cheese: Cut into cubes for a creamy, mild contrast.
- Pepperoni slices: Quartered for a pop of flavor in every bite.
- Black olives: Sliced and savory—adds a salty touch.
- Italian dressing: Store-bought (like Olive Garden) works great here for convenience and flavor.
- Red & blue food coloring: For dyeing portions of the pasta and giving it that patriotic look.
- Water: Used to help mix the food coloring into the pasta.
- Olive oil: helps to prevent the colored pasta from bleeding into the white pasta.
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- Mixing bowl
How to make red white and blue pasta salad
- Boil the rotini according to the package instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water.
- Divide the cooled pasta into three equal portions.
- Set one portion aside (toss to coat with olive oil.)
- In two separate zip top bags or bowls, mix a small amount of water with red food coloring in one, and blue food coloring in another. Add one part to one bag and the last post into the second bag.
- Massage each bag gently till the pasta is well coated. Let it sit for 5 mins then rinse in cold water. Transfer the colored pasta into the bowl with the plain pasta.
- Combine all three colors of pasta with the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pepperoni, and black olives.
- Pour the Italian dressing over the top and toss everything together until well coated.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors come together.
What to serve with this pasta salad
This red white and blue pasta salad goes great with grilled burgers, BBQ chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, or veggie skewers.
It’s also a great addition to a picnic spread alongside baked beans, coleslaw, watermelon blueberry salad, and corn on the cob.
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. No reheating is needed, this pasta salad is best served cold or at room temperature. If it starts to dry out, just stir in a bit more dressing before serving.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta. A firm texture holds up best in salads.
- Use gel food coloring for bolder colors: Liquid coloring works too but may be lighter.
- Stir gently when tossing: This keeps the pasta from tearing and the colors from mixing.
- Let it chill before serving: It tastes even better after the flavors have had time to blend.
- Cool the pasta completely before mixing with cheese to avoid melting.
- Make ahead, this pasta salad is even better after a few hours in the fridge.
FAQs
Yes, bowtie or penne will also work, but rotini holds the dressing really well.
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a classic, but a red wine vinaigrette or lemon-based dressing would also be good.
Absolutely! Make it the day before, store it in the fridge, and stir in a little extra dressing before serving.
Grilled chicken make a great additions if you want to turn it into a full meal.
More red white and blue recipes
- Watermelon blueberry feta salad
- Red white and blue ice cream
- 4th of July cake balls
- Red white and blue Jell-O shots
Check out all our 4th of July recipes.
You should try this patriotic pasta salad too!
This red white and blue pasta salad is a festive twist on a classic summer side. With its bold colors and crowd-pleasing flavors, it’s an easy way to bring something fun to your next holiday cookout.
Whether you’re serving it for Memorial Day or a 4th of July bash, it’s a bright and tasty way to celebrate.
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Red, White and Blue Pasta salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (cut in halves)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese (cut into ½-inch cubes)
- ¾ cup pepperoni slices (cut into quarters)
- ½ cup black olives (sliced)
- 16 ounces Italian dressing
- Red food coloring
- Blue food coloring
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water (divided)
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Once cooked, drain and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Transfer one-third of the pasta to a large bowl, this will be the plain “white” portion of the salad.
- Toss it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to keep it from sticking and to help prevent the colored pasta from bleeding into it later when everything is mixed together.
Prepare the color bags
- Add 3–4 drops of red food coloring and 1 tablespoon of water to a zip-top bag.
- Do the same with blue food coloring in a second bag. These will be used to color the pasta.
Color the pasta
- Split the remaining two-thirds of the pasta evenly between the red and blue bags.
- Seal the bags well and gently knead them to coat the pasta in color. If the color isn’t bold enough, add an extra drop of food coloring and a bit more water.
Let the Color Set
- Let the colored pasta sit in the sealed bags for about 5 minutes. This helps the color soak in.
- Afterward, rinse the colored noodles under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain thoroughly.
Mix the Pasta Colors
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the red, white, and blue pasta. Gently toss to evenly distribute the colors.
- Stir in the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pepperoni, and black olives. Mix gently so everything stays colorful and intact.
Dress the Salad
- Pour a full bottle of Italian dressing over the salad and toss until every bite is coated.
- Cover the salad and pop it into the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Chilling helps the flavors blend and makes this dish extra refreshing.
Notes
- Rotini, fusilli, or bow ties work great for this salad. The shape holds the dressing and color well.
- Gloves help if you’re worried about food coloring staining your hands.
- Don’t skip the rinse step after coloring, or your white pasta could turn pink or purple.
- Make it ahead! This salad holds up well in the fridge and is great for parties, cookouts, or Fourth of July celebrations.
