Red, White and Blue Pasta salad
Are you looking for a fun and festive side dish to celebrate the 4th of July? This red white and blue pasta salad is a colorful, crowd-pleasing dish that’s tasty and fun to make.
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 17gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 1050mgPotassium: 357mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 534IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 175mgIron: 2mg
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