Description

A spooky and fun Halloween Pasta Salad featuring colorful dyed noodles, mozzarella eyeballs, and a zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for Halloween parties or potlucks.

Ingredients

16 oz (1 lb) rotini pasta (or any short pasta)

Black and purple food coloring (gel preferred)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup black olives, sliced

1 cup mini mozzarella balls

½ cup diced bell peppers (orange, green, or red)

½ cup sliced cucumber or zucchini

Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional spooky toppings: candy eyeballs, Halloween toothpicks, shaped cheese slices (bats, pumpkins)

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Instructions

Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
Dye the Pasta: Divide the pasta into two bowls. Add purple food coloring to one bowl and black to the other. Mix and let sit for 5-10 minutes to set the color.
Rinse and Combine: Rinse the dyed pasta lightly and combine both batches in a large bowl.
Add the Mix-ins: Toss in cherry tomatoes, black olives, diced bell peppers, sliced cucumber or zucchini, and mini mozzarella balls.
Dress the Salad: Pour Italian dressing over the pasta and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to meld the flavors.
Garnish & Serve: Add spooky toppings like candy eyeballs, Halloween-themed toothpicks, or shaped cheese slices before serving.

Notes

For added protein, you can toss in chickpeas, tofu, or diced chicken.

Feel free to add other veggies like corn, peas, or carrots for more crunch.

To make it spicy, add sliced jalapeños or red pepper flakes to the salad.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Side Dish, Party Food
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 180
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 300mg
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 10mg