Festive 4th of July Pasta Salad

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Festive 4th of July Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs rotini noodles
  • 4 small cans of sliced black olives
  • 3/4 of a large bag of pepperoni
  • 1 block of mozzarella cheese (or 2-3 cups of cubed mozzarella)
  • 1 lb cherry tomatoes
  • Red and blue food coloring
  • 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 bottles of Italian dressing

Instructions:

  1. Boil the Pasta:
    • Cook the rotini noodles in a large pot of boiling water until tender, following the package instructions (usually around 8-10 minutes).
    • Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Color the Pasta:
    • Divide the pasta into three equal parts, placing each portion into separate bowls.
    • Add 3-4 drops of red food coloring to one bowl, and 3-4 drops of blue food coloring to another bowl. Leave the third bowl plain.
    • Add a teaspoon of water to each colored bowl to help coat the noodles evenly. Stir gently to distribute the color.
    • Let the colored pasta sit for 5-7 minutes to allow the color to set, then rinse each batch under cold water to remove any excess coloring.
    • Transfer the colored and plain pasta back to separate bowls and add 1 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil to each to prevent sticking.
  3. Prepare the Ingredients:
    • Slice the cherry tomatoes into thirds.
    • Stack the pepperoni slices and cut them into quarters using kitchen scissors.
    • Open and drain the cans of sliced black olives.
    • If using a block of mozzarella cheese, cut it into small cubes (you should have about 2-3 cups).
  4. Combine the Ingredients:
    • In a large serving bowl or party tray, combine the colored and plain pasta.
    • Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, quartered pepperoni, drained black olives, and cubed mozzarella cheese.
    • Pour the 2 bottles of Italian dressing over the mixture and toss everything together until well combined.
  5. Chill and Serve:
    • Cover the pasta salad and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it sit overnight to allow the flavors to meld together.
  6. Enjoy:
    • Serve your festive pasta salad chilled and enjoy the colorful, flavorful dish at your 4th of July party!

Note: Feel free to adjust the ingredients to your liking. You can add more or less of any ingredient to suit your taste preferences.

Cost: This recipe cost approximately $15-20 when doubling the ingredients.

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