Halloween Pasta Salad

This salad is a total conversation starter, but here's the best part, it's easy enough to whip up on a weeknight and festive enough to serve at a party. It's the kind of dish my boys would beg me to make when they were younger (and honestly, even now in their late teens they still think it's hilarious). If you love fun seasonal recipes, you should also check out this Halloween Mac and Cheese!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need:

• Pasta - Black bean spaghetti works perfectly for the spooky look, but you can also cook regular spaghetti with black food coloring.
• Bell pepper - Orange adds the Halloween color pop, but red works too.
• Red cabbage - Grated for texture and that eerie purple contrast.
• Green onions - Sharp and fresh, balances the richness.
• Black olives - For both the salad and the creepy eyeball effect.
• Cheese strings - Cut into rounds to make the "eyeballs."
• Olive oil + red wine vinegar - My quick homemade dressing, but bottled Italian dressing works if you're in a rush.
• Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and optional Parmesan or basil for garnish.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

Cook the pasta
Bring salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions. Aim for al dente - nobody wants mushy spooky noodles! Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.

Prep the veggies
Chop the bell pepper and green onions. Grate the red cabbage. (Bonus: use a star-shaped cookie cutter on the peppers if you want an extra festive touch.)

Make the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assemble the salad
Toss cooled pasta, bell pepper, green onions, and red cabbage in a large bowl. Add dressing and mix gently.

Make the eyeballs
Slice cheese strings into thick rounds. Use a straw to poke a hole in the center, then press in a small black olive slice for the pupil. Place them throughout the salad.

Chill and serve
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors meld. Serve in a Halloween bowl for extra fun.

Tips for Success

• Don't skip rinsing the pasta. it keeps the noodles from clumping.
• If you're short on time, use bottled Italian dressing.
• For extra spook factor, scatter plastic spider rings or fake cobwebs around your serving dish (just not on the salad itself!).

How to make black pasta with regular white pasta using black food coloring

Pasta:

• 1 (16 ounce) package of regular spaghetti
• Black food coloring (gel or liquid)

Intructions:

• Bring to a boil a large pot of water and cook the regular spaghetti according to the package instructions. Be sure to cook it al dente for the best texture.
• While the spaghetti is cooking, prepare the black food coloring. Add a few drops of black food coloring to a bowl of cold water. Once the spaghetti is done cooking, drain it, and then rinse it under cold water. Transfer the drained spaghetti to the bowl with the black food coloring water and toss to evenly coat the spaghetti with the black color. Adjust the amount of food coloring to achieve your desired shade of black.