Halloween Pasta Salad
Spooky-cute Halloween Pasta Salad with purple pasta, cucumber skulls, and mozzarella-olive eyeballs tossed in zesty Italian dressing. Easy, make-ahead, and party-perfect!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 Cucumbers, washed
- 1 16-oz box Short Pasta (I like rotini-spiral)
- Water (per package + salt)
- Black or Purple Food Coloring
- 1 ½ cups Diced Ham
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- ½ Red Onion, diced
- ⅓ cup Shredded Carrots
- 1 16-oz bottle Italian Dressing (use ~1 cup to start; add more to taste)
- 1 8-oz package Mozzarella Pearls
- 1 3-oz can Sliced Olives, drained
Instructions
Make the Cucumber Skulls
- Slice cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds. Use the large end of a piping tip (or a clean bottle cap) to punch cheek hollows at the 5 and 7 o’clock positions.
- Flip the tip and use the small end to punch two eyes. With a paring knife, add two short slits between the cheeks for “teeth.” Refrigerate to keep crisp.
Tint the Cooking Water
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add food coloring until the water looks very dark (black or purple both yield deep purple pasta). Salt the water.
- Cooking Tip: Dye the water—not the cooked pasta—for the most even color without sticky residue.
Cook the Pasta
- Add pasta and boil per package directions until al dente. Drain, then rinse briefly with cool water to stop cooking and help set the color.
Toss the Salad
- In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, about 1 cup Italian dressing (add more to taste if needed, or before serving), ham, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped red onion, shredded carrots, half the mozzarella pearls, and half of the cucumber skulls. Gently toss to coat.
Decorate
- Top with remaining cucumber skulls. Scatter the remaining mozzarella pearls over the top and place an olive slice on each pearl to make “eyeballs.”
Chill & Serve
- Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour so flavors meld. Stir and add a splash of dressing before serving if needed.
Notes
- Start with 1 cup dressing; add more to taste.
- Dark pasta color may lighten slightly after rinsing/chilling.
Yield & Storage
- Makes ~12 cups total; 8 side-dish servings (~1½ cups each).
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container 3–4 days. Stir and add a splash of dressing if it seems dry. (Do not freeze; the pasta and veggies weep on thawing.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 1125mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g
