Halloween Pasta Salad
A fun and spooky pasta salad featuring mushroom skulls, mozzarella eyeballs, and colorful bell pepper shapes, perfect for Halloween parties.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dry pasta (rotini, cellantani, or your favorite variety)
- Water (enough to boil pasta)
- Kosher salt (generous amount for seasoning the water)
- 0.5 teaspoon super black gel food coloring (optional for a spooky look)
- 8 pieces white button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 pieces marinated mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto (thin with olive oil if needed)
- 5 pieces pitted black olives (whole, medium or large)
- 1 large orange bell pepper (stem and seeds removed)
- 0.5 cup Italian dressing (use a flavor-packed version)
Instructions
- Prepare mushroom skulls by wiping mushrooms clean, trimming the stem, and using a straw to create eye sockets. Carve nostrils and teeth, then slice each mushroom in half vertically. Cook in a skillet with butter and olive oil until golden brown.
- Boil a large pot of salted water, adding black gel food coloring if desired. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and rinse briefly under cold water.
- For mozzarella eyeballs, slice olives in half and cut out pupils. Carve a shallow well in each mozzarella ball and fill with pesto, then place an olive pupil on top.
- Slice the bell pepper in half and use mini cookie cutters to create shapes. Add cooked pasta, mushroom skulls, and bell pepper cutouts to a large bowl.
- Pour Italian dressing over the salad and toss gently. Arrange mozzarella eyeballs on top and serve chilled or at room temperature.
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Notes
Store leftovers in separate containers to keep components fresh. Assembled salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.