Red White Blue Pasta Salad
Looking for the best side dish for all your summer get togethers? This Red White Blue Pasta Salad is going to be your new favorite.
Every bbq or cookout this summer needs a pasta salad and this one is perfect for all those summer holidays!! Red, white and blue pasta gets tossed with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, onion and bell pepper to create a patriotic side that will wow your guests!
This fun little pasta salad has become a 4th of July tradition in our house. It’s colorful, kid-friendly, and super easy to throw together, my favorite kind of recipe.
This is exactly the kind of recipe I love when summer gets busy and I’m juggling a million things (getting 3 kids to the pool isn’t easy lol).
I first made this on a whim years ago, just trying to make something festive for the kids. I dyed part of the pasta red and blue, tossed it with some chopped pepperoni and mozzarella cubes, and used what veggies I had in the fridge.
It turned out so cute and actually really tasty, so now it makes an appearance at every cookout, pool party, and backyard BBQ. It is the best side dish for the 4th of July! Of course anything red white and blue is perfect for the 4th.
We are already grilling out of the 4th and what better than this delicious pasta salad to go on the side. I really like this recipe because it doesn’t have a lot of stuff that my kids won’t eat. But it is also totally customizable and you can add anything you want to it. Make it your own!
The best part about this summer pasta salad? You can totally make this ahead of time and just keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. And it’s always a hit with both kids and adults—my boys love picking out the pepperoni and cheese first, of course! It’s fun, it’s festive, and it’s a super simple way to add a little red, white, and blue to your summer table without a lot of fuss.
So this summer make this Red White and Blue Pasta Salad, I promise it will be the hit of your 4th of July!
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s fun: The colors really wow everyone and no one can resist it!
- It travels well: This is a great make-ahead option for BBQs, potlucks, and cookouts. It tastes even better once it sits for a bit in the fridge.
- It’s easy and fast: Boil the pasta, chop a few things, toss it all together. Done.
- It’s a conversation starter. Everyone always asks about it, and they always go back for seconds.
- Picky Eater Approved: This is a simple pasta without a lot of thing my kids don’t like so it is very kid friendly especially with it’s bright colors.
Substitutions:
One of the things I love about this pasta salad and any pasta salad is how easy it is to customize depending on what your family likes (or what your picky eaters will actually eat!).
You can use any short pasta, penne, shells, elbows, whatever you’ve got in the pantry.
Food Coloring: Not a fan of food coloring? Totally fine to skip it! You’ll still have a delicious pasta salad, just not as bright and patriotic. You can also use natural food colorings.
Swap out the pepperoni for diced salami, turkey pepperoni, or even cooked bacon crumbles. Or leave it out completely for a vegetarian version.
You can use any cheese you like in this recipe.
If onions aren’t your thing, try green onions or leave them out altogether.
Swap out the bell pepper for halved cherry tomatoes.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve it cold or slightly chilled, it’s perfect for hot summer days.
It’s great alongside burgers, grilled chicken, ribs, or anything off the grill.
I love serving it in a big white bowl for the colors to really pop!
If you’re doing a full red, white & blue spread, pair this with strawberry shortcake and maybe some festive drinks with fresh berries.
Some of our favorite side dishes we love: Pickle Pasta Salad, Pickle Potato Salad, Hawaiian Baked Beans.
You will want to make this delicious easy summer pasta salad again and again! We do!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe:
Can I make this pasta salad ahead of time?
Yes! In fact, I recommend it. You can make it the night before and let it chill in the fridge—the flavors get even better after they’ve had time to sit. Just give it a quick stir before serving.
Do I have to use food coloring?
Nope! The food coloring is just for fun and that extra festive look, especially for the 4th of July or Memorial Day. If you’d rather skip it, you’ll still have a delicious, colorful salad thanks to the peppers, mozzarella, and pepperoni.
What kind of pasta works best?
I love using rotini or bowtie pasta because they hold onto the dressing really well and look cute in the bowl. But honestly, anything short and bite-sized will work just fine, use what you have!
Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely. Just leave out the pepperoni or swap it for veggie-friendly pepperoni or chickpeas for a little extra protein.
How long does it last in the fridge?
It keeps really well for 3–4 days in an airtight container. If it starts to look a little dry, you can add a splash more dressing before serving.
Can I double the recipe for a big group?
Yes! This recipe is super easy to scale up if you’re feeding a crowd. It’s always a hit at parties, so I recommend making extra anyway!
What if I don’t like red onion?
No problem! You can leave it out, swap in green onions, or even use some diced cucumber for crunch without the bite.
Ingredients used for this 4th of July Pasta Salad:
- Short pasta: Any short pasta will work, I use celletini for its cute corkscrew shape.
- Red and blue food coloring: Totally optional, but it adds that festive pop! I dye ⅓ of the pasta red, ⅓ blue, and leave the rest plain for the white.
- Mini Pepperoni: Adds a salty, savory bite, plus, it’s always a kid favorite.
- Mozzarella: You can use cubed or pearls. It adds a creamy, mild flavor everyone loves.
- Red onion: Adds a little crunch and zip. If you’re worried about it being too strong, you can soak it in cold water for a few minutes to mellow it out.
- Red bell pepper, diced: Perfect for the red part of your color combo and adds a crunch.
- Italian dressing: Use your favorite bottled version or homemade if you’re feeling fancy. It brings everything together with that zesty, herby flavor.
How to make this red white and blue pasta salad:
- To a bowl add your smoked sausage.
- Add the cola, brown sugar, mustard and chili powder.
- Give everything a stir until it is well combined.
- Add the sausage to the slow cooker and cover.
- Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on slow.
- For the last half of the cooking process I remove the lid from the slow cooker so the sauce can get thick.
- At the end of cooking if the sauce is not thick and glazy enough you can add the sausage to a baking dish and broil until glazy.
- Serve!
How To Store:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Red White Blue Pasta Salad
Every bbq or cookout this summer needs a pasta salad and this one is perfect for all those summer holidays!! Red, white and blue pasta gets tossed with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, onion and bell pepper to create a patriotic side that will wow your guests!
Ingredients
- 16 ounce box of short pasta (I used Cellentani)
- 2-3 drops red food coloring
- 2-3 drops blue food coloring
- 1 cup mini pepperoni
- 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 16 ounces italian dressing (not a creamy kind)
Instructions
- Boil your pasta al dente according to box directions.
- Drain and set aside.
- To a large ziploc bag add 3 drops of red food coloring and 1 tablespoon of water.
- Repeat with another bag and the blue food coloring.
- Divide your pasta into 3.
- Place one portion in the bag with the red food coloring.
- Place another portion in the bag with the blue food coloring.
- Set the remaining portion aside.
- Gently toss the pasta around in the sealed ziploc bags until the pasta is all evenly colored. Set aside to really soak in for about 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl add the the pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, onion and bell pepper.
- Add the italian dressing and stir to combine.
- Add the white pasta to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Rinse the blue pasta and red pasta to remove any excess color.
- Add the red and blue pasta to the bowl and toss gently to combine everything.
- Chill for an hour and serve!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 days.
- Add any vegetables you like, celery, olives, banana peppers, anything you like.
- You can add some red pepper flake to spice this up.
- Use any cheese you like.
- You can use salami instead of pepperoni if you prefer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 295Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 924mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 8g
Did you make this RED WHITE AND BLUE PASTA SALAD, tell me how you liked it in the comments! For more delicious family friendly recipes you can follow me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK
Want more patriotic recipes? Check these out!
- Red, White, and Blue Mile High Pound Cake
- Red, White, and Blue lush
- Red, White, and Blue pudding pops
- Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars
- Red, White, and Blue Dirt Cups
- Patriotic Pretzels
