So you’ve volunteered yourself to bring a salad to your Canada Day festivities this weekend. Splendid! Something cold you can whip up ahead of time! This salad is a classic pasta salad, with a twist. A firecracker twist! And by “firecracker” we mean…just a little kick of spice (thanks to our good friend, sriracha).
This recipe gets Canadian with red & white pasta you dye yourself, and all the fixings too. It’s a delicious addition to your spread, with minimal effort but all the impressive nature you desire when bringing food to a potluck. Let’s be real, it’s like standing in front of a panel of judges made up of your family & friends eating your food. We get it. It’s basically a small scale competition between you and Aunt May.
Make this your year, with a pasta that will have everyone buzzing!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
1 454g box bowtie (farfalle) pasta - cooked al dente, drained & cooled.
1/2 bottle Italian salad dressing
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
1 cup fresh mozzarella, bite sized
1/2 cup chorizo sliced (can also use mini pepperoni)
1/2 can white beans, drained & rinsed (white kidney or cannelini beans)
Sriracha sauce, to taste
20 drops red food coloring (more or less)
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Large Ziploc Bag
Method
With your pre-cooked pasta bowties, remove about 1/2 of them, and place into a ziploc bag. Add in about 20 drops of red food coloring, seal and shake until the color is well distributed.
Add the red pasta back into the uncolored "white" pasta, and begin to add the rest of your ingredients - onion, beans, tomatoes, mozzarella, chorizo/pepperoni, italian salad dressing & sriracha sauce.
Lightly toss until everything is well coated. The dye CAN run if you over-mix, so try to avoid this the best you can.
Set aside in your refrigerator until you are ready to serve! Garnish with parmesan cheese, if you choose.
Sarah Nicole
Since successfully losing 100lbs by changing her relationship with food and her body, Sarah has taken her passion for food and balanced it between cucumbers and cupcakes. When she's not bustling her way around a kitchen, you can find her working out or winding down at home with her 3 kids and pug. Follow Sarah's journey on Instagram @TheBirdsPapaya.
