Chaos Cake Rainbow Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Vivid, playful pasta salad loaded with vegetables and creamy dressing for festive, crowd-pleasing taste.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz rotini or fusilli pasta (multicolored preferred)

→ Vegetables & Mix-Ins

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 1/2 cup shredded carrots
07 - 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels, drained
08 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
09 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
10 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

→ Dressing

11 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
12 - 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
13 - 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
16 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
17 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

19 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
20 - 2 tbsp rainbow sprinkles (optional)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Boil a generous amount of salted water in a large pot. Cook the pasta until al dente, following package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water to achieve complete cooling.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, artfully combine the cooled pasta with the cherry tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, shredded purple cabbage, chopped baby spinach, shredded carrots, corn kernels, diced cucumber, sliced black olives, and finely diced red onion.
03 - In a separate, smaller bowl, vigorously whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey or agave syrup, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper until a smooth emulsion is formed.
04 - Generously pour the prepared dressing over the combined pasta and vegetable mixture. Gently toss to ensure every component is evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Refrigerate the pasta salad for a minimum of 15 minutes. This crucial step allows the distinct flavors to harmonize and develop.
06 - Prior to presentation, artfully sprinkle the salad with fresh chopped parsley. For an added touch of whimsy, if desired, scatter rainbow sprinkles over the top.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish
  • Uses everyday vegetables you likely have on hand
  • Perfect make ahead dish that tastes even better the next day
  • Adaptable to any season or dietary preference
02 -
  • Perfect for meal prep stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
  • Contains vegetables from every color of the rainbow maximizing nutritional variety
  • Easily customizable for different dietary needs and preferences
03 -
  • Always cook pasta in heavily salted water for the best flavor foundation. Undersalt the dressing slightly to compensate.
  • Rinse pasta thoroughly with cold water for pasta salad specifically this stops the cooking process and washes away excess starch that would make your salad gummy.
  • Cut all ingredients to similar sizes for the perfect balanced bite and most appealing presentation.

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