Description
Eyeball Pasta Salad is a spooky, fun twist on a classic pasta salad, featuring mini mozzarella balls topped with black olive ‘pupils’ to resemble eyeballs. This colorful salad combines rotini pasta with fresh vegetables like cucumber, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and a mix of olives, all tossed in a tangy balsamic and Italian seasoning dressing. It’s perfect for Halloween parties or any festive gathering where you want to impress guests with creativity and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese
- 200g rotini or fusilli pasta
- 150g mini mozzarella balls
- 1 black olive (sliced into rounds)
Vegetables
- Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half, about 10-12)
- 1 cucumber (diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (diced)
- 50g black olives (sliced)
- 50g green olives (sliced)
- Fresh basil leaves (chopped, about 2 tablespoons)
Dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Create the Eyeballs: Take each mini mozzarella ball and carefully press a slice of black olive onto it to resemble the pupil of an eyeball. Set these mozzarella eyeballs aside to arrange on top of the salad later.
- Combine Vegetables and Olives: Add the diced cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, and both sliced black and green olives into the bowl with the pasta. Mix gently so everything combines evenly.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until the dressing is emulsified and well combined.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Garnish and Chill: Sprinkle the chopped fresh basil over the salad for an added burst of color and freshness. Arrange the mozzarella eyeballs decoratively on top of the salad. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the chilled Eyeball Pasta Salad at your next party or gathering, impressing guests with this creepy yet delicious dish that blends fun presentation with fresh, vibrant flavors.
Notes
- Use rotini or fusilli pasta for better sauce and ingredient cling.
- Be gentle when assembling the mozzarella eyeballs to avoid breaking the cheese balls.
- Chilling the salad before serving enhances the flavor melding but can be served immediately if you are short on time.
- Feel free to add a splash of lemon juice to the dressing for an extra zing.
- This salad is vegetarian but not vegan due to the mozzarella cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Eyeball Pasta Salad, Halloween pasta salad, mozzarella eyeballs, spooky pasta salad, Italian pasta salad, vegetarian pasta salad
