Rainbow Pasta

Rainbow pasta is so simple to do that once you learn how to dye pasta, dinner time will never be the same! Whether its a movie night (Hello Dr. Seuss fun!), you are babysitting, or simple want to get your kids to eat ANTYING, dying pasta may just be the ticket. 

We do a lot of very serious recipes around here from dips to main dish dinners but what I really wanted to do recently is something FUN. Going way back to my craft blogger roots, I wanted to share with you how to make kid friendly pasta (to eat) by dying it rainbow colors.  

Now if you are looking for colored pasta to NOT eat, you know like dying macaroni for necklaces, you can check this article on Dying Pasta for Play that we have on our craft website. 

DYING PASTA INGREDIENT LIST

Dying pasta is relatively simple but you should still read the article to find out the best tips and tricks so you do not have too much color bleeding. And while dyed pasta is super awesome to eat, its just as fun to play with in sensory bins. 

Before you get started on dying noodles in lots of pretty colors, here is what you need to have on hand to make the magic happen. Once you have verified you have all ingredients available, read through post. At the bottom is a printable recipe card as well.

• 1lb pasta – fettuccine or spaghetti works well
• neon food coloring
• Ziploc Baggies

How to make Rainbow Spaghetti

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.

Drain and rinse well with cold water.   

Divide the pasta into 5 separate small bags.

Add 1 tablespoon water and 20 drops of one color to a bag.

Seal bag shut and knead in your hands for colors to mix. Set aside.

Continue with remaining colors, letting set for about 5 minutes after kneading.   

Working on one color at a time, remove pasta from the bag and rinse with water and drain. Set aside.

Repeat with remaining colors and swirl pasta and heat before serving. 

What kind of sauce should be served on colored pasta?

It is true that once you add sauce (like red sauce or alfredo) it sorta detracts from the pretty colors, but kids still love it. If you want to keep the colors the center of attention, simply add butter and maybe some Parmesan cheese. Other than that, layer away at the meal with any kind of Italian sauce you want!

What about Food Dyes?? They are bad for you!

Before someone lays into me about food dye, I get it. And you can most definitely choose more organic food dyes if you prefer.

But I use food dyes to alter icing and to make other rainbow foods like Rainbow Cloud Bread, so here we are. 

Can dyed pasta be pre-made?

If you make pasta ahead, add the dyes and mix them up once you store them in the fridge the color will bleed a little on the lighter colors. So the purple will bleed onto the yellow. It’s not a big deal and looks like its “tied dyed”.

If you plan to serve the next day, I’d just keep in separate containers or bags before mixing, reheating and serving. 

Here is what it looks like all tied dyed – pretty cool!

What is the best food coloring brand for dying pasta?

I swear by the McCormick Neon Purple food coloring for the purple. I used standard Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and then the Neon Purple for the purple. Another brand that I really love for food dying (and crafting for that matter) is ColorRight. The kits are awesome and they have the brightest colors!

• Order NEON FOOD COLORING here on Amazon.
• Order ColorRight on Amazon.