Spooky Black Bean Pasta Salad (Print View)

Colorful pasta tossed with black beans, veggies, and spooky olive eyes for festive Halloween gatherings.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 340 g black bean or squid ink pasta (fusilli or rotini)
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Vegetables and Beans

03 - 425 g can black beans, drained and rinsed
04 - 150 g orange bell pepper, diced
05 - 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 100 g purple cabbage, thinly shredded
07 - 75 g corn kernels (canned or thawed frozen)
08 - 30 g red onion, finely diced

→ Spooky Garnish

09 - 12 black olives, pitted and sliced into rings
10 - 12 small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) or vegan alternative

→ Dressing

11 - 60 ml olive oil
12 - 30 ml red wine vinegar
13 - 15 ml fresh lime juice
14 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
17 - Salt, to taste
18 - Black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to cool completely.
02 - While the pasta is cooking, prepare all fresh produce. Dice the orange bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly shred the purple cabbage, and finely dice the red onion.
03 - In a generous mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, drained and rinsed black beans, diced bell pepper, halved tomatoes, shredded cabbage, corn kernels, and diced red onion.
04 - In a separate small bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lime juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified.
05 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - For the festive 'eyeballs,' place one sliced black olive ring onto each small mozzarella ball or its vegan alternative. Arrange these 'eyeballs' decoratively over the surface of the salad.
07 - Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in just 30 minutes for last-minute Halloween party prep
  • Uses everyday ingredients dressed up in Halloween colors
  • Makes a nutritious option amid all the candy and sweets
  • Perfect make-ahead dish that gets better as it sits
02 -
  • Perfect make-ahead dish that can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance
  • Naturally vegetarian and easily made vegan by omitting or substituting mozzarella
  • Creates a nutritional powerhouse with protein from beans and plenty of vegetables
03 -
  • Always cook pasta in water that tastes like the sea—properly salted water makes all the difference in the final flavor of your pasta salad. I learned this lesson the hard way after years of bland pasta dishes!
  • For the most vibrant presentation, prepare the dressing and chop all vegetables before cooking the pasta. This allows you to assemble quickly while the pasta is at its perfect temperature and texture.
  • The key to those perfect olive eyeballs is using small cocktail olives and slicing them into rings rather than halves. The thin rings create a more realistic pupil effect that truly elevates the Halloween theme.

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