Jeepers this pasta salad is really good! Jeepers Salad draws all eyes to it with its colorful mix of tangy olives, crunchy cauliflower, tender pasta, bright tomatoes, and crisp peppers; it certainly tastes like the perfect festive Halloween side dish! But no dish this season would be complete without a costume, and Jeepers Salad certainly has the dressing to fit with the occasion: sweet, savory, garlicky, smooth, and scarlet. Don’t be surprised if trick-or-treaters come to your door asking for a bowl of this instead of candy!
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 ounces fusilli or other spiral pasta, uncooked
- 1 medium zucchini, julienned
- 1 cup fresh cauliflower florets
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 1 cup colossal ripe olives, halved
- 3/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 small onion, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup canola oil
Directions
Step 1 –Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions.
Step 2 –Drain the cooked pasta and rinse it with cold water. Drain again well.
Step 3 –Transfer the cooked pasta to a large serving bowl.
Step 4 –Add the zucchini, the cauliflower, the tomatoes, the green pepper, the red onion, the colossal ripe olives, and the pimiento-stuffed olives to the pasta.
Step 5 –In a blender, add the ketchup, the sugar, the white vinegar, the garlic, the paprika, the salt, and the small onion.
Step 6 –Cover the blender and process the dressing ingredients until blended.
Step 7 –While the blender is processing, gradually and steadily stream in the canola oil, processing until the dressing has thickened.
Step 8 –Add the dressing to the salad, tossing to coat.
Step 9 –Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Step 10 –Serve chilled.