Groovy ‘Who Brought That’ Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound tri-color rotini pasta
• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 5 drops red food coloring
• 5 drops green food coloring
• 5 drops blue food coloring
• 5 drops yellow food coloring
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 carrots, grated

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain and rinse under cold water.

Put 2 tablespoons water in each of 4 resealable plastic bags; add red food coloring to a bag. Add green food coloring to second bag. Add blue food coloring to third bag. Add yellow food coloring to fourth bag.

Divide rotini among the four bags; squeeze bag to evenly color rotini. Set aside to allow color to saturate, about 10 minutes. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.

Whisk sugar, vinegar, oil, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved into dressing.

Mix onion, green bell pepper, and carrots into pasta. Drizzle dressing over pasta mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate until flavors blend, at least 2 hours.