Bloody Mary Pasta Salad
This bloody mary pasta salad brings the magic of the cocktail to a pasta salad and is surprisingly delicious! Bloody mary mix is a great base for a vinaigrette, and with extra horseradish, this dressing is just made for pasta.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup bloody mary mix, such as zing zang®
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pickled pepperoncini brine
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1 (7 ounce) block aged white cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup drained pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced crosswise
- 1 cup drained sliced pickled pepperoncini
Direction
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add rotini, and cook until tender with a bite, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain well and arrange on a large rimmed baking sheet to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring often, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and discard drippings.
- Whisk together bloody mary mix, oil, horseradish, and pepperoncini brine in a medium bowl until emulsified. Set aside.
- Combine cooled pasta, cooked bacon, cherry tomatoes, celery, Cheddar, olives, and sliced pepperoncini in a large bowl; pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 1 hour.