Pittsburgh Steelers Pasta Salad
Pittsburgh Steelers pasta salad is a great way to show your Steeler’s pride! Perfect for brunches, Super bowl parties, or really any get together where you want to show off your team colors proudly.
We love Pittsburgh sports teams.
Sure, we aren’t from the city, but we’ve spent a lot of time there and when football season roll around, you can bet the boys and I are all rooting for the Pittsburgh teams.
So it’s fun during football season (or heck during baseball or hockey season too since the colors are the same) to make food that goes with the game and shows our Steelers pride.
And this yummy pasta salad is delicious and just as easy to make as regular pasta salad so you can whip it up anytime there’s a big game.
Ingredients
- Elbow noodles – I use uncooked elbow noodles, but bow ties or other small pasta can work too.
- Water
- Food coloring – You’ll need both yellow and red food coloring for the pasta to get the Steeler’s colors.
- Mayonnaise – I use regular mayonnaise for the best flavor and creaminess. But Miracle Whip will also work great in this recipe too!
- Vinegar – You can use either white vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Granulated sugar – The sugar adds a bit of sweetness to the pasta salad.
- Seasonings – You’ll need yellow mustard, salt, and black pepper.
- White onion – I use a white onion, but a yellow onion or even a red onion could work too.
- Celery – You can get prediced celery or dice up fresh stalks yourself.
- Black olives – They add flavor and the black part of the Steeler’s colors.
How to make
To start divide the water evenly between two medium pots so that 4 cups are in each.
Add 80 drops of food coloring to one pot: 77 yellow and 3 red drops.
Heat both pots of water over high heat and bring them to a rapid boil.
Once the water comes to a boil, add half the pasta or 2 cups to one pot and the remaining half to the other pot.
Reduce the heat on both pots and let the pasta simmer according to the package instructions.
You’ll need to stir it occasionally as it cooks.
It should take about 10 minutes depending on the pasta you use.
Completely drain the pasta water and then run it briefly under cool water, tossing to evenly disperse the heat.
Set it aside.
While the pasta cools, you can make the dressing.
Add the mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl.
Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Refrigerate until the pasta’s cool.
When the pasta is cool, add it to the dressing and use tongs to toss until evenly coated.
Finally, add in the onion, celery, and olives.
Use your tongs to toss it so the veggies are evenly distributed.
Serve cool and enjoy!
Storing
Store this pasta salad in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
When you are ready to serve, spoon it into a bowl or allow people to help themselves to a side of pasta salad.
Tips and tricks
Here are some tips to make this Steelers pasta salad.
- For added flavor and crunch, I recommend adding additional veggies. My favorites are a single, diced green bell pepper, 1/4 cup grated carrot, chopped cucumbers, and peas. For some added protein, you can add a chopped hard boiled egg.
- Make sure you let the pasta cool to room temperature before tossing. This allows the coloring to set before tossing with the dressing.
- For the creamiest results, make the pasta about an hour before serving. The pasta will absorb more of the moisture the longer it sits, which will create a creamier pasta salad.
- To make ahead, cook the pasta as instructed, drain it, and store in a sealed container overnight. When you are ready to serve, make the dressing and toss the veggies, dressing, and pasta together.
- For more team colors, you can check McCormick’s guide to making team colors here.
Other tailgating recipes you may like
This Pittsburgh Steelers pasta salad is our favorite way to show our team pride.
Make it for your next football party.
Hungry for more football inspired recipes?
Check out some of my other favorites:
Looking for other authentic Pittsburgh recipes?
Whip up a Pittsburgh salad for lunch or dinner, and don’t forget a batch of Nonna’s city chicken while you’re at it!
If you’ve tried this PITTSBURG STEELERS PASTA SALAD or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Pittsburgh Steelers Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups elbow noodles uncooked, divided
- 8 cups water divided
- yellow food coloring
- red food coloring
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 large white onion finely chopped
- 2-3 stalks celery diced
- 1/2-1 cup sliced black olives
Instructions
- Divide the water evenly between two medium pots- 4 cups in each. To one pot of water, add 80 drops of food coloring- 77 yellow and 3 red.
- Heat both pots of water over high heat to bring them to a boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add half the pasta (2 cups) to one pot and the remaining half to the other. Reduce the heat and let the pasta simmer according to the package instructions, stirring occasionally, until cooked.
- Drain the pasta completely of water, run it briefly under cool water tossing to evenly disperse, and then set it aside.
- While the pasta cools, make the dressing. To a large mixing bowl, add the mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, & pepper. Whisk together until the mixture's smooth. Refrigerate just until the pasta's cool.
- Add the cooked pasta to the dressing, tossing until evenly coated.
- Add in the onion, celery, and olives- again tossing just until everything's evenly incorporated.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- For added flavor and crunch, I recommend adding additional veggies. My favorites are a single, diced green bell pepper, 1/4 cup grated carrot, chopped cucumbers, and peas. For some added protein, you can add a chopped hard boiled egg.
- Make sure you let the pasta cool to room temperature before tossing. This allows the coloring to set before tossing with the dressing.
- For the creamiest results, make the pasta about an hour before serving. The pasta will absorb more of the moisture the longer it sits, which will create a creamier pasta salad.
- To make ahead, cook the pasta as instructed, drain it, and store in a sealed container overnight. When you are ready to serve, make the dressing and toss the veggies, dressing, and pasta together.
- For more team colors, you can check McCormick's guide to making team colors here.
Nutrition
