Easy Edible Dyed Pasta

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Learn how to make edible dyed pasta the easy way with this step-by-step tutorial. This fun, colorful pasta is perfect for holidays and festive occasions—try it in a Halloween salad or rainbow-themed dish. It’s super easy and only uses two ingredients!

Orange and black dyed edible pasta on baking sheets.

Ingredients needed to make colored pasta to eat

You’ll need the following ingredients to make edible homemade colored pasta:

Ingredients needed to make edible dyed pasta to eat.

Pasta: You can use any size or shape you like! For this post, I did bow ties for my Halloween pasta salad because I thought they looked like mini bats! 🙂

Food coloring: No need to get fancy here. Any food coloring works. I usually just stick to the McCormick brand at the grocery store. The 4-pack comes in the primary colors so you can mix them to get pretty much any color you want!

Just note, if you are doing black, you can grab black food coloring on Amazon.

How to dye pasta: Step by Step

Dying pasta is easier than you think! It can be done in 4 easy steps:

Step 1: Boil and drain your pasta and reserve 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid for every color you want to make. For example, here we are dying the pasta two colors, so you would reserve 2 cups of liquid.

Bow tie pasta with a spoon in a strainer.

Step 2: Add 1 cup of the reserved cooking water to a medium bowl for each color you want to make. Add 1/2 tsp. of food coloring to each bowl. Stir. Check the color. Add more food coloring if needed to get the correct shade.

Colors for the edible dyed pasta in two small bowls.

Step 3: Add drained pasta to the bowl(s). Stir, stir, stir until the pasta in each bowl is completely submerged in the colored water(s). Let the pasta sit in the colored water for five minutes.

Step 4: Carefully drain and rinse the pasta in cool water. Note: Drain each color of pasta separately so the colors don’t mix. For best results, after draining, transfer each color pasta to a separate bowl until it’s had a chance to cool and dry completely so the colors don’t mix.

Black and orange Halloween pasta on a plate.

Your questions answered

Is dyed pasta safe to eat?

Yes! As long as you are using coloring that is specifically intended for food (like this one from McCormick), it’s perfectly safe!

Can I mix colors when I dye pasta?

Absolutely! All you need are the three primary colors (red, yellow, blue) and you can make any color you like. Tip: Start with a small amount of coloring and add more to adjust the shade. Here’s a quick color mixing chart:
Purple
3 drops red + 2 drops blue
Orange
3 drops red + 2 drops yellow
Green
3 drops yellow + 2 drops blue
Teal / Aqua
3 drops blue + 1 drop green
Pink
1–2 drops red (use less for lighter pink)
Brown
3 drops red + 3 drops blue + 2 drops yellow
Black
Equal parts red + blue + green (or use black food coloring)

How can I store edible dyed pasta?

Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3–5 days.

How to use dyed pasta

Festive pasta salads: Edible dyed cooked pasta looks so festive alongside mozzarella skulls in a black and orange Halloween pasta salad! It’s a hit at parties, picnics, or for picky eaters who love color. Switch up the colors for every holiday or festive occasion!

Rainbow spaghetti or linguine: Serve rainbow-colored spaghetti or linguine with butter or a light sauce for a visually exciting kid-friendly dinner. It’s a great surprise meal for birthdays, themed parties, or picky eaters who love color!

Arts and crafts: You can also dye UNCOOKED pasta, which is super easy, and perfect for crafts!

To dye uncooked pasta for crafts, place 1–2 cups of dry pasta in a zip-top bag, then add 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol (or white vinegar) and 5–10 drops of food coloring. Seal the bag and shake until the pasta is evenly coated. Spread the pasta out on a parchment-lined tray and let it dry completely—usually 1–2 hours or overnight.

Check out this orange and black Halloween salad!