How To Make Colored Pasta

How to Color Fresh Pasta

Fresh pasta is many things, but it is not one of them when it comes to being vibrantly colored. There are occasions when this doesn’t matter at all, such as when you’re smothering it in a rich, vibrant sauce or preparing uova in raviolo, for example. However, there are occasions when you want to make things as basic as possible without losing an appealing aesthetic. And sometimes all you want is a bowl of bright pink noodles, no matter how much you hate them. As a result, if you’ve been following our fresh pastaseries, you’re already aware that preparing pasta from scratch isn’t particularly difficult or time-consuming.

In fact, it is hardly even an additional step.

You can find our complete instructions for making fresh pasta right here if you’re a newcomer to the game.

However, while there are techniques to flavor your pasta, and we may discuss them in the future, colored pastas are mostly intended to be aesthetically pleasing.

Pasta Coloring Basics

The color of freshly made pasta varies, but it is never vibrantly colored. There are occasions when this doesn’t matter at all, such as when you’re smothering it in a rich, vibrant sauce or preparing uova in a raviolo shell. It is possible, though, to keep things extremely simple while yet maintaining an appealing presentation. Some days, all you want is some bright pink noodles, no matter how much you hate them. Fortunately, if you’ve been following our fresh pastaseries, you’re already aware that making pasta from scratch isn’t all that difficult or time-consuming to learn.

Not even an additional step is involved here.

(For those of you who are new to the game, you can find detailed instructions on how to make fresh pasta right here).

However, while there are techniques to flavor your pasta, and we may discuss them in the future, colored pastas are mostly an aesthetic endeavor.

Mixing

Prepare your flour by weighing it out and pouring it onto your work surface in a mound. Then, using your fingertips, cut a hole in the center of the doughnut, just like you would with a giant floury doughnut. You’ll want it to be rather wide—at least four inches—because we’ll be stuffing it with a lot of eggs later. You may just dump the eggs in — these photographs demonstrate the old-school approach, in which you whisk the eggs after they’re on the counter — but there’s no reason why you couldn’t whisk them ahead of time instead of just before.

Toss the flour into the egg mixture with a fork or your fingertips, working in small increments. Maintain the addition of flour until it is no longer necessary to use the fork—the dough should be moist and sticky, but it should remain together as one cohesive mass at this point.

Kneading

To remove any dough that has stuck to your fork or your hands at this stage, take a bench knife and scrape it off. Begin to fold in extra flour into the dough using a bench knife, rotating the dough approximately 45 degrees each time, to ensure that the flour is uniformly distributed throughout the dough. It’s ready to start kneading the dough when it feels firm and dry, and it can be formed into a craggy-looking ball. To knead the dough, just press the heel of your hand into the ball of dough, pressing it forward and down with your other hand.

Continue to work the dough until it is no longer powdery in appearance; it should have a smooth, elastic texture that is akin to a hard ball of Play-Doh at this point.

A little water will be needed if, on the other hand, the mixture is too dry and will not hold together when you squeeze it.

Resting

Use your bench knife to scrape away any dough that has clung to your fork or your hands at this stage in the process. Then, using a bench knife, proceed to fold in extra flour into the dough, rotating the dough about 45 degrees each time to ensure that the flour is equally distributed. It’s time to start kneading the dough when it feels firm and dry and can be formed into a craggy-looking ball. To knead the dough, just press the heel of your hand into the ball of dough, pressing it forward and down with your fingers.

The dough should be smooth and elastic in texture, akin to a hard ball of Play-Doh.

As needed, add extra flour if your dough is sticky and damp in places.

In order to hydrate the dough uniformly without adding too much water, I’ve discovered that a spray bottle works best.

Get The Recipes:

  • The following fresh pasta colors are available: squid ink fresh pasta, orange tomato paste-colored fresh pasta, spinach-colored fresh pasta, beet-colored fresh pasta.

Rainbow Pasta

This definitely comes under the area of “stepping it up a notch” with pasta! Gimme Some Oven is a work of fiction written by 7th of March, 2017 (updated)

Ingredients

  • Food coloring
  • 1 pound dried spaghetti, linguini (as shown), or other type of pasta

Parmesan Clouds:

  • Preparation: 1Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions
  • 2While pasta is boiling, mix approximately 2 tablespoons of water and 20 drops of food coloring in a big zip-top plastic bag and set aside. Then repeat the process with whatever number of extra colors you would like. (We used six different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.) 3Once the pasta is finished boiling, move it to a big collander to drain completely. Then immediately rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process
  • 4Transfer the pasta in equal quantities to the zip top bags that have been made and seal them. 5Then, one color at a time, transfer a bag of pasta back to the collander and rinse with cold water to remove any excess food coloring. Repeat with the remaining colors until all of the pasta has been dyed. Then return the pasta to the pot from which it was cooked. Continue with the remaining colors of pasta until all of the colors have been used. Toss all of the different colors of spaghetti together to get a rainbow effect
  • 6 CLOUDS IN THE PARMESAN HEIGHTS: Preheat your oven to 350°F in order to prepare the Parmesan clouds that will accompany the spaghetti. Once you have your baking sheet coated with a Silpat or parchment paper, spread about 2 teaspoons of shredded Parmesan cheese in a flat circle on top of it. A cookie cutter may be used to assist you in the shaping of the circles if you so wish. 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sides are just beginning to brown, then remove from oven and set aside for at least 2 minutes before serving. Remove the peelings and serve

Nutrition Information

Preparation: 1Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions; 2While pasta is boiling, mix approximately 2 tablespoons of water and 20 drops of food coloring in a big zip-top plastic bag and seal tightly. Then repeat the process with whatever number of additional colors you like. The spaghetti should be drained in a big collander when it has completed cooking (we used six different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple). Then immediately rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process; 4Transfer the pasta in even parts to the zip-top bags that have been made and close them up tightly.

Then return the spaghetti to the saucepan from whence it came.

Pour the pasta colors into a large mixing bowl and stir to blend.

Once you have your baking sheet coated with a Silpat or parchment paper, spread about 2 teaspoons of shredded Parmesan cheese in a flat circle on top of the sheet.

If desired, you may form the circles with the aid of a cookie cutter. 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sides are just beginning to brown, then remove from oven and set aside for 2 minutes. Toss the peelings into the dish;

Nutrition Facts

The total fat content is 9.0g14 percent. Cholesterol19.2mg 6% of the population Sodium395.5mg 16 percent of the population Potassium278.9mg 8% of the population Carbohydrates (total): 85.6 g28 percent The amount of dietary fiber is 3.6g14 percent. Sugars3.3g Protein24.9g Calcium accounts for 35.80 percent of the total. Iron is 9.50 percent and ten percent.

Exchanges:

In this table, the percent daily values (%DV) are calculated on the basis of a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

  • As a child, plain spaghetti was by far one of my favorite dishes, especially considering that I was a notoriously fussy eater. However, I’m very certain that our spaghetti never looked like this! It will undoubtedly be the talk of the dinner table because of the exciting rainbow approach used. I’ve also included a small guide for creating these quick and easy tiny Parmesan “clouds” to bring the rainbow to a close. It’s too adorable! To begin, you must start with the most important ingredient: CARBS. I’m sorry, I mean spaghetti. However, you may use any type of pasta you choose in this recipe. Cook it until it’s al dente according to the package directions, then drain. However, while it is cooking, prepare the huge zip-top packets of food coloring that will be used later. Six colors were used in this project (red, orange and yellow), but you may use as many or as few colors as you choose. To each bag, add around 20 drops of food coloring and 2 tablespoons of water. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and rinse it thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer the spaghetti into the bags of food coloring one part at a time, dividing it as you go. Then close the bags and thoroughly blend the pasta and food coloring until everything is well-combined and uniform. Allow each bag to rest for at least a minute before using it. Return each bag of pasta to the strainer one at a time, giving the pasta a second cold water rinse, and then transferring the pasta back into the cooking pot. When all of the different colors of pasta have returned, toss the spaghetti together until all of the colors are mixed together again. And there you have it

Even though I was a finicky eater as a child, plain spaghetti was by far one of my favorite cuisines growing up. Nonetheless, I’m very certain that our spaghetti never looked like this! It will undoubtedly be the talk of the dinner table because of the unique rainbow method. I’ve also included a small lesson for creating these quick and easy tiny Parmesan “clouds” to bring the rainbow to its conclusion. I love it! Starting with the most important ingredient: CARBS, you may go from there. No, I’m talking about macaroni and cheese.

  • Using the package directions, cook it until it is al dente.
  • Six colors were used in this project (red, orange and yellow), but you can use as many or as few colors as you choose.
  • To stop the cooking process when the pasta is finished, drain it and rinse it with cold water.
  • Afterwards, close the bags and thoroughly blend the pasta with the food coloring.
  • Return each bag of pasta to the strainer one at a time, giving the pasta a second cold water rinse before transferring the pasta back into the pot.
  • That’s all there is to it.

How to Make Rainbow Pasta Noodles

Plain spaghetti was by far one of my favorite dishes as a child, despite the fact that I was an extremely fussy eater. However, I’m very certain that our spaghetti never looked like this. It will undoubtedly be the talk of the dinner table because of the exciting rainbow approach that was used. I’ve also included a small guide for creating these quick and easy tiny Parmesan “clouds” to round out the rainbow. It’s just too adorable! First and foremost, you must consider the primary ingredient: CARBS.

  1. I used linguine for this recipe, but you may use any type of pasta you choose.
  2. However, while it’s cooking, prepare the huge zip-top packets of food coloring in clear plastic.
  3. To each bag, add approximately 20 drops of food coloring and 2 tablespoons water.
  4. Transfer the spaghetti into the bags of food coloring, portioning it out as you go.
  5. Allow each bag to rest for at least a minute before using it.

Return each bag of pasta to the strainer one at a time, giving the pasta a second cold water rinse, and then transferring the pasta back into the pot. In a large mixing bowl, blend all of the pasta colors until they are well-combined. And there you have it.

How to Make Rainbow Pasta Noodles

  1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the package recommendations until the pasta is al dente. Cooked pasta should be drained in a strainer and rinsed with cold water to halt the cooking process. You’ll need one ziploc bag for each color you intend to produce, so plan accordingly. I used a total of six colors. To make the dye, place 3 tablespoons of water in the bottom of one ziploc bag and tint the water with food coloring (see chart below). Equal amounts of noodles should be scooped into the bag and squished about until they are completely coated. Allow the noodles to rest in their bags for 5 minutes or more
  2. Or Steps 4-6 should be repeated for each subsequent color. After the noodles have been soaked in the color for a few minutes, rinse them in a colander under cold water to remove the color.
See also:  How To Make Pasta In The Oven

Food Color Chart

  • Colors used: red: 40 drops
  • Orange: 34 drops (yellow) and 30 drops (red)
  • Yellow: 40 drops
  • Green: 40 drops
  • Blue: 50 droplets
  • Purple: 40 drops (blue) and 34 drops (red)
  • Blue: 50 drops
  • Red: 40 drops

Can you make this recipe with kids?

  • In this case, 40 drops of red are used
  • In orange, 34 drops of yellow are used and 30 drops of red
  • In yellow, 40 drops of yellow are used
  • In green, 40 drops of green are used
  • In blue, 50 drops of blue are used
  • In purple, 34 drops of red are used
  • In yellow, 40 drops of green are used
  • In red, 40 drops of blue are used
  • In yellow, red is used.

What kind of sauce goes best with Rainbow Pasta Noodles?

  • In fact, you can use them in virtually any pasta meal you choose, from the classic spaghetti and meatballs to the Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole. When it comes to allowing the colors of the rainbow to shine through, use a light topping that won’t overpower them, such as aglio olio (olive oil and garlic) or the dressing in my Thai Spaghetti Pasta Salad.

Do you have any colorful desserts to round out this rainbow-themed meal?

  • Yes, without a doubt! ThisHoney Glazed Fruit Saladfeatures a rainbow of vibrant fruits, ranging from red strawberries to purple grapes, in a sweet and tangy glaze. Another option is to make a Sugar Cookie Cake with rainbow sprinkles.

Join my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay up to speed on all of the newest news and events. Preparation time: 5 minutes Time required for marinating: 5 minutes Preparation time: 10 minutes Serves:6 Hover your cursor over the “serves” number to show the recipe scaler.

  • 1 pound uncooked pasta I used fettuccine noodles for this recipe. Food coloring in the colors red, yellow, blue, and green
  • Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the package recommendations until the pasta is al dente. Cooked pasta should be drained in a strainer and rinsed with cold water to halt the cooking process. You’ll need one ziploc bag for each color you intend to produce, so plan accordingly. I used a total of six colors. To make the dye, place 3 tablespoons of water in the bottom of one ziploc bag and tint the water with food coloring (see chart below). Equal amounts of noodles should be scooped into the bag and squished about until the noodles are completely coated. Allow the noodles to rest in their bags for 5 minutes or more
  • Or Steps 4-6 should be repeated for each subsequent color. After the noodles have been soaked in the color for a few minutes, rinse them in a colander under cold water to remove the color.

Calories: 280 kilocalories (14 percent ) 56 g of carbohydrate (19 percent ) 10 g of protein (20 percent ) 1 gram of fat (2 percent ) 1 gram of saturated fat (5 percent ) Sodium:5mg Potassium: 169 milligrams (5 percent ) 2 g of dietary fiber (8 percent ) 2 g of sugar (2 percent ) Calcium: 16 milligrams (2 percent ) 1 milligram of iron (6 percent ) Course:Pasta Cuisine: A favorite of the family on St. Patrick’s Day Colorful, rainbow, and other adjectives

Reader Interactions

Pasta and children’s crafts seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. However, macaroni noodles will only go you so far until your sanity demands that you branch out and try something new (or is it just me?) Pasta dyeing in vibrant colors is a fun way to add some variety to your “noodle craft” hobbies! Today, we concentrated on playing with the noodles themselves, which I’ll discuss in further detail below. However, once Leah has lost interest in sorting and counting games, you can bet your bottom dollar that these brilliant little men will be put to use in some amazing projects!

Make your own colored pasta

It’s really simple to accomplish! White vinegar, food coloring, and spaghetti are all that are required. I’ve also seen this done with rubbing alcohol, but the vinegar looked to be a lot less dangerous to me than the rubbing alcohol. More ideas for coloured spaghetti may be found at Teaching Tiny Tots and Happy Hooligans, among other places. I used a total of six different types of pasta: 1 teaspoon of vinegar should be placed in a zip-lock bag for storage. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but it has a lot greater impact than you may imagine.

I was surprised, but Leah absolutely adored it.

We completed the following sorting activities: Matching activities include the following: Activities that follow a pattern: Counting activities include the following: Activities should be performed in a certain order: Her favorite part, of course, was scooping them up by the handfuls and arranging them in neat mounds.

In addition, when you consider how they might be used for crafts, there are many options!

I wasn’t expecting it to be such a big hit, but it turned out to be a smash with my 3-year-old son. I think this is the finest toddler activity we’ve done so far since she had a great time building it and then playing with it.

Reader Interactions

How to colour pasta in a simple manner for use in children’s crafts and sensory play! There’s no mess, no waste, and no rubbing alcohol required! I usually have a large quantity of brightly colored spaghetti on hand here at my daycare for the children’s crafts and activities, and they love it. Our sensory bins are made from this material because it is excellent for forthreading necklaces, sorting activities, and serving as a basis for our sensory bins. Today I’m going to show you how to colour spaghetti using the quickest and most straightforward approach I’ve found.

No-Mess, No Rubbing Alcohol

For kid’s crafts and sensory play, learn how to colour spaghetti the simplest way. The process is completely waste-free. No rubbing alcohol is required. Every day at my daycare, I have a large quantity of brightly colored pasta on hand for the children’s crafts and other activities. Our sensory bins are made from this material because it is excellent for forthreading necklaces, sorting activities, and sensory bin bases in general. Using the simplest approach I know of, I’m going to show you how to colour spaghetti today.

To dye pasta, you’ll need:

  • Variety of dried pasta
  • Food coloring (we use Wilton Icing Gels because of their brilliant colors)
  • White vinegar
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Toothpicks
  • Container with a cover
  • Baking rack

I put a sectioned container with the pasta we would be using for the project to keep the little hooligan occupied while I was preparing the activity. In the meantime, I was prepping the other ingredients and she joyfully investigated the pasta and scooped and dumped it into a few different dishes. This is a fantastic exercise in and of itself for children of all ages. We color our pasta in the same manner as we colour our rice for sensory play activities. Our method is a no-mess method of coloring rice or pasta.

We make use of vinegar.

Dyeing Your Pasta:

I filled a sectioned container with the pasta we would be using to keep the little hooligan occupied while I was preparing the activity. In the meantime, I was preparing the meal and she was enthusiastically exploring the pasta, scooping and pouring it into a variety of dishes. This is a fantastic exercise in and of itself for children. The same method we use to colour our rice for sensory play is used to dye our pasta. Rice or pasta may be colored without creating a mess. The process does not entail the use of unnecessary ziplock bags, nor does it involve the use of rubbing alcohol to dilute and set the color.

What we do is as follows:

  1. Place spaghetti in a jar with a tight-fitting cover. Fill a container with a tight-fitting cover with your pasta
  2. Set it aside. Make a statement with color In a small mixing bowl, combine a hefty dollop of food coloring and a teaspoon of vinegar until well combined. This aids in dispersing the color uniformly across the pasta, which is especially important if you’re using gel color, which is thicker than liquid color and harder to work with
  3. Shake Make sure the lid is securely fastened (it should be tight!) and let your children to shake it wildly. Check the color coveragePull the lid off to see how well the color is covered. If your color isn’t uniformly dispersed, add another teaspoon of vinegar to the mixture. Don’t be concerned if your spaghetti seems to be damp or soggy. It will dry in a short period of time. It will also lose its vinegary scent as it dries, which is beneficial. Make sure your pasta is completely dry. Pour the mixture onto a baking rack and place it in a warm, sunny location to dry. Only a couple of hours spent in front of the fireplace was necessary for ours. The length of time it takes for your pasta to dry may vary depending on the temperature of your home. Store A sealed container, such as a plastic food storage container or a big glass jar, can keep dry, coloured pasta fresh for an extended period of time.

Simply said, that’s the whole story! When ours was finished, the little one picked up all of the colored spaghetti and placed it in a storage container.

How to store your coloured pasta?

If you store your coloured pasta in a dry environment, it will last an endless amount of time.

Storage containers with lids or big jars with tight-fitting lids are ideal for mining. Just make sure it’s completely dry before putting it away for the winter or summer. Our leftover pasta from a batch that we cooked two years ago is still in good condition.

Ways to Use Dyed Pasta for Play:

Making Pasta Necklaces for Mother’s Day Sensory Play with a Mirror

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Jackie is a mother, a wife, a home daycare provider, and the driving force behind Happy Hooligans’ creative vision. She specializes on kid’s crafts and activities, as well as simple recipes and parenting advice for parents. In 2011, she began writing, and now, Happy Hooligans is read and admired by more than 2 million parents, carers, and Early Childhood Professionals across the world.

Reader Interactions

You’ll learn how to colour pasta (also known as “how to create rainbow spaghetti”) for use in eating, sensory pasta play, and crafts / culinary science projects. (It’s really simple!) Whether you’re making this recipe for a vividly colored rainbow spaghettilunch, a fun theme party like as Noah’s Ark, or even to dye cooked pasta for sensory play, it’s a great recipe to have on hand. Make sure to include this on your list of must-make, entertaining, and simple child dishes!

How To Dye Pasta for Sensory Play and Eating

You’ll learn how to colour pasta (also known as “how to create rainbow spaghetti”) for use in eating, sensory pasta play, and crafts / kitchen science experiments. (It’s really simple! This rainbow pasta recipe is perfect for creating a vibrantly colored rainbow spaghettilunch, a fun theme party such as Noah’s Ark, or even for coloring cooked pasta for sensory play. Create a list of kid recipes that you really must prepare since they are fun and easy.

How To Make Rainbow Pasta

So, what is the best way to create rainbow pasta or colour spaghetti noodles? (I believe you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to colour spaghetti with this method.)

  1. In order to make rainbow pasta or color spaghetti, you must first prepare the pasta. (I believe you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to colour spaghetti with this method!)

How To Dye Pasta Pink

By using less red paint, you may produce a pink colored pasta by dyeing the spaghetti with it. Simply use fewer drops of red food coloring to achieve the desired coloration (you will need to add at least 10-20 drops of food coloring to acquire the desired hue). Use pink food coloring instead, which is now popular (and how we created our brilliant pink painted pasta!). I have good news for everyone who is asking how to produce sensory play rainbow pasta or how to colour cooked pasta for sensory play: it is the same simple recipe technique as detailed above.

(Plus, you may experiment with other color combinations for an additional learning level!) ALSO, MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT: What Is the Best Way to Color Rice for Sensory Play Activities?

How do you color pasta for play?

Cook the pasta according to the package guidelines in order to create rainbow spaghetti sensory play. Drain the pasta and allow it to cool slightly before portioning it into sealable plastic bags. Afterwards, add 10-20 drops of food coloring to each bag, gently mixing them together until the appropriate colors are achieved. Make use of them for sensory play (or to eat with!)

See also:  How Do You Make Pasta Sauce

How To Make Rainbow Pasta For Sensory Play or Eating paired with Noah’s Ark Children’s Book

In conjunction with the instruction on how to colour noodles for sensory play, here is a book recommendation for children: We have a wonderfulNoah’s Ark board book by Lucy Cousins that was out of print for a long, but it appears to be back in print now! YAY! While I was reading her the book, she used to play with this Little People Noah’s Ark that we had in the house. Because it was one of my daughter’s favorite books, it’s absolutely one of those books that we’ll tuck away in our memento box because it brings back so many wonderful memories of our time together.

The good news is that there are several, really interesting Noah’s Ark children’s books available on the market, so you’ll have plenty of options.

Keep in mind that these noodles may be consumed as well! Not only can you use them for spaghetti sensory play, but you can also use them for rainbow spaghetti messy play!

How To Make Rainbow Spaghetti for Sensory Play or Eating

Preparation time: 5 minutes Preparation time: 8 minutes 13 minutes is the total time allotted.

Ingredients

  • Food coloring of choice
  • 16 OunceBox of dry spaghetti noodles

Instructions

  1. Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain the water and let it aside to cool somewhat. Noodles should be portioned into resealable plastic bags (or bowls)
  2. To the first bowl, add 10-20+ drops of one food coloring to the bottom of the bowl. Continue to mix until you achieve the desired hue. (If you’re using a resealable plastic bag, add the color to the bag, shut it, and then massage the noodles about in the color with your hands, twisting the bag as you go.) In the next bowl/bag of noodles, repeat the process with the second food coloring to get the desired hue. Repeat the process until all of the noodles are dyed. Finish with a dollop of butter or your favorite spaghetti sauce. (Alternatively, leave the surface unadorned for sensory exploration.)

Notes

Depending on the packaging, prepare the noodles. Pour off the water and let it aside to cool somewhat. Fill resealable plastic bags (or bowls) with the noodles; set aside. Into the first bowl, add 10-20+ drops of one food colour. Continue to mix until you achieve the desired shade of green. (If you’re using a resealable plastic bag, add the color to the bag, shut it, and then use your hands to massage the noodles about in the color, twisting the bag as you go. In the next bowl/bag of noodles, repeat the process with the second food coloring.

(Alternatively, leave the surface unadorned for sensory exploration.)

Nutrition Information:

1Serving Size (in grams): Calories:85 0 g of total fat 0 g of saturated fat 0 g of Trans Fat 0 g of unsaturated fat Cholesterol:0mg Sodium:3mg Carbohydrates:17g Fiber:1g Sugar:1g Protein:3g The nutritional information is a best-guess approximation. Changes in the recipe and the usage of various brands may cause the nutritional information to differ somewhat from the information provided here. Please consult the recipe for further details.

We hope you have fun learning how to dye pasta! Let us know if you used it for sensory play pasta or for eating!

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All-Natural Homemade Rainbow Pasta

A wonderful way to include the colors of the rainbow on your plate, this simple and healthful homemade rainbow spaghetti is naturally colored (no food coloring used here!). Who knew that homemade pasta could be so simple to create and customise?! Who knew that handmade pasta could be so delicious? As a matter of fact, now I do, and I can’t suggest it highly enough. Not least of which is this stunning all-natural rainbow pasta recipe, which is an easy and natural method to colour spaghetti while also adding extra nourishment to your next pasta dish.

  • You may also try mypappardelle flower pasta with pesto or myFresh Spinach Pasta if you are in the mood for something different.
  • It doesn’t get any easier than this: start with a basic handmade pasta dough recipe that calls for 1 cup 00 flour and one egg per color of pasta (and per serving).
  • While it is true that the veggies have a big impact on the flavor, you may be relieved to learn that they do not.
  • In fact, even the flavors that are retained in the pasta are quite delicate and will be completely lost when combined with the spaghetti sauce and other toppings.

The Coloured Pasta Recipe

The pasta basis for each color is as follows:

  • 1 cup ’00’ grade pasta flour
  • 1 Clarence Court Burford Brown egg
  • 1 cup ’00’ grade pasta flour

For the all-natural colors, use the following formula:

  • 1 cooked beetroot (for the red pasta) 1 orange pepper or carrot (optional
  • It is used to lessen the redness of the beets)
  • 1 small onion (optional
  • It is used to soften the beetroot)
  • 1 roasted red pepper -OR- 1 boiled carrot
  • 1 orange pasta
  • 1 roasted red pepper -OR- 1 boiled carrot 2 fresh turmeric roots
  • 1 roasted yellow pepper (optional) OR 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional) for the yellow pasta
  • To make green pasta, use one cup spinach leaves or one cup parsley (or a combination of the two). 1 cup cooked red cabbage (for the purple pasta) baking powder (half a teaspoon) (optional, used to adjust the saturation of the purple) Alternatively, bake 1-2 tiny purple potatoes.

An easy-to-wear outfit suggestion:

  • Olive oil for sautéing
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (or finely diced)

The How-To

To begin, prepare the several all-natural colored pasta doughs by mixing them together. You have the option of using a single color or as many colors as you’d like. Just bear in mind that you’ll need to use 1 cup of flour and 1 egg for each color and each piece of the recipe. It’s possible that you’ll need to add a little more flour to the wetter components (like the peppers) to keep the dough from becoming sticky. For the Red Pasta: 1 medium-sized cooked beetroot should be used to make the red pasta.

  1. Then combine or process the mixture in a high-speed blender or food processor until it is smooth and uniform in texture.
  2. Using your hands, knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball.
  3. Allow it to rest at room temperature (if you want to keep the dough for later use, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator).
  4. To begin, roast it for 10-15 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius in the oven.
  5. Please keep in mind that the pepper has a high water content, so you may need to add a little extra flour.
  6. Simply incorporate the flour into the mixture as you combine.
  7. Alternatively, if you opt to use pepper, you may also add a sprinkle of turmeric powder to make it a more vibrant yellow color.

If necessary, add a small amount of more flour (as the yellow pepper is quite moist) For the Green Pasta, use the following ingredients: Use either 1 cup of spinach or 1 cup of parsley in place of the spinach.

Re-create the combining, kneading, and resting procedure as necessary.

You may also add a sprinkle of baking powder to the cabbage if you want to change the color of the cabbage.

and presto, you’ve got yourself some bucks!

Continue passing it through ‘0’, folding it in half, and feeding it through again and again until it takes on a more or less regular form.

Then you may use the machine to make it even thinner.

After you have acquired thin sheets of pasta dough, you may begin cutting it into desired shapes.

Make liberal use of the flour to ensure that the spaghetti does not stay together.

Alternatively, if you are using a pasta machine, select one of the various cutting options available.

That is all there is to it!

Pour 3 minutes of boiling water over the all-natural colored pasta and cook until it is al dente.

I opted to boil each color individually so that the colors wouldn’t mix (the red, in particular, would soak through), but you could cook them all together if you wanted to be more traditional.

Take pleasure in your tasty and visually stunning all-natural rainbow pasta!

If you have any queries, please post them in the comments section below. Also, I would love to see your recreations, so please tag me on Instagram @AlphaFoodie if you do so.

The pasta base for each colour:

  • 1 cup 00′ grade pasta flour
  • 1 Clarence Court Burford Brown egg
  • 1 cup 00′ grade pasta flour

For the all-natural colours:

  • 1Clarence Court Burford Brown egg
  • 1Cup 00′ grade pasta flour
  • 1Clarence Court Burford Brown egg

Dressing suggestion:

  • 1cup 00′ grade pasta flour
  • 1Clarence Court Burford Brown egg
  • To begin, prepare the several all-natural colored pasta doughs by mixing them together. You have the option of using a single color or as many colors as you’d like. It’s important to remember that you must use 1 cup of flour and 1 egg for each color and per serving. It’s possible that you’ll need to add a little more flour to the wetter components (such as the peppers) to keep the dough from becoming sticky.

RED PASTA:

  • 1 medium-sized cooked beetroot can be used to make the crimson pasta. To alter the redness of the beetroot, you can also add some orange pepper or a cooked carrot to the mixture. Blend or process the egg, flour, and vegetables in a high-speed blender or food processor until you have a smooth dough on your hands. To make the dough smoother and simpler to work with, it may be preferable to puree the veggies first before adding them to the dough. Using your hands, knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. If it starts to stick to your hands, sprinkle a little flour on it. Allow it to rest
  • It’s your call.

ORANGE PASTA:

  • 1 red pepper should be used for the orange spaghetti. It is necessary to roast it in the oven for 10-15 minutes before blending it in a high-speed blender or food processor until it becomes a smooth dough. Using your hands, knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. If it starts to stick to your hands, sprinkle a little flour on it. Allow it to rest
  • It’s your call.

YELLOW PASTA:

  • You may use either 1 roasted yellow pepper or 1 teaspoon of turmeric to make the yellow spaghetti (either powder or fresh root). If you decide to use pepper, you may also add a sprinkle of turmeric powder to make the color more vibrant
  • However, this is not necessary. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the egg, the flour, and the yellow pepper or turmeric until you have a smooth dough that holds its shape. **
  • Using your hands, knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. If it starts to stick to your hands, sprinkle a little flour on it. Allow it to rest

GREEN PASTA:

  • You may use either 1 cup of spinach or 1 cup of parsley to make the green spaghetti for this dish. I experimented with both and found that they both provide a beautiful green color
  • Blend or process the egg, flour, and selected green leaves in a high-speed blender or food processor until they form a smooth dough
  • Set aside. Using your hands, knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. If it starts to stick to your hands, sprinkle a little flour on it. Allow it to rest
  • It’s your call.

PURPLE PASTA:

  • You may use either 1 cup of boiling red cabbage or 1-2 baked purple potatoes to make the purple pasta for this dish. It is important to remember to remove the water in which the cabbage was cooked while utilizing it
  • We only want the leaves. You may also add a sprinkle of baking powder to the cabbage if you want to change the color of the purple colors. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the egg, flour, and vegetables of choice until you have a smooth dough
  • Using your hands, knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. If it starts to stick to your hands, sprinkle a little flour on it. Allow it to rest. ***

Shape the pasta

  • After the rainbow pasta dough has rested for approximately 30 minutes, spread out the dough with a rolling pin until it is thin enough to feed into a pasta machine set to level ‘0.’ Continue passing it through ‘0’, folding it in half, and feeding it through again and again until it takes on a more or less regular form. Make careful to gently dust the surface with flour to prevent it from sticking. Then you may use the machine to make it even thinner. – Alternative method: Use a rolling pin throughout the procedure, being careful to roll it out and stretch it into thin sheets as you go. After you have acquired thin sheets of pasta dough, you may begin cutting it into desired shapes. Although I opted to cut the pasta into long strips, similar to Tagliatelle or Pappardelle, the pasta may be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes. To cut the pasta into long strips, you just fold the spaghetti a couple of times and then cut with a sharp knife. Alternatively, if you are using a pasta machine, use one of the different cutting settings available
See also:  How To Reheat Pasta Noodles

Cook the pasta

  • To make the dressing, simply chop the garlic cloves and sauté them in a small amount of olive oil until fragrant. That is all there is to it! Alternatively, a sauce of your choosing can be served with the dish. Pour 3 minutes of boiling water over the all-natural colored pasta and cook until it is al dente. Drain and mix with the dressing before serving immediately. I opted to boil each color individually so that the colors wouldn’t mix (the red, in particular, would soak through), but you could cook them all together if you wanted to be more traditional. Combine with the garlic that has been sautéed and season with pepper. Take pleasure in your tasty and visually appealing all-natural rainbow pasta
  • *Please keep in mind that because the pepper has a greater water content, you may need to add a little extra flour. We don’t want a sticky dough on our hands. Simply incorporate the flour into the mixture as you blend
  • ** Please keep in mind that if you are using pepper, you may need to add a little more flour to the mixture because pepper has a greater water content. We don’t want a sticky dough on our hands. Simply incorporate the flour into the mixture as you blend
  • *** Please keep in mind that the purple color of the dough may likely change somewhat while it rests, so let the dough to rest for 30 minutes before continuing with the next step.

A single serving has 209 calories, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 3 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 31 milligrams of cholesterol, 109 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of sugar.

Colorful Cooking: How to Make Colored Pasta

Do you want to add a splash of color to your plate? Pasta ribbons in vibrant colors such as green, red, and yellow truly bring a meal to life. They’re also just as simple to prepare as they are to consume! Here’s how it’s done: Adding a couple cups of vegetable puree to the eggs just before you begin mixing the dough will give you vibrantly colored pasta. So that the color is dispersed uniformly throughout the pasta, this step is necessary. Prepare the puree by pressing out the extra moisture with your hands before adding it to the pot, or by cooking it over low heat for a few minutes to evaporate the excess moisture.

With the exception of herb pasta, most colored pastas have a very delicate flavor that will not overpower a sauce when served with it.

Begin with our normal recipe for pasta dough, which is as follows: Add any of the following purees or herbs to the eggs: Salad de légumes verts avec purée de spinach– Preparation: Steam or blanch approximately 1/2 pounds of spinach or Swiss chard leaves (leaves with the stems removed) until the leaves are tender and brilliant green.

  1. Beet puree is a delicious addition to red pasta.
  2. Peel the potatoes and purée them in a food processor.
  3. Squid ink is available for purchase online and at a variety of specialty food stores.
  4. Speckled Green Pasta with Fresh Herbs– Finely cut enough fresh green herbs to equal approximately six teaspoons and combine them with the eggs before tossing them in the pasta.
  5. Any fresh herbs can be used, either individually or in combinations; however, it is important to consider which sauce you will be serving with the herb pasta to ensure that the flavors complement one another.
  6. It is generally recommended to use 1/2 cup or less of puree and a few tablespoons or less of most herbs to color a 3-egg pasta dough.
  7. What kind of tools did you use?

Contributor Former editor for The Kitchn, Emma is a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts and has worked in the food industry for several years. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer, among other books. For more information on her food, see her website.

Homemade Pasta Dough

Made with only eggs, flour, olive oil, and salt, this homemade pasta dough is failsafe and simple to create by hand or in a stand mixer. Through and through, I’m an Italian. Here’s how to do it. Produced-from-scratch pasta dough (we’re talking about the fresh kind made from scratch in your own home according to Italian custom) has a flavor and texture that’s every bit as fantastic as you’d expect it to be. There are innumerable different variants on how to create fresh pasta, some of which are significantly more complex than others.

  • Through and through, this is an authentically Italian experience.
  • Then, feed the pasta dough through an apasta machine set on the widest setting possible.
  • 4 or 5 trips through this identical configuration will give you a total of 4 or 5 passes.
  • Once again, feed the sheet of pasta dough through the machine many times, progressively lowering the settings one by one until the pasta has reached the appropriate thickness.
  • The second-from-last setting is often the best for tagliatelle, while the final setting is generally the most effective for ravioli and any other forms that will be filled.
  • This will make it simpler to cut in humid weather since the dough will be less sticky.
  • Using your hands, shape the pasta (see directions below) or run it through your selected cutters (tagliolini, tagliatelle, etc.) and then drape the cut pasta over the broom handle or chair back again to dry just a little more until you’re ready to cook it.

Shape the fresh homemade pasta dough by hand

  • Made with only eggs, flour, olive oil, and salt, this homemade pasta dough is failsafe and simple to prepare by hand or in a stand mixer. We are 100% Italian, from the bottom of our hearts. To do so, follow these steps: Produced-from-scratch pasta dough (we’re talking about the fresh kind made from scratch in your own home according to Italian custom) has a flavor and texture that’s every bit as amazing as you’d expect it to be. When it comes to making fresh pasta, there are innumerable nuanced variants to choose from, some of which are significantly more involved than others. However, this simple recipe calls for only four ingredients: wheat, eggs, sea salt, and olive oil. Through and through, it is authentically Italian. You’ll cry because it’s so beautiful and sensitive. Feed the pasta dough through an apasta machine set on the widest setting. Finished product. The sheet of pasta dough should be folded in thirds as soon as it comes out of the machine and then fed again through the rolling mill while keeping the widest setting on the rollers. This same setting should be used a total of 4 or 5 times to pass the pasta through. Because this method eliminates the need to knead the pasta dough, it results in silky smooth pasta every time! Once again, feed the sheet of pasta dough through the machine many times, progressively lowering the settings one by one until the pasta has reached its desired thickness. This will result in a very long sheet of pasta dough
  • If you are having difficulties keeping the dough from folding in on itself, or if you are creating ravioli, divide the sheet of dough in half and run each half through the machine individually. The second-from-last setting is often the best for tagliatelle, while the final setting is generally the most favorable for ravioli and any other forms that will be filled. When the sheet of pasta dough has achieved the desired thickness, hang it from a broom handle or the back of a chair to dry for a few minutes
  • This will make cutting it simpler in humid weather since the dough will not be as sticky. To speed things up even further, you may lightly coat the pasta with flour and spread it out on clean kitchen towels to rest for a brief period of time while you prepare the remainder of the dish. Using your hands, shape the pasta (see directions below) or run it through your selected cutters (tagliolini, tagliatelle, etc.) and then lay the cut pasta over the broom handle or chair back again to dry somewhat until you’re ready to cook it. (Alternatively, you may gently coat the cut pasta with flour—preferably semolina flour—and arrange it in loose bundles on a baking sheet coated with a clean dish towel.) Utilize the pasta as soon as possible to prevent it from sticking together, or store it in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer.

Cook the fresh homemade pasta dough

  • When cooking fresh or dried pasta, you will need around 4 quarts of water and 3 teaspoons of salt for every 13 to 18 ounces of pasta. The pasta will not hold together because of the huge amount of water in the recipe. In a big pot or saucepan, bring the salted water to a rolling boil. Place the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Stir the spaghetti soon after it has been added to the water, and maybe a second time as well. Only once or twice should the spaghetti be stirred. Even if you use a large amount of water and stir the pasta constantly while cooking, it should not stick. DO NOT COVER THE POT, otherwise the water will boil over. Bring the pasta back to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly, and cooking until al dente, or firm to the bite, about 2 minutes. A firm core or soggy and floppy pasta are both undesirable characteristics. If you’re following a recipe that calls for a certain cooking time, start counting from the minute the pasta begins to boil again and have a colander ready to drain the pasta. Cooking times for both fresh and dried pasta vary depending on the size and quality of the pasta used in the recipe. The only way to tell is to take a bite of it. The essential method of cooking, on the other hand, stays the same: drain the pasta, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooking water, and serve. Return the pasta to the pan and toss to combine (the dissolved starch in the water helps the sauce cling to the pasta). Dress the pasta right away in the pan with the sauce that has been simmering in the pan. Immediately serve the hot pasta with your preferred sauce (the Italian approach is ALWAYS to mix the cooked, hot pasta with the sauce before serving. )
  • It’s not necessary to use a lot of sauce when the pasta is this delicate and delicious
  • Simply pour on a generous amount of olive oil or butter and cook until it’s somewhat nutty and toasted brown in color, then toss with fresh herbs, and you’ve got yourself a meal.

How to color Homemade Pasta Dough

Follow the directions for the Basic Pasta Dough recipe. Make a clean work area by sifting the flour on top of it. In a food processor, blend 3/4 cup frozen cooked leaf spinach (which has been pressed to remove as much moisture from it as possible). Fill up the hole in the flour with it. Continue with the Basic Pasta Dough recipe as directed. Follow the directions for the Basic Pasta Dough recipe. Fill the well in the flour with 2 teaspoons of store-bought or homemade tomato paste or sun-dried tomato paste, and mix thoroughly.

  1. Follow the directions for the Basic Pasta Dough.
  2. Allow for cooling.
  3. Fill the well in the flour with 2 tablespoons grated cooked beet and mix thoroughly.
  4. Pasta with SaffronFollow the directions for the Basic Pasta Dough.
  5. Remove the particles from the water by straining it.
  6. Follow the directions for the Basic Pasta Dough recipe.
  7. Fill the well in the flour with at least 3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh green herbs, and mix thoroughly.
  8. Combine the eggs and squid ink (one sachet) in a separate bowl with a whisk before adding to the flour mixture.

Serving:1portion Calories: 475 kilocalories (24 percent ) 72 g of carbohydrate (24 percent ) 16 g of protein (32 percent ) 13 g of fat (20 percent ) 3 g of saturated fat (19 percent ) Unsaturated Fatty Acids: 2g 7 g of monounsaturated fat 1 gram of trans fat Cholesterol: 186 milligrams (62 percent ) Sodium: 73 milligrams (3 percent ) Potassium: 169 milligrams (5 percent ) 3 g of dietary fiber (13 percent ) 1 gram of sugar (1 percent ) 270 International Units of Vitamin A (5 percent ) Calcium: 42 milligrams (4 percent ) 5 milligrams of iron (28 percent ) The original version of this article was published on May 20, 2010.

Maxine Clark created this recipe in 2010.

All intellectual property rights are retained. All assets were used with the consent of the creators. If you prepare this dish, take a photo of it and tag it with the hashtag #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your works on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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