Collegiate Tailgate Pasta Salads

Name: Collegiate Tailgate Pasta Salads
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 cucumber; 1 orange pepper (Note: substitute pepper colors to match your team colors!); 1 green pepper (or coordinating color for your team!); 1 red onion; Red wine vinegar; Olive or vegetable oil

Close up of Big Orange pasta salad on white plate with orange and white team shaped pasta and peppers, package in background

20140916 img 8036.jpgCollege Football. An American Tradition. Big Game Day Celebrations. Collegiate Tailgate Pasta Salads? Why not. #ncaanoodles. The school colors make their way into all kinds of fashions…have you seen the Collegiate Cowboy boots? I can’t believe I want some. There is college fashion for cars, for dogs, for ALMOST ANYTHING you can imagine! The Collegiate craze is stronger than ever and this is the time of year when it is at its height of craziness. Note: my college had no football team (University of Vermont)…what was I thinking? <SMH>

Two bowls of mascot-shaped pasta salad with diced bell peppers and red onion on a rustic wooden table beside a glass of water and fork

Tennessee Big Orange Pasta Salad

After John and I started our company with Music City Pasta, opens in a new tab, we got to thinkin’…hmmmmm…what other shapes could we create here in Tennessee that would strike a chord (shameless pun for Music City…. Couldn’t help it! 🙂 and get people excited to buy pasta? We had just moved back to Nashville and were experiencing the whole SEC Southern football madness. It was fun. It was nuts. It wasn’t what was happening when we were living in NYC. And we knew immediately what would be our next 2 product introductions: Vanderbilt and UT Pasta.

Plate of pasta salad with orange and white Gators-shaped pasta and diced peppers, with a Gators pasta bag in the background

Why not give the ~~rabid~~ loyal fans something to take to their tailgate parties that would represent their teams? And not just in color…but in the shape of their mascot or logo! People loved it…and our Collegiate Pasta line was born.

Overhead of collegiate pasta salad on a white plate with orange and ivory pasta and diced peppers on a green-check cloth

Florida Gator Pasta Salad

Our Collegiate Pasta Salad line consists of over 50 Universities. Each one is officially licensed and contains mascot or logo shaped pasta plus a Game Day Vinaigrette mix. NOTE: To make this recipe you MUST have a bag of Collegiate Pasta which includes our vinaigrette mix packet

Close-up of plate of Roll Tide pasta salad with purple and white team-shaped pasta and product bag in background

Why then post this recipe? Well, we get lots of calls from fans who have torn off their label and can’t find the recipe. And it’s usually Friday before the Saturday game…so what happens if we miss the call or have left the office? Yay – this post – it will now always be available!

Overhead view of collegiate pasta salad with mascot-shaped white and purple pasta, diced red pepper and celery in a red bowl

Alabama Roll Tide Pasta Salad

So, assuming you have a bag and the mix, this is one easy recipe. In just a few minutes you’ll have the hit of the tailgate party. Add red wine vinegar and oil for the dressing. And three other additions is all that is needed. Cucumber – check! Colored Peppers (matching your team of course) – check! Red onion – check! A yummy sweet and sour pasta salad combination with crunch and color – touchdown! And as a bonus there are three other recipe options printed on the inside of the label. I hope your tailgate fun continues and you share lots of wins, laughs, and memories with your family and friends! Please share this post and let me know what is your tailgate “necessity” when it comes to good food on game day!

West Virginia Mountaineers pasta salad served on a yellow plate with blue WV-shaped pasta, diced peppers and onions, checkered napkin and package visible in background

West Virginia Mountaineers Pasta Salad

Note: You are probably happy if your team is featured in the pictures. Believe me, it wasn’t easy choosing who to highlight. And I can’t win. So I surrender. If your team is not here…please forgive me. And I promise I will be posting others as this blog adventure continues!

If you are interested in seeing all of our pasta shapes, you can visit The Pasta Shoppe , opens in a new tabwebsite. And if you have any fundraising needs, please check out Fun Pasta Fundraising, opens in a new tab! We’d love to hear from you!

We make pasta lovers smile

We make pasta lovers smile

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