Whether you’re celebrating Pride Month this June (in memory of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising that is known for sparking the modern gay rights movement) or just looking for foods that symbolize hope or good fortune (they say there’s a pot of gold after every rainbow after all!), we’ve got a brightly hued recipe for you here. Check out our list of 40 rainbow recipes for bright ideas and colorful inspiration—they're sure to bring a smile to your face all summer long.
There’s no getting around it: To turn your food shockingly, awe-inspiringly rainbow-hued, you’re going to need some food coloring… and a good amount of bowls. The basic tenet of most of these recipes is to create a base, then split it into 6 to 7 separate containers for dyeing (think ROYGBIV, though we’re totally okay if you combine some of them, Indigo and Violet into purple, etc.). Then you can layer, swirl, dip, or shake your rainbow-loving heart out until your food is as bright as you’d like it. Check out our rainbow ice cream cake, our rainbow vanilla cheesecake bars, our rainbow donuts, and our rainbow spaghetti to see the variety of shades of the rainbow you can achieve.
Love the color, but want something a little less bright? The unicorn food trend has largely come and gone (unless you’re part of the under 10 set, where those of us with kids can confirm it’s still alive and well), but we’ve all got to admit, there is something magical about a pastel rainbow-colored dessert. Try our unicorn bark, unicorn ice cream, unicorn cheesecake, or unicorn dip for ideas—and don't worry, you don't have to mention the mythical creature if you don't want. 😂
If you’re really anti-food dye or candy, don’t worry—you too can taste the rainbow. Turn to nature’s bounty of brightly colored fresh fruits and veggies. We’re fans of strawberries or tomatoes for red, mango or carrots for orange, pineapple or bell peppers for yellow, kiwi or spinach (also for sweet things!), and blueberries, beets, and eggplant for blue and purple, but get creative. Check out our rainbow sangria, our one-pan summer vegetable ragú, our rainbow chicken & veggies, or our rainbow fro-yo pops for ideas.
Looking for a super-easy way to add some rainbow flair to your life? Simply add rainbow sprinkles to your favorite desserts, like we did in our Dunkaroos no-churn ice cream or our confetti cookie dough ball. Our top tip: Buy a few kinds (we like a mix of sprinkles, non-pareils, and sanding sugar) and combine them to make your dessert look extra special. Check out our best summer desserts, picnic desserts, and no-bake desserts, and sprinkle away!
Rainbow Vanilla Cheesecake Bars
Don't be shy with that food coloring for this cheesecake bar recipe! The more vibrant the colors are in the batter, the more impressive the bars will turn out post-bake.
Peanut Chicken Wonton Cups
These peanut chicken wonton cups are super simple to put together and packed with flavor. Tender shredded rotisserie chicken gets tossed in a spicy-sweet peanut butter sauce, stuffed in a crispy baked wonton shell, and topped with rainbow-bright crunchy veggies to make this easy two-bite summer app.
Get the Peanut Chicken Wonton Cups recipe.
Trash Bark
The definition of chaotic good, this chocolate bark is loaded with peanut butter, pretzels, M&Ms, and the true star of the show: potato chips. This snack-loaded bark is the perfect snack to bring to Pride parties, mutual aid bake sales, or whenever you need a late-night sweet (and salty) treat.
Get the Trash Bark recipe.
Dunkaroos No-Churn Ice Cream
This easy-to-make Dunkaroos-inspired no-churn ice cream will bring you back to the '90s! Using sweetened condensed milk along with whipped cream creates a smooth and light texture without the hassle of churning your own ice cream, and adding cream cheese to the base creates a slight tang that is reminiscent of Dunkaroos frosting.
Get the Dunkaroos No-Churn Ice Cream recipe.
Rainbow Sangria
Layering fruit in the glasses makes this moscato sangria extra pretty. If you don't want to bother with layering, feel free to skip it, but don't skimp on the variety of rainbow-colored fruit!
Get the Rainbow Sangria recipe.
Caribbean Cobb Salad With Salmon
If you’re in the mood to eat the rainbow, this Caribbean-inspired Cobb salad is the place to start. A bit brighter than the traditional Cobb salad, this version combines fresh mango, creamy coconut dressing, crushed plantain chips, and spiced salmon to create a punchy, spicy, filling meal.
Rainbow Candy Pops
These boozy pops are so easy to make with a popsicle mold of any shape. Simply wind your sweet or sour ropes around the mold, pour in your vodka and lemon-lime soda, and freeze!
Get the Rainbow Candy Pops recipe.
Confetti Squares
If you need a quick and easy dessert idea, these peanut butter and chocolate confetti squares are the perfect thing. They are a breeze to put together, and after a quick chill in the fridge, everyone will go crazy for them. Rainbow marshmallows make for an extra-fun pop of color, so use them instead of boring ol' white.
Get the Confetti Squares recipe.
One-Pan Summer Vegetable Ragú
Take a flavorful trip to the Mediterranean with this easy oven-roasted stew that brings to mind cozy (yes, cozy) summer days. Zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and onions create a tender and jammy medley, while the oven-roasting method keeps it nicely hands-off.
Get the One-Pan Summer Vegetable Ragú recipe.
Sushi Sandwich (Onigirazu)
Inspired by the popular Japanese onigirazu, this is like a cross between sushi and a sandwich. We filled ours with spicy salmon, seasoned sushi rice, cucumber, pickled cabbage, carrot, and avocado—then wrapped it in nori to make it extra portable. Serve it with plenty of the sriracha-soy mayo on the side!
Get the Sushi Sandwich (Onigirazu) recipe.
Rainbow Spaghetti
Kids LOVE this colorful idea for spaghetti, and it's easy to get them involved in making it. Divide your cooked pasta into resealable bags with different food coloring, close 'em up, and let your little ones go wild shaking them around.
Get the Rainbow Spaghetti recipe.
Stained Glass Cookies
Love sugar cookies but hate decorating them? This recipe is for you! The hard candy centers will stay soft and chewy after cooling and add the brightest pop of rainbow color to any celebration.
Get the Stained Glass Cookies recipe.
Confetti Cookie Dough Ball
Cheese balls are one of our favorite simple party appetizers, so we thought, why limit ourselves to just savory ones? This is a chocolate chip cookie lover's sparkly rainbow-covered dream. Serve with pretzels, graham crackers, or sweet pita chips for the perfect special party appetizer.
Get the Confetti Cookie Dough Ball recipe.
Peeps Cheesecake Bars
We originally created these cheesecake bars with Easter in mind, and thus stuck to pastels, but you can absolutely use these as inspo for the full rainbow of color if you like. The marshmallow Fluff filling makes them extra tasty!
Get the Peeps Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Blackberry-Peach Salad
Packed with fresh fruits, cooling cucumber, and juicy tomatoes, this vibrant summer salad works as a colorful rainbow centerpiece to lunch or dinner, or as an accompaniment to fish or grilled meat. The combination of juicy peaches, tart blackberries, fresh herbs, and toasted walnuts piled over zesty honeyed ricotta packs an incredible punch.
Get the Blackberry-Peach Salad recipe.
St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes
Okay, so when we originally made these, we did have St. Patrick's Day in mind... but rainbows are perfect all year round! Swap that green frosting for sky blue, and you've got yourself an adorable cupcake that's worthy of any celebration that could use a little sunshine.
Get the St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes recipe.
Rainbow Fudge
Show your pride with this wildly colorful white chocolate fudge. We used almond extract for an extra boost of flavor, but feel free to swap for vanilla if that's what you've got.
Get the Rainbow Fudge recipe.
Winter Rainbow Panzanella Salad
This panzanella salad is packed with winter veggies like delicata squash and beets and crisp and crunchy sourdough croutons, and is coated in a tangy grapefruit vinaigrette, making it the perfect way to brighten a gray winter day. Use it as inspiration to swap in more seasonal veggies year round too!
Rainbow Bundt Cake
This gorgeous rainbow Bundt cake recipe is surprisingly simple to make. Serve it as is, or add vanilla icing and gold sprinkles to remind you there's always a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Get the Rainbow Bundt Cake recipe.
Rainbow Waffles
It's actually much easier than it looks to make rainbow-hued homemade waffles—simply dye your batter, put it into separate piping bags or resealable bags, then pipe concentric circles in rainbow order. Once they're done, cut waffles in half so that each semi-circle looks like a rainbow, then serve with homemade homemade whipped cream "clouds".
Get the Rainbow Waffles recipe.
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