Description
A vibrant and zesty California Spaghetti Salad loaded with fresh vegetables and coated in a tangy Italian dressing. Perfect for potlucks or meal prep!
Ingredients
Scale
Salad:
- 1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 can black olives, drained and sliced
Dressing:
- 1 bottle Italian salad dressing (16 ounces)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil spaghetti in salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
- Prep Veggies: Dice cucumber, red bell pepper, and onion. Halve cherry tomatoes and slice olives.
- Mix Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder.
- Combine Salad: In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta with vegetables. Pour dressing over the top and toss until evenly coated.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to let flavors meld.
- Serve: Garnish with parsley or extra Parmesan if desired, and enjoy cold.
Notes
- Add protein like grilled chicken or shrimp for a complete meal.
- Best served the next day for enhanced flavor.
- Substitute gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Side Dish
- Method: Tossing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.5 g
- Trans Fat: 35 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
Keywords: California spaghetti salad, pasta salad, potluck salad, cold pasta dish, summer recipe