Spaghetti Salad Recipe
Cold Spaghetti Salad great for picnics and BBQ’s!
Servings: 12
Calories: 159kcal
Ingredients
- 1 (16oz) bottle Italian dressing (zesty, creamy, house, lite, regular or your favorite)
For (OPTIONAL) homemade zesty Italian dressing:
- ⅔ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup shallot, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
For the salad:
- 1 1 lb box spaghetti (454g)
- 12 oz cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered (or 2 large tomatoes)
- 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
- ½ large red onion, chopped
- 1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons seasoned salt, to taste (like Lawry’s, McCormick Salad Supreme, or for salt-free use Mrs. Dash)
- ⅓ cup fresh grated Parmesan, (.75oz) plus extra for garnish, if desired
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
To prepare the dressing:
- If making homemade dressing, combine all ingredients in a large jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake to combine. Set aside until needed, or refrigerate.
To prepare the salad:
- Prepare the spaghetti in salted, boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Once drained, pour the spaghetti into a large container with a lid. Pour half the dressing over the spaghetti, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate until needed. This can be done 24 hours in advance.
- Add the chopped vegetables to the spaghetti and pour over all remaining Italian dressing. Sprinkle the seasoned salt, Parmesan and black pepper over the spaghetti. Toss to combine. Check seasoning and add more seasoned salt, if needed. The amount of salt needed depends on the kind of dressing you used. Garnish with additional Parmesan and serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.
- Salad with stay fresh for several days if refrigerated in a sealed container. Toss to freshen before serving. Leftovers are terrific!
Notes
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg
