Description
Zesty spaghetti salad brings Italian-American charm to summer gatherings. Crisp vegetables, tangy dressing, and perfectly cooked pasta create a refreshing dish you’ll crave at picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti, cooked & cooled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup cucumber, diced
- ½ cup bell peppers (red, yellow, or green), diced
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup black olives, sliced
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Immerse spaghetti strands in rapidly boiling, salted water until achieving perfectly tender al dente consistency. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking and prevent adhesion.
- Dressing Creation: Whisk together Italian seasoning, lemon juice, garlic powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a compact mixing bowl, creating a zesty flavor foundation.
- Ingredient Assembly: Combine cooled pasta with diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and Parmesan cheese in a generous mixing bowl, ensuring a vibrant and colorful composition.
- Flavor Fusion: Generously drizzle prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture, thoroughly tossing to distribute flavors evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, allowing ingredients to harmonize and develop a robust taste profile.
- Final Presentation: Before serving, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and an additional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, creating a visually stunning and refreshingly delicious chilled pasta salad.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Mushiness: Rinse spaghetti immediately with cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process and prevent overcooking, ensuring a perfect al dente texture.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Let the salad marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour, allowing ingredients to absorb the dressing and develop a more complex taste profile.
- Customize Vegetable Variations: Swap or add vegetables like cherry tomatoes, zucchini, or artichoke hearts to create personal flavor combinations and boost nutritional value.
- Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare the salad a day in advance for more intense flavors, keeping dressing and herbs separate until just before serving to maintain freshness and prevent sogginess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg