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This refreshing Spaghetti Salad is loaded with summer vegetables like juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and bell peppers, then dressed in a zesty homemade Italian vinaigrette. It’s perfect for backyard BBQs!
Change up your summer pasta salad and make spaghetti salad! Silky noodles are twirled with fresh vegetables and then swirled with an Italian-inspired dressing you can easily whip up at home. This is one of our favorite simple summer dishes, enjoyed as a refreshing main dish or paired with grilled meats and vegetables.
Why I Love This Spaghetti Pasta Salad Recipe
- Adaptable: If you’ve got a garden bursting with summer produce this is a fantastic way to use it! Add the vegetables as included in the ingredients list or tuck in whatever you have on hand.
- Filling: On the hottest nights, I’ll serve spaghetti salad plus a side of vegetables or a salad and it’s more than enough to make a meal! Or, enjoy it as a light lunch dish.
- So Flavorful: Unlike traditional macaroni salad, which can be milder and more mellow, spaghetti salad is full of salty, zesty, and even a little spicy flavor! You’ll love the combo of fresh and dried herbs, Parmesan, onion, and garlic plus that oh-so-good dressing.
What You’ll Need
I’ve included all of the components in this salad below plus a few notes. Don’t forget to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
For the Dressing
- Olive Oil – I prefer extra-virgin olive oil.
- White Wine Vinegar – If you don’t have white wine vinegar you can substitute lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard – Try yellow mustard if you don’t have dijon.
- Mayonnaise – Good quality mayo adds a touch of creaminess and balance to the dressing.
- Honey – A dash of honey adds a little sweetness and balances the acidity of the dressing.
- Garlic – Feel free to add more garlic if you like a bit of spice.
- Parmesan Cheese – I like a little grated cheese in my dressing but you can also leave it out if you prefer.
- Dried Herbs – These include thyme, basil, and oregano, or you can substitute an equal amount of Italian Seasoning.
- Salt and Pepper
For the Salad
- Spaghetti – Because this is spaghetti salad, spaghetti is the type of pasta featured in this recipe, but you can use other pasta. Use your favorite brand of spaghetti.
- Cherry Tomatoes – For bursts of juicy flavor. You can also use grape tomatoes.
- Cucumber – I love an English (unseeded) cucumber in this salad but any cucumber will work!
- Bell Peppers – I use a mix of green and red bell peppers.
- Red Onion – Swap yellow onion or scallions if needed.
- Black Olives – Make sure to use pitted olives!
- Seasoned Salt – Or use regular salt.
- To Garnish – Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil perfectly finish off the salad.
Can I Use A Different Dressing?
You can certainly use a different dressing to make this salad if you wish – I love making my own version of an Italian dressing because it complements the Italian flavors and pasta so well, but feel free to try other options. If I’m short on time, I’ll just do a quick olive oil and vinegar mix to dress the salad and season it with salt and pepper. You can also pick up a bottle of pre-made Italian dressing to keep things even easier.
How To Make Spaghetti Salad
Follow these easy steps to make a delicious spaghetti salad recipe that everyone will love. It’s quick, simple, and perfect for a summer meal or even a game-day appetizer!
- Make the dressing. Combine the extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey, minced garlic, finely grated Parmesan cheese, dry thyme, dry basil, dry oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
- Make spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti following the package instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Add dressing. Pour half of the dressing over the spaghetti.
- Toss. Now toss the. noodles to coat with the dressing and refrigerate.
- Assemble. Add the chopped cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, red onion, and sliced black olives. Finish with the dressing.
- Serve. Sprinkle the salad with salt, Parmesan, and pepper, then toss to coat and mix. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil to serve.
Variation Ideas
This is a very forgiving salad, and you can play around with the ingredients. Try adding meat, cheese, and more. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Try other veggies – In addition to the vegetables included in the recipe, you can add chopped broccoli, cauliflower, pickled carrots, or mushrooms.
- Add cheese – I love stirring in some crumbled feta cheese or fresh mozzarella (roughly chop the mozzarella balls before adding them to the salad).
- Toss in some meat – Salami, cubed ham, chopped prosciutto, or chicken are nice choices to add to spaghetti salad. Or, add chopped hard-boiled eggs to add protein but keep it vegetarian.
- Another pasta – Technically, this would not be “spaghetti salad” if you use another pasta shape, but my kids love spiral pasta, so I’ll often swap the spaghetti for spirals or even ziti if that’s all I have in the pantry.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Let it rest: I like to enjoy this salad cold, so try to leave at least two hours for the dish to rest and chill in the fridge.
- Cook the pasta to al dente: No one likes mushy spaghetti, right? I suggest cooking the pasta just until it’s firm or al dente. It will absorb some of the dressing so you don’t want to start off with overly soft noodles because they will get even softer.
- Keep it cold: This salad is meant to be served cold. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water to keep them firm and cool.
- Use store-bought dressing: As I mentioned above, you can use your favorite Italian-style purchased dressing in place of the homemade dressing.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving spaghetti pasta salad at barbecues and on nights when it’s too hot to do much cooking. Add a simple salad, like this fresh avocado tomato salad is lovely with spaghetti salad, or try a creamy cucumber salad with sour cream cressing.
Spaghetti salad is the perfect side the next time you cook out on the grill! Try these grilled chicken thighs or grilled pork chops. You can also add a side of grilled vegetables to your pasta salad, like crunchy grilled corn on the cob or grilled summer squash kebabs.
Make a pitcher of strawberry lemonade sangria or frozen margaritas to enjoy with pasta salad.
Proper Storage
- Fridge – Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- To Serve – If you feel that the salad has dried out a bit, just add a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of vinegar to refresh it before serving.
More Salad Recipes To Try
Spaghetti Salad
Ingredients
For homemade Italian dressing:
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- ½ pound spaghetti
- 10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, to taste
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnishing
- fresh basil, for garnishing
Instructions
Make the Homemade Dressing:
- In a large jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the dressing ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey, minced garlic, finely grated Parmesan cheese, dry thyme, dry basil, dry oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
- Shake the jar vigorously until the ingredients are well combined. Set the jar aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the Spaghetti:
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water, following the package instructions until it reaches an al dente texture, about 10 minutes. Drain the spaghetti and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.
- Transfer the drained spaghetti to a large container with a lid.
- Pour half of the homemade Italian dressing over the spaghetti.
- Toss the spaghetti thoroughly to ensure it is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Cover the container and refrigerate until the vegetables are ready to assemble the salad. This step can be done up to 2 days in advance.
Assemble the Salad:
- Add the chopped cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, red onion, and sliced black olives to the container with the dressed spaghetti.
- Pour the remaining dressing over the salad ingredients.
- Sprinkle the seasoned salt, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.
Combine and Serve:
- Toss the salad thoroughly to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed and evenly coated with the dressing.
- Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
- Serve the salad immediately or refrigerate it until needed for a cool, refreshing dish.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
