This summer Spaghetti Salad recipe is a classic and is full of veggies, cheese, seasoning and tossed with a yummy Italian dressing. Always a hit!
SUMMER SPAGHETTI PASTA SALAD
There are lots of variations to this particular recipe. I first heard about it from my friend Patricia (remember her, from the HULI-HULI CHICKEN recipe?) Anyhow, she has a recipe similar to this that her Mom used to make.
VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:
WHAT KIND OF DRESSING IS BEST FOR SPAGHETTI SALAD?
For most pasta salads that require Italian dressing, I go with an old classic: Wish-Bone Robusto Italian. Use your favorite dressing or make your own Italian dressing. You'll need about 2 cups. Also, I like to use English cucumbers because the skin is so tender that you can eat it. It just makes prep work easier and it tastes good. Other veggies you can use are zucchini and squash. Any type of cheese that you love will work in this. I'm using Kerrygold Dubliner cheese here which is a slightly firmer cheese. Feta cheese is one of my favorites to use as well. The McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning can be found with the other seasonings in your grocery store.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
spaghetti noodles
green pepper
red pepper
red onion
English cucumber
grape tomatoes
can of sliced olives,
cheddar cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning
garlic powder
Wish-Bone Italian dressing
spaghetti noodles
green pepper
red pepper
red onion
English cucumber
grape tomatoes
can of sliced olives,
cheddar cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning
garlic powder
Wish-Bone Italian dressing
HOW TO MAKE SUMMER SPAGHETTI SALAD:
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. I am using the 'Pot Perfect' spaghetti noodles. They are half-size pieces of spaghetti that fit perfectly into your pot. It's perfect for this because it helps with the noodles being a bit easier to manage while eating. I also season the boiling water with one tablespoon of kosher salt before putting the noodles in. Stir noodles often while cooking.
While you're waiting for the spaghetti to cook, start dicing the veggies.
I shared this tip a couple of weeks ago but it's so useful, I'm sharing again. When you are using uncooked onions in a dish, soak them in ice water for a few minutes to help reduce some of that overpowering flavor.
Drain pasta noodles and rinse gently with cool water.
In a large bowl - and I do mean LARGE bowl - add in all your diced veggies, olives and cheeses.
Then add the cooked and cooled spaghetti on top. It was at this moment that I realized I had grabbed the wrong glass bowl and this one was too small (sigh - my largest one was dirty so it was off to find a bigger bowl somewhere in my house!)
With a bigger bowl found, I topped it all with the Mccormick Salad Supreme seasoning as well as the garlic powder.
Give it all a gentle toss. Pour Italian dressing over noodles.
Stir mixture gently until combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool for at least two hours before serving. It gets even better as it cools!
Enjoy!
Originally published: May 2016
Updated and republished: May 2019
SUMMER SPAGHETTI SALAD
This summer Spaghetti Salad recipe is a classic and is full of veggies, cheese, seasoning and tossed with a yummy Italian dressing. Always a hit!
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Servings: 10
Calories: 125kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb box spaghetti noodles
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 (2.25 oz) can sliced olives, drained
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 (16 oz) bottle Wish Bone Italian dressing
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions.I season the boiling water with one tablespoon of kosher salt before putting the noodles in. Stir noodles often while cooking.
- While you're waiting for your spaghetti to cook, start dicing your veggies.
- Drain the cooked pasta noodles and rinse gently with cool water.
- In a large bowl - and I do mean LARGE bowl - add in all your diced veggies, olives and cheeses.
- Then add the cooked and cooled spaghetti on top. Season salad with McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning and garlic powder. Give it all a gentle toss.
- Pour Italian dressing over noodles.
- Stir mixture carefully until combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool for at least two hours before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 675IU | Vitamin C: 28.1mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Nutritional Disclaimer
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Craving more summer salads? Be sure to look at these ones!
BLT PASTA SALAD
BROCCOLI SALAD
RAMEN ASIAN SLAW
I made this recipe for a food day event at work and it was a smashing hit. It didnt last long and everyone loved it
I love recipe for Spaghetti Salad....do you have any Gluten Free recipes?
I make my spaghetti salad with 1/2 bell pepper and !/2 chopped red onion and the 12 oz bottle of Italian Dressing and salad supreme and also this can be made gluten free. Just use Gluten free noodles. and the longer it sits the better it gets. I sometimes add Chopped celery too.
I use the same recipe as you except I add chopped cucumber too. Never olives and It's good with whole wheat pasta as well.
Thank you, delicious and makes a beautiful addition to any table,Happy Memorial Day Weekend.
Happy Memorial Day Pam! I could make my meal off of this salad!!
Sometimes I add diced carrots too
My family will love this one!
My family will love this one!
can you use angle hair pasta?
You can if you prefer them.
My favorite version of this salad is to use the 3 color rotini noodles. Besides adding flavor it makes a really pretty salad.
I totally made this today with tricolor rotini, and I felt so guilty LOL. I love Brandi's recipes and try to follow them to a T, but I just couldn't get
past my favorite Italian salad having different noodles. Someday, Brandi, I will try it your way, I promise!!!
You could add an avacado and and it would be perfect! !
Adding that avacado sounds pretty yummilicious!! 🙂
You should try: Johnny's Salad & Pasta Elegance! The McCormick's is good but this is better!!!!!!
Ken - where can I get it? I love trying new seasonings!
Wonder what it would be like with spaghetti squash?
Hi Jodi! I bet it would work great! I probably would cut back a bit on the dressing since the squash loves to soak up whatever you dress it with. 🙂
No no its not the same. This is amazing course for veggies all i put is cucumbers, tomatoes and a lol onion. But add what ur family likes it's good!!
Wanting to make for a work potluck . Could this be made the night before ?
One of my favorite salads for summer. I use 1/2 bottle of Salad Supreme for a more zesty flavor and also use Feta Cheese along with cheddar .
I made this and added shrimp and sausage. Everyone was LOVING it! Barely had to wash my bowl! 🙂 Thanks!
I add imitation crab and sometimes shrimp to a similar recipe. Very good!
Love this all, can be made night before?
I did. It gets better.
I love this salad! I also half a bottle of Salad supreme and cut up pepperoni.
I've made spaghetti salad for years but I use a red roasted dressing. If I can buy it, I make it. I use a jar of red roasted red peppers drained and processed in a blender. Finishing it like an oil & vinegar dressing. I also add zucchini small quartered.
I make a very similar salad, instead of the seasoning used here, I use Cavender's Greek seasoning and add Feta cheese instead of parm, but I'm sure this one taste amazing as well.
I think that sounds SO good! A Greek version would be perfect!
This salad is delicious & great summer side dish.
Totally agree! Thank you Tina!
Making this today for a cookout. Can I used shredded parm instead of grated parm?
Yes, use what you have.
Making this tomorrow for my family Reunion Saturday.
I cant believe it!! It tastes just.like my mother used to make it aside from the peppers!! This recipe is super easy and so yummy... takes me back.
Learned to make it in school
Really good I made it Fathers Day, didn't want anything too heave to go with the Ribeye Steaks, it was a hit.