This Spaghetti Salad makes a delicious quick and easy light summer meal or side for all your grilling recipes. It is full of wholesome ingredients from the garden and drizzled with a homemade Italian dressing. The end result is pure bliss! I love to serve Spaghetti Salad with Dry Rub Grilled Pork Tenderloin or Grilled Marinated Chicken.
Summer is in full force and with it comes lots and lots of fabulous pasta salads. They are ideal for lunch, light supper, or side dishes for grilled chicken, seafood, beef or pork. Prepare to have your taste buds wowed.
How do you make Spaghetti Salad?
Start by cooking your spaghetti according to the package instructions. I like to cook it just a tad al dente which means with a little bite and firmness. While the pasta is cooking grab a bowl and combine all the ingredients for the Italian dressing. Now chop all the vegetables into fairly small pieces, slice the black olives and chop the salami.
Once the spaghetti is cooked to your liking drain well. Let it cool for a few minutes Then in a large bowl toss the cooked spaghetti with just a little bit of olive oil to loosen it up so it is not stuck together. Now add the cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, black olives, onions, pepperoncinis, hard salami and Parmesan Cheese. Finally drizzle in the Italian dressing and toss to coat.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Cook the spaghetti al dente and drain well.
- The Italian Dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store covered in the fridge. However remove from the refrigerator about 45 minutes prior to making the spaghetti pasta salad.
- Chop your vegetables fairly fine so they complement the spaghetti.
- You can use any colored bell peppers. They all lend different flavors and sweetness but they all work in this pasta salad.
- If you don’t like an ingredient substitute something else or omit it. For instance if you don’t like black olives try capers. If you don’t like red onion try scallions. As I always say don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
- For a vegetarian version of this Spaghetti Salad, simply omit the hard salami.
More pasta salads you will love!
- Easy Sweet Hawaiian Pasta Salad
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Creamy Macaroni Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad (Vegetarian)
- Easy Taco Pasta Salad
- Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Spaghetti Salad
This easy spaghetti pasta salad is made with fresh garden veggies and homemade dressing. It is perfect for potlucks, family reunions, pool parties and neighborhood shindigs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: salad, side
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Italian Dressing
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Spaghetti Salad
- 12 ounces spaghetti noodles (broken in half)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped English cucumber
- 1 cup grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 1/2 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 yellow (or red) bell pepper chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncinis
- 1/3 cup chopped hard salami
- 2 tablespoons grated Fresh Parmesan
Instructions
- In small bowl whisk together red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
- Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain well and cool.
- In a large bowl toss cooked spaghetti with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, black olives, onions, pepperoncinis, hard salami and Parmesan Cheese. Drizzle with the Italian dressing and toss to coat.
Notes
- Cook the spaghetti al dente and drain well.
- The Italian Dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store covered in the fridge. However remove from the refrigerator about 45 minutes prior to making the spaghetti pasta salad.
- Chop your vegetables fairly fine so they complement the spaghetti.
- You can use any colored bell peppers. They all lend different flavors and sweetness but they all work in this pasta salad.
- If you don’t like an ingredient substitute something else or omit it. For instance if you don’t like black olives try capers. If you don’t like red onion try scallions. As I always say don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
- For a vegetarian version simply omit the hard salami.
Keywords: pasta salad, Italian dressing, spaghetti pasta salad, cold spaghetti salad, Italian spaghetti salad, spaghetti salad, summer pasta salad
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Lauren k
My mom used to make something similar and it’s always been a family favorite. Great recipe!
★★★★★
Toni
Everyone at my house loved it! Perfect for weeknights!
★★★★★
Wilhelmina
Cool salads are a summer go to in the Oklahoma heat. I love the flavors in this one, it’s perfect for lunch or dinner and is fabulous leftover!
★★★★★
Lindsay Cotter
This is the perfect summer side! We’ll be making this again and again!
★★★★★
Suzy
Cold salads are perfect for summer! Love that I can cook the pasta ahead of time!
★★★★★
Taryn
I really liked the dressing on this!
★★★★★
Lisalia
This is the best quick summertime meal. SO yummy. Your dressing is especially good. I like that it’s not made from a pre-seasoned packet… you know?! The flavors in this are so fresh!
★★★★★
GEORGE MEDLIN
THIS IS DEEEELISH! Will be making this again and again.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks George! I am glad that you liked it!!
Jane Henson
How long will this dressing last in the fridge? It would be good with just noodles- cooled of course.
Beth Pierce
Up to 2 weeks. I agree on the noodles.
Dale Turenne
Made this on Sunday, absolutely delicious, thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Dale! So glad that you liked it!!
Michelle
Such a delicious salad, perfect for summertime picnics!
★★★★★
Emily Liao
Loved how fresh and easy this was to make! Perfect for a weeknight dinner.
★★★★★
Alison
Such gorgeous colors and the Italian dressing is spot on! I can just leave out the salami and parm to make it vegan friendly!
★★★★★
Lauren Vavala
Oh my gosh! What a fun recipe. I love that it’s perfect for summer AND I know my kids will love it too!
★★★★★
Bintu | Budget Delicious
Spaghetti salad sounds like the perfect summer lunch or dinner and this one looks and sounds delicious!
★★★★★