Creamy Italian Spaghetti Pasta Salad
User Reviews
5
Creamy Italian Spaghetti Pasta Salad
Description
The salad is prepared by boiling spaghetti noodles until tender, then draining and cooling them. The creamy dressing is blended smooth from vinegar, spices, garlic, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and oil. The cooked noodles are then mixed with halved cherry tomatoes, whole black olives, quartered slices of hard salami, and cucumber slices. The dressing coats the pasta and vegetables, and a final sprinkle of Parmesan cheese adds a touch of richness.
This dish offers a variety of textures—from the firm pasta to the crunch of fresh cucumber and the chewy salami—making it well-rounded. It can be served immediately for a fresh contrast or refrigerated for 1 to 3 hours to let the flavors meld more deeply.
The recipe is flexible in terms of serving size based on the amount of pasta and mayonnaise used. Adjusting the mayonnaise amount affects how creamy the dressing turns out, allowing the salad to be tailored to preference.
Ingredients
- 8-12 ounces spaghetti noodles (see note)
- 1 cup cherry tomato halved
- 1 cup black olives whole
- 6-10 lices hard salami quartered
- 1 medium cucumber sliced
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
Creamy Italian Dressing
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓-½ cup mayonnaise see note
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1 cup neutral cooking oil I use extra virgin olive oil, generic cooking oil
Instructions
- Add noodles to a large pot and add about 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue to boil 7-9 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse til smooth.
- Combine noodles, tomatoes, olives, salami, and cucumbers in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately OR for enhanced flavor, cover and chill 1-3 hours.
Notes
- Use between 8 and 12 ounces of dried spaghetti to serve more or fewer guests as needed.
- Adjust mayonnaise in the dressing from 1/3 to 1/2 cup depending on desired creaminess.
- For best texture, chill the salad 1 to 3 hours before serving to develop the flavors.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 409 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 409kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 34g | 52% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 590mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 159mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 218IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 91mg | 9% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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