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4.9 from 96 votes

Spaghetti Salad

This recipe for spaghetti salad is a unique pasta salad full of crunchy vegetables and parmesan cheese, all tossed together in a homemade zesty Italian dressing. The perfect dish to feed a crowd when you're entertaining!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 461 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Salad
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

For the salad
  • 1 pound spaghetti noodles broken in half
  • 1 cup quartered and sliced cucumber
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
  • 2/3 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/4 cups homemade or store bought Italian dressing dressing recipe follows
  • salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine or red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced red bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced dried onion or 1 teaspoon fresh minced onion
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

For the dressing
    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the salad
  1. Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water.
  2. Place the spaghetti in a large bowl and add the cucumber, red and green bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion and olives.
  3. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired.
  4. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and parsley over the top right before serving.

Notes

  • I really recommend making your own Italian dressing as it adds a lot of flavor. If you're short on time, choose a high quality refrigerated Italian dressing at the store.
  • Be sure to cut all your vegetables into bite sized pieces to make the the salad easy to eat.
  • I typically use Persian or English cucumbers for best results.

Nutrition Information

Calories 461kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 15g (23%) Cholesterol 14mg (5%) Sodium 816mg (34%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 9g (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 461

% Daily Value*

Calories 461kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 66g 22%
Protein 13g 26%
Fat 15g 23%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 816mg 34%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 9g 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.