Description
Summer Spaghetti Salad is a fresh twist on classic pasta salad, made with crisp vegetables, Italian dressing, and Parmesan cheese. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing side dish perfect for warm weather gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 12 ounce can black olives, drained and halved
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 1/2 cups zesty Italian dressing (more or less to taste)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onion, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the cooled spaghetti to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.
4. Pour 1 cup of Italian dressing over the pasta mixture and toss well. Taste and add more dressing as desired.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow flavors to meld.
6. Serve cold, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and additional minced parsley if desired.
Notes
This salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it seems dry, add more dressing or a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Swap in your favorite vegetables as desired.
Add protein like salami or grilled chicken to make it a heartier dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 413kcal
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 1159mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 3mg