Need a quick side for that BBQ or potluck? Spaghetti Pasta Salad to the rescue!
If you’re scrambling to come up with a dish to take to a gathering and are short on time, this Spaghetti Pasta Salad is your new best friend. Compiled of pantry ingredients and easily customized to your tastes and available ingredients, it comes together quickly and is delicious. Or, if it’s that time of year where you don’t want to use the oven, this pasta salad is a great side dish or base for an entree by simply adding some grilled chicken or your favorite protein on top.
This recipe tastes like summer! The fresh veggies and Italian dressing, combined with the chilled pasta all work together so well. Simple and unfussy but still a fresh taste, this Spaghetti Pasta Salad brings together the flavors of the garden and the pasta base means it will be filling and satisfying. Don’t like cucumbers? Swap them out with bite-sized broccoli pieces. Out of carrots? Use whatever fresh vegetable you have in your crisper drawer. The recipe doesn’t care–it will still taste delicious!
Italian Dressing: buy or make?
As with many items in grocery stores, you can choose any number of options: buy a ready-to-go product straight off the shelves, buy a pre-made ingredient to make something mostly from scratch, or buy whole ingredients and make something entirely homemade. Italian dressing is no exception. You can certainly grab a readymade bottle with good, quality ingredients (the shorter the ingredients, the better), or a packet of Italian dressing seasoning and add it to your own oil at home, or make it entirely from scratch. The nice part about making it entirely from scratch is that you can control what goes in it and adjust it to your own taste! For a great recipe, try our Homemade Italian Dressing recipe here.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. spaghetti, regular or thin, regular or whole wheat
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- 5-6 baby carrots, chopped
- 1 cup Italian dressing, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried salad seasoning, such as McCormick’s Salad Supreme, plus more to taste
How to Make Spaghetti Pasta Salad
Step 1: Cook pasta: Boil the spaghetti as per the package instructions until al dente, then drain and cool with cold water.
Step 2: Prep veggies: While the pasta cooks, chop the tomato, cucumber, sweet onion, green pepper, and baby carrots into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3: Combine and season: In a large bowl, toss the cooled spaghetti with the chopped veggies. Add 1 cup of Italian dressing, then taste and add more if needed. Season with the dried salad seasoning to your preference.
Step 4: Chill: Mix well to ensure even distribution of dressing and seasoning. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
FAQs & Tips
Pasta Salads are the ultimate make-ahead dishes. For best results, make this and chill for at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours before serving. Of course, if you’re in a rush and need to skip the chill time, it will still taste good! The chilling allows the flavors and seasonings to mingle. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended.
Most likely it was overcooked. Follow the package directions closely and cook until al dente – which means about 90% cooked. Setting a timer is a good idea, but it’s also smart to taste a piece of the spaghetti before draining it. The rinsing with cool water helps prevent mushiness as well!
The spaghetti noodles may have absorbed all of the dressing. Most likely, after chilling and before serving, you will have to toss and drizzle with additional dressing. The pasta shouldn’t be dry, nor should it be dripping with dressing, so given the size of spaghetti you use (thin or regular) and type of dressing, you will have to adjust as needed.
Serving Suggestions
If you need a main dish, this Spaghetti Pasta Salad is filling in and of itself. For protein, try topping it with sliced grilled chicken, salmon, or pepperoni slices. You can also chop up some string cheese into pieces or crumble feta cheese on top for a protein boost. As a side dish, Spaghetti Pasta Salad goes well with any number of dishes – barbecue chicken, grilled pork chops, or it’s amazing with our Best Hamburger Ever.
Spaghetti Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. spaghetti regular or thin, regular or whole wheat
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 1 medium cucumber peeled and chopped
- 1 small sweet onion chopped
- 1/2 green pepper chopped
- 5-6 baby carrots chopped
- 1 cup Italian dressing plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried salad seasoning such as McCormick’s Salad Supreme, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Boil the spaghetti as per the package instructions until al dente, then drain and cool with cold water.
- Prep veggies: While the pasta cooks, chop the tomato, cucumber, sweet onion, green pepper, and baby carrots into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine and season: In a large bowl, toss the cooled spaghetti with the chopped veggies. Add 1 cup of Italian dressing, then taste and add more if needed. Season with the dried salad seasoning to your preference.
- Chill: Mix well to ensure even distribution of dressing and seasoning. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
