Description
This Italian spaghetti salad is a refreshing pasta dish loaded with fresh vegetables, cheese, and zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, and summer gatherings!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (16 oz) spaghetti, broken into thirds
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup black olives, sliced
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese pearls (or diced fresh mozzarella)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- For the Italian Dressing:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional, for slight sweetness)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Break the spaghetti into thirds and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Drain, rinse under cold water, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl or mason jar, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake well until emulsified.
- Prepare vegetables: Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell peppers, thinly slice the red onion, and drain the olives.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, prepared vegetables, olives, and cheeses. Pour about 3/4 of the dressing over and toss gently. Add herbs and Parmesan, then toss again.
- Chill before serving: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Before serving, toss again and add remaining dressing if needed.
Notes
Make ahead tip: This salad tastes even better after marinating in the refrigerator. Reserve some dressing to refresh before serving.
For uniform flavors, try to cut all vegetables into similar sizes.
For a gluten-free version, simply substitute with your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: Italian spaghetti salad, cold pasta salad, pasta salad with Italian dressing, easy summer pasta, potluck pasta salad