Pasta Salad with Spaghetti Noodles Recipe

This delicious Spaghetti Salad is a simple pasta salad recipe that is perfect for a light meal or as a cold salad side dish. Cool and refreshing with fresh colorful seasonal vegetables.

This spaghetti salad is the perfect side dish or meal to enjoy year-round. This Italian pasta salad with spaghetti noodles is especially refreshing when the weather is hot and you want to enjoy a simple salad. 

Why You Will Love This Cold Pasta Salad Recipe

Cool for Summer. This Italian Spaghetti Salad is a wonderful easy pasta salad recipe for the season. I love that it is still summer for a few more weeks and am ready for a cool down in the weather.

Delicious Pasta Salad. This is one of my favorite cold spaghetti salad recipes. The crisp fresh vegetables and juicy tomatoes pair so nicely with the dressing. It makes a great side dish for picnics and is a family favorite as a barbecue side salad.

Easy Recipe. This Vegetable Spaghetti salad is perfect to make any time of year for dinner or lunch and is a great recipe for a barbecue or picnic too! You can make it the night before and have it ready for your day.

This is a great way to use up leftover spaghetti noodles from the package.

 

 Cold Spaghetti Salad Recipe Ingredients

• Spaghetti – you can use thick or thin spaghetti just as long as you use tender spaghetti noodles
• bell peppers – green pepper, yellow pepper or red bell pepper
• black olives
• onion – red onion or white onion works
• tomatoes – grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• celery
• Italian Dressing – Choose a tangy Italian dressing that is full of flavor or make a homemade Italian dressing
• salt and black pepper

Full list in recipe card.

How Do You Make Spaghetti Salad?

It is easy!

Step 1 – Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente. Run cold water on it and drain.

Step 2 – Cut some fresh peppers, celery, and tomatoes,

Step 3 – Place vegetables and cooled, strained spaghetti in a large bowl. Add the zesty Italian dressing and toss to coat. Add Parmesan cheese.

Tips for this recipe:

• It is a good idea to cut your spaghetti in half before you boil as it makes for easier eating.
• You can change up the noodles and use linguini, bowtie or any other type of pasta, including whole wheat pasta.
• Change up the fresh veggies. I like to use half of two or three different color bell peppers for added flair. Add some slices of English cucumber, Pepperoncinis or use orange bell peppers to change it up. You can also use mini peppers for this recipe.
• Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This salad makes a great chicken side dish or beef side dish.

If you are packing this salad to take to a potluck, I would suggest packing the cheese separate and add it just prior to serving. 

Pasta salads make a great summer side dish and can also be a refreshing summer meal. Try my Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad , my Cold Penne Pasta salad or my Pasta Salad with Dill Weed for a new pasta salad idea.

 

Don’t forget to bookmark this recipe.

Cold Spaghetti Salad Recipe

To save some time making this Spaghetti Salad:

• Use pre-cut celery and onion from the grocery store, or prepare your own vegetables the day before and store in the refrigerator.
• Use packaged shredded Parmesan cheese.
• Make this recipe the day before and it will be ready for you when you are.

This recipe is also great as a take-along lunch and summer potlucks as long as it stays refrigerated.

More Summer Pasta Salad Recipes

More Cold Salad Recipes

• Creamy Macaroni Salad   – One of our reader favorites that has been pinned thousands of times!
•  Simple Cucumber Salad  A light and colorful cucumber salad which is great when you are low on ingredients.
• Updated Three Bean Salad – An updated twist on a classic salad. 
• Penne Pasta Salad – Cucumbers, bell peppers and tomatoes combine with penne pasta for a perfect summer salad

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