This California Spaghetti Salad is a refreshing and vibrant pasta salad packed with fresh vegetables, black olives, and a light, tangy dressing. It’s a colorful and flavorful dish perfect for potlucks, picnics, barbecues, or a light lunch. The combination of spaghetti with crisp vegetables creates a satisfying and easy-to-make salad.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions and cooled
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 cup halved or quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- Optional: 1 clove garlic, minced
- Optional: Pinch of sugar
Instructions:
- Cook Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. This prevents the pasta from sticking together.
- Prepare Vegetables: While the spaghetti is cooking and cooling, chop the cucumber, halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes, slice the black olives, chop the green bell pepper, and chop the red onion. Also, chop the fresh parsley.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. If using, add the minced garlic and a pinch of sugar. Whisk until the dressing is well combined.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooled spaghetti, chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, chopped green bell pepper, chopped red onion, and chopped fresh parsley.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the spaghetti and vegetables in the bowl.
- Toss Well: Gently toss all the ingredients together until the spaghetti and vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Chill (Recommended): Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to an hour to allow the flavors to meld. This salad is best served chilled.
- Serve: Before serving, give the salad another gentle toss. Serve cold as a refreshing side dish or light meal.
Tips and Notes:
- Vegetable Variations: Feel free to add other fresh vegetables you enjoy, such as chopped bell peppers of different colors, zucchini, or marinated artichoke hearts.
- Cheese Addition: For a creamier salad, you can add crumbled feta cheese or small mozzarella balls.
- Protein Addition: To make it a more substantial meal, you can add grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas.
- Herb Variations: You can use other fresh herbs like basil or oregano in addition to or instead of parsley.
- Dressing Adjustments: Adjust the amount of vinegar, mustard, or seasonings in the dressing to your taste.
- Make Ahead: This salad can be made a few hours ahead of time. The flavors tend to meld even better as it sits. If making it much in advance, you might want to reserve some of the dressing and add it just before serving to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much liquid.
- Storage: Store leftover spaghetti salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Enjoy this delicious and easy California Spaghetti Salad!