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Colorful Italian Spaghetti Salad with fresh vegetables in a white bowl

Italian Spaghetti Salad: The Only Cold Pasta Recipe You Need This Summer

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  • Author: Brenda
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Boiling
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

A refreshing and flavorful Italian spaghetti salad packed with fresh vegetables and tossed in a zesty seasoned dressing.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 ounces thin spaghetti, halved
  • 3 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 3 small zucchini, diced
  • 1 large cucumber, halved, seeded, and diced
  • 1 medium green pepper, diced
  • 1 medium red pepper, diced
  • 8 ounces Italian salad dressing
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Cook the thin spaghetti according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cooked spaghetti, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, green pepper, and red pepper.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is well coated.

5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend.

6. Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley before serving.


Notes

For best flavor, chill overnight before serving.

You can substitute bottled Italian dressing with homemade vinaigrette.

Add olives, salami, or mozzarella cubes for extra flavor.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 320
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Sodium: 480mg
  • Fat: 14g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 42g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 8g
  • Cholesterol: 8mg