Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe
Light and fresh, enjoy this cold spaghetti salad. Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe is a spaghetti salad with fresh veggies and Italian dressing. Watch the video!
Using your favorite pasta and Parmesan cheese, add either salami or pepperoni for this cold, Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe. Serve this salad with Best Grilled Chicken Thighs (so good). And friends, I want to tell you about my new book out this year, Big Boards for Families! You can preorder it now!
Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe
This salad is great for any potluck or summer party.
Make homemade Italian dressing, or optional to buy store-bought, when you’re in a pinch for time!
You may have also tried my Potluck Spaghetti Tuna Salad Recipe or Easy Italian Pasta Salad Recipe.
Italian Spaghetti Salad
Friends, we’ve been trying to get together with some good friends from out of town.
It’s hard to get a date on the calendar sometimes, and it takes work and intention to make it happen.
On the menu? This potluck favorite: Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe
How do you make Cold Spaghetti Salad
Pairing well with any barbecue, this cold spaghetti salad is perfect to serve with this pepperoncini steak.
- Cook the spaghetti pasta according to package directions.
- Rinse and drain and cool.
- Add the ingredients; coat with dressing.
- Optional to make homemade dressing, or you can use a good variety of store-bought.
What goes in a spaghetti salad?
This a a spaghetti salad recipe with Italian dressing, and other fresh garden ingredients. Everyone loves it.
These are our favorite ingredients that go into a spaghetti salad:
- Pasta – use spaghetti
- Veggies – green pepper, red pepper, cucumbers, red onion, cherry tomatoes – add your favorites!
- Meat – salami or pepperoni
- Black olives & delicious cheese!
- Your favorite dressing – YUM!
Homemade Italian Dressing
Optional to make your own Italian dressing. Here are the ingredients:
- Red wine vinegar
- Dried basil and oregano
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Relaxing at home
Our son asked, are you going to go to your favorite restaurant, mom?
I said, no way. It’s way more authentic in our home, easy, less-expensive, and … I love this plaque.
Stay awhile.
People feel more inclined to sit back, relax, and …stay awhile when we make a home-cooked meal.
Double the spaghetti salad recipe
Here’s what I love about summer cooking: COOK EXTRA. Double the recipe for any party!
Eating at home on a regular basis doesn’t mean you need to cook every night, too. So leftovers are great!
How do you make Spaghetti Salad with Italian Dressing?
For the best flavor, it’s optional to make this salad the night before!
So light, fresh, and made with fresh garden veggies.
I sometimes use DeLallo’s Italian dressing–the flavor is so amazing. But you can buy your favorite dressing (or make it).
You can even add the dressing right before serving.
Spaghetti Salad Recipe
This time we used gluten-free pasta for our friend Ashley, who has celiac’s. It was super good! Normally we use a whole grain pasta though.
Cook in salted water (no oil), and rinse and cool!
Super yummy served as leftovers!
Set the table
Set the table (I’m a daisy lover, are you?), heat up the grill, serve a few side salads, and you’ll have the BEST summer barbecue! (Gray plates from Target, napkins from IKEA, chargers from Simon Pearce, tablecloth from IKEA).
And don’t forget to tell your guests … Stay Awhile!
Happy Hosting!
More summer salads: Easy Pad Thai Salad, BEST Potato Salad, Carrot Prune Fresh Parsley Salad, Avocado Pasta Salad, and Cowboy Pasta Salad.
Get the Recipe:
Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz pkg thin spaghetti, halved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup Salami slices (or pepperoni, or both), cut into small pieces
- 1 medium green pepper, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, drained, thinly sliced
- 1 bottle Italian salad dressing, OR MAKE YOUR OWN (recipe below)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
Homemade Italian Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 TBSP red wine vinegar
- 1 TBSP dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon, plus more to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 TBSP Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions, usually 1 minute less in time (el dente); drain and rinse. Add a drizzle of olive oil so pasta does not stick together. Refrigerate until cool.
- Place in a large bowl; add tomatoes, cucumber, salami, pepper, red onion, and olives.
- Combine remaining ingredients; pour over salad and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese; gently stir together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours; serve!
Notes
We love these clear glass serving / mixing bowls!
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I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
For the parmesan cheese, green can or freshly grated?
We use freshly grated. But you can use either.
sounds delic! – what brand of gf pasta did you use when you made for your friend- thank you!
DeLallo Gluten-Free Spaghetti made with corn and rice! It’s the best!
Delicious! I keep coming back to this salad when the weather gets hot. It is such a great one to have in the fridge for an easy meal that doesn’t heat up the kitchen!
It doesn’t get any more delicious than this spaghetti salad. The whole family loves it and it makes the best lunch on a hot summer day.
I made this summer Italian spaghetti salad recipe for a cookout and everyone loved it! The vibrant flavors of the vegetables shine through making this a great summer dish!
Looks like the original recipe I first made in the 80s. I found out I could eat this for lunch too. I made it in the biggest bowl I had. The only thing missing from this recipe is the original had Salad Supreme added. I don’t remember the measurement but it should be easy to add as much as you like. Homegrown Summer Tomatoes are ready, I am using those too. A grilled burger and corn on the cob with this salad and it’s a delicious meal. Thanks for refreshing my memory about this salad. **
Oh my goodness!!!! This was wonderful.
Can I use spaghetti squash in place of noodles
We have never tried this recipe with spaghetti squash. Sorry!
I loved this salad! so pretty to look at yet so delicious! Thanks for recipe.
5 star
I added a can of albacore tuna drained and omitted the salami or sausage. Great!!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Yes, and great as leftovers!
Sounds delicious but I’m confused about cooking the pasta. First it says a minute or less and refrigerate, Then it says cook it according to package directions. Am I cooking the pasta twice or is the 1 minute things typo?
Yes, you only cook the pasta one time :)