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. We love how easy this spaghetti salad recipe is to prepare in advance, and chill in the fridge. The longer it sits, it is a hearty, flavorful side dish or entree that’s perfect for a crowd. A must make for summer!
Using your favorite pasta and Parmesan cheese, add either salami or pepperoni for this cold, Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe. So light, fresh, and made with fresh garden veggies–it’s the best in the summertime.
Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe
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.
Read more: Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad Recipe
Why I love this 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!
- It’s full of flavor and everyone loves it.
Gather these ingredients:
- Thin spaghetti pasta
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Salami slices (or pepperoni, or both)
- Green pepper
- Red onion
- Black olives
- Italian salad dressing, OR MAKE YOUR OWN (recipe below)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
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
How do you make Summer Spaghetti Salad?
For the best flavor, it’s optional to make this salad the night before!
- 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!
How do you serve spaghetti salad?
Pairing well with any barbecue, this cold spaghetti salad is perfect to serve with this pepperoncini steak. Serve also with Best Grilled Chicken Thighs (so good).
Tips and substitutions:
- 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!
- Change up the pasta with your favorite (you don’t have to use spaghetti noodles).
- You can make a homemade dressing or buy store bought. What’s your favorite brand?
- Cook in salted water (no oil), and rinse and cool!
- Super yummy served as leftovers!
- If you add the dressing right you mix all the ingredients, the flavor gets better and better each day.
- Optional to add one cup of chunky salami and one of pepperoni.
- Use twice the amount of green olives instead of black – give it a try!
- Add sweet onions instead of red.
- For summer add fresh corn – delish!
- Swap out the Parmesan cheese for a cup of cubed pepper jack for more pizzaz.
- Some readers have used Paul Newman’s Family Italian Dressing.
More summer salads you may want to try:
- Potluck Spaghetti Tuna Salad Recipe
- Easy Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
- Easy Pad Thai Salad
- BEST Potato Salad
- Avocado Pasta Salad
- 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
- ½ small red onion, diced
- ½ 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 ½ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 TBSP red wine vinegar
- 1 TBSP dried oregano
- 1 ½ 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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This looks delish!
Made this for my granddaughters Softball banquet…it was the first to be gone!!
Making it again tomorrow for my daughter’s celebration party, but this time I’m going to double the recipe so there are leftovers to bring home.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I’ve made this a couple of times now with zoodles (zucchini). I fry them very lightly in a bit of olive oil and use in place of pasta. Delicious. The recipe is a keeper for us!
Delicious. Your salad servers are gorgeous. Best with the homemade dressing. Yes, add artichokes.
I am going to try this with spaghetti squash
How did the spaghetti squash work? I would like to try it.
I love spaghetti. Thanks for the recipe.
I haven’t made this yet. I will return with a review though.
My question is how far in advance is okay to make this salad? I won’t be needing it for at least 2-3 days. If I make it that far in advance and keep it tightly covered will the toppings and pasta go mushy? I plan on dressing it the day I will serve it. It’s for company so could really use an answer ASAP as they come tomorrow.
Thank you. Don’t mean to push. 😁
Hi, Terry. I would make it up in the AM and serve that night, but never 2-3 days for this salad. Hope it turned out for you!
If you want to make the dish vegetarian, what would you replace the salami with?
More veggies … artichoke hearts, peppers, etc.
maybe add marinated mushrooms and artichoke hearts?
One word…….”Outstanding “
Do you think artichokes and chopped pepperoncini would be good in this salad as well?
Yes, that would be amazing!
It’s such a delicious salad! The spaghetti noodles give it such a better flavor than lettuce.
We absolutely love this recipe!! I use whatever pasta I have on hand just out of convenience. The only thing I change is we do 1/2 salami and 1/2 pepperoni. Again only because I usually have both on hand. It’s so easy and delicious!
Indeed, a perfect summer and quarantine dish. I loved it as it was so yummy and quick. I am a spice lover, so I added a lot of jalapenos, red chili flakes, and some green chili chopped. I had made it last night, but couldn’t resist myself and ate it all in the few minutes of making. Thank you for sharing such a scrumptious salad recipe.
Fine recipe
I use creamy Italian dressing sometimes. Everyone seems to like it. Also Green olives for those who don’t like black ones.
I made this and it was great I give this 5 stars
Thank you Karen, can you mark the 5 stars? thank you!
Although, I have used farfalle pasta rather than spaghetti, this has become my (and my family’s) absolutely favorite pasta salad! Really really good. Thank you!
I make similar pasta salad and we absolutely love it! It’s great for entertaining at home!
You mentioned a gluten free pasta…. do you remember which one you used? Thanks!
Yes! DeLallo brand is the BEST! You can buy it online or in most grocery stores.
I make this recipe and use a whole bottle of Schilling Salad Supreme along with a bottle of Italian dressing. I use good season Italian.
This Italian Spaghetti Salad is so perfect for summer! I think I might make this for the Fourth of July!
Do you use the classic DeLallo Italian Dressing?
Yes, I’ve used that. DELISH!
Cannot wait to serve this for my bridge luncheon. Other than a nice crusty bread, any ideas for sides or are they even needed?
Yes, nice crunchy bread and I’d serve a side of fruit, too :) Have fun!
YES!!! This salad looks way too good! Such an interesting recipe. My family will love this.
I made this for dinner tonight. It is delicious!!!! Thank you for the recipe!