• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Contact

The Anthony Kitchen logo

  • Recipe Index
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Dessert
  • Entertaining
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Stay in touch...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home · Recipes · Cooking Method · Spaghetti Salad

    May 17, 2023

    Spaghetti Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Get ready to hand this Spaghetti Salad recipe out to everyone who tries it -- you're about to become the most popular girl at the potluck. And for good reason! Spaghetti salad is all about texture, flavor, and keeping you cool when the weather is hot, which makes it perfect for Summer.

    A close up shot of a clear glass bowl filled with spaghetti salad.

    People swoon for this dish of cooked spaghetti noodles, loaded with fresh veggies and parmesan cheese. It's got just the right amount of tang and savory thanks to store-bought Italian dressing and a few friends from the spice drawer. Plus those crisp cucumbers and juicy tomatoes really take it to the next level.

    Spaghetti Salad is great for when you're craving something cool and refreshing. It's filling without being heavy and goes well with literally everything. You'll love how eye-catching and vibrant these simple ingredients become when they're all tossed together and ready to serve at your next gathering.

    Whether it's a potluck, casual entertaining, or a backyard BBQ, this dish is perfect for feeding a crowd and it's always a hit. You can also add chicken or shrimp to turn it into a hearty, make-ahead lunch. For more like this, try our tortellini pasta salad, pesto pasta salad, and tuna pasta salad as well!

    A horizontal photo of a white bowl filled with spaghetti salad.

    HOW TO MAKE SPAGHETTI PASTA SALAD

    To kick off your Spaghetti Pasta Salad recipe, the first thing you want to do is get a big pot of water going over high heat. Bring your pasta water to a roaring boil and add a generous pinch of kosher salt to the water. It is extremely important that you salt your pasta water. This will give your pasta salad so much more flavor!

    For the pasta, I prefer to use thin spaghetti noodles, but if you already have regular spaghetti noodles or that is your preference, feel free to go that direction. Break up the spaghetti noodles into thirds and add them to the boiling water.

    A vertical overhead photo of a white colander filled with spaghetti noodles.

    Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, and note if you are using thin spaghetti, it will cook faster than regular spaghetti. When your pasta has cooked to al dente or to your liking, drain and rinse the noodles under cold water to cool them off a bit and stop the cooking. Then, transfer your spaghetti to a large mixing bowl.

    Now it's time to whip up the Spaghetti Salad dressing! Rather than investing the time in a homemade Italian dressing, we're actually just going to call on a few extra ingredients to spruce up the store-bought stuff. Trust us -- the flavors in this pasta salad are so big and deliciously bold, no one will ever know!

    An overhead shot of a hand whisking the dressing in a glass clear measuring bowl.

    This amped-up, zesty Italian dressing is extremely easy to make and basically consists of a store-bought Italian dressing spruced up with a few extra spices. Our dressing of choice is Olive Garden Italian dressing, which you can find at most grocery stores. This dressing is just the right amount of tangy and savory, thanks to lots of Parmesan cheese!

    Add the Italian dressing of your choice to a small mixing bowl, along with kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, and celery seeds. The celery seeds make a massive difference in the flavor of this Cold Spaghetti Salad, and it is so insanely irresistible!

    An overhead shot of a measuring cup of dressing being poured into the bowl of spaghetti noodles.

    Just mix these ingredients together and pour them over your cooked spaghetti noodles. Then, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and let those noodles cool down while you chop up all those delicious vegetables!

    The vegetables you will chop for your Spaghetti Salad are red bell pepper, green bell pepper, cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Try to dice all of your vegetables right about the same size for consistency's sake. And, one little note on the cherry tomatoes, take care to remove the seeds! They will water down your dressing and dull the flavor of your Spaghetti Pasta Salad if you don't.

    An overhead shot of all of the salad toppings layered vertically.

    You'll also want to chop up about a quarter cup of fresh Italian parsley and drain 2 cans of sliced black olives. The last ingredient you'll want to be sure to have on hand is grated Parmesan cheese.

    To finish off your Spaghetti Salad, all you have to do is add all of your vegetables, parsley, black olives, and Parmesan cheese to the top of the noodles and toss until combined. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill. This will likely take 2 to 3 hours. Your pasta salad is ready to serve as soon as it is fully chilled through, but is also perfectly delicious within 24 hours of going into the fridge. And there you have it, the perfect side dish!

    For another easy pasta salad, try our Italian pasta salad next!

    An overhead shot of a hand tossing the spaghetti salad with metal tongs.

    HOW TO STORE SPAGHETTI PASTA SALAD

    Spaghetti Pasta Salad will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is best served either just after the chilling time ends or the next day. After day four, you'll notice the vegetables will start to lose their crunch and integrity of flavor.

    We don't recommend freezing Spaghetti Pasta Salad for that exact reason. Fresh vegetables, like cucumber and tomato, will not return to their original crisp and vibrant state after being frozen.

    A white bowl filled with spaghetti salad. Behind the white bowl is a clear glass bowl filled with the recipe.

    6 MORE POTLUCK SALADS YOU’LL LOVE

    • Tuna Egg Salad
    • Greek Pasta Salad
    • Mexican Bean Salad
    • Bowtie Pasta Salad
    • Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
    • Black Eyed Pea Salad

    • Tuna Egg Salad Sandwiches on a white plate with chopped eggs in the background.

      Tuna Egg Salad

    • Greek Pasta Salad

      Greek Pasta Salad

    • Mexican Bean Salad

      Mexican Bean Salad

    • Bowtie Pasta Salad

      Bowtie Pasta Salad Recipe

    • Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

      Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

    • Black Eyed Pea Salad

      Black Eyed Pea Salad

    4.34 from 3 votes
    A horizontal photo of a white bowl filled with spaghetti salad.
    Print
    Spaghetti Salad
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    25 mins
     

    This Spaghetti Salad is the perfect, easy, and crowd-pleasing side to bring to any potluck, cookout, or BBQ!

    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Spaghetti Pasta Salad, Spaghetti Salad
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 339 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 1 (16-ounce) package thin spaghetti noodles
    • 2 cups store-bought Italian dressing
    • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon celery seeds
    • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
    • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
    • 1 English cucumber, diced
    • 1 small red onion, diced
    • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
    • 2 (2-ounce) cans sliced black olives (drained)
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    Instructions
    1. Bring a large pot of water that has been generously salted to a roaring boil. Break the spaghetti noodles into thirds and carefully drop them into the water. Boil for about 5 minutes or until cooked to al dente. Strain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl.

    2. In a small bowl, combine Italian dressing, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and celery seeds. Pour the dressing over the noodles and stir to combine. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you chop vegetables.

    3. Add the vegetables, parsley, olives, and Parmesan to the dressed noodles and toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and continue to chill for about 2-3 hours more. Once chilled, serve right away or within 24 hours.

    Nutrition Facts
    Spaghetti Salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 339 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 3g19%
    Trans Fat 0.03g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Cholesterol 4mg1%
    Sodium 972mg42%
    Potassium 326mg9%
    Carbohydrates 45g15%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 9g18%
    Vitamin A 887IU18%
    Vitamin C 34mg41%
    Calcium 82mg8%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Pinterest image

    « Lemon Raspberry Cake
    Chicken Salad with Grapes »
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly

    Looking for more recipes?

    Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

    Check Out the Recipe Index

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

    Trending recipes

    • A close up of two Beef Ribs, stacked. The outer layer is blackened but the middle is a little pink.
      Beef Ribs Recipe
    • A close up of a wooden spoon scooping some Homemade Baked Beans out of the pot. The beans are in a thick, brown sauce.
      Homemade Baked Beans
    • A big, glass mixing bowl full of Italian Pasta Salad sits on a white work surface. It is vibrant and full of color.
      Italian Pasta Salad
    • An overhead view of Smoked Pork Chops on a sheet pan. They are crispy around the edges.
      Smoked Pork Chops
    • An overhead shot of the chicken salad that has been mixed in a clear glass bowl being held by two hands.
      Chicken Salad with Grapes
    • A whole Lemon Raspberry Cake sits on a cake stand. It has frosting piped around the top with lemon wheels and fresh raspberries in the middle.
      Lemon Raspberry Cake

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for weekly recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Contact

    • Work with me
    • Contact