California Spaghetti Salad
This California Spaghetti Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish, perfect for picnics and potlucks. Loaded with fresh vegetables and tossed in a flavorful Italian dressing, it makes for a delightful side or main dish that everyone will enjoy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: No bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 2 cans (2-¼ ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
- 1 bottle (16 ounces) Italian salad dressing
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the thin spaghetti according to package directions. Drain using a colander and rinse under cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, red onion, and sliced olives.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the Italian salad dressing, grated Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder until well blended.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Toss gently until everything is well coated with the dressing.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad for at least 3 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve chilled and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs if desired.
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 5mg