Usually, the star of the show in pasta salad is, well, the pasta, but that’s not the case with this vibrant dish. This California Spaghetti Salad is brimming with so many wonderful tastes and brilliant colors that it’s practically hard for them not to steal the show! We can’t get enough of this colorful and crisp summer salad.
This side dish is loaded with fresh vegetables, including zucchini, cucumber, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and olives. Everything is mixed together with delicate spaghetti and a tangy Italian-style dressing. You don’t often see spaghetti in a cold pasta salad, but it’s time we all gave it a try. It works so well in this recipe because it still delivers that comforting chewiness while the fresh veggies provide the majority of the taste and texture. It’s more of a supporting player than a fusilli or penne, but it achieves the ideal balance at the end.
This is one of those “use-it-up” dishes you can always rely on when you need to empty out the fridge. If you don’t have all of these vegetables on hand, you can easily substitute them and still have a delicious result. Do you have some yellow squash? Put it in there. A smidgeon of green onion? That’ll suffice. Is there no cucumber? Substitute celery. We promise… almost everything works!
Hoverdminsite 2 Years Ago No Comments FACEBOOK CALIFORNIA SPAGHETTI SALAD
INGREDIENTS
1 pound cooked and drained pasta
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cucumber, diced 2 zucchini, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 red onion, diced
To make the dressing:
1 jar Italian dressing
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 paprika teaspoon
a half teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
PREPARATION
Cook spaghetti according to package directions, then drain and rinse in cool water.
Combine zucchini, tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, onion, and black olives in a large mixing basin.
Whisk together the Italian dressing, sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
Toss cooked spaghetti with vegetables and olives, then add dressing and toss well. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to chill. Enjoy while chilled!
