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California Spaghetti Salad is a delicious pasta salad filled with fresh veggies and covered in a zesty Italian dressing. With all those flavors and colors making one beautiful and tasty side dish, there is no doubt this will be the hit of your next gathering!
I love delicious, cool salads in Spring and Summer like Creamy Pea, Cauliflower Broccoli, and Cucumber Tomato Salad. Enjoy your salad at your next BBQ!
Easy California Spaghetti Salad
As the weather begins to change and warm up at this time of year, I find myself looking for recipes with a fresher and lighter feel. I especially love quick and easy cold pasta salads! This California spaghetti salad only took 15 minutes to make, and it was a hit with my guests. It is vegan-friendly, so it is great to bring to a potluck.
This recipe is great to make ahead of time because it tastes better as it sits. It’s coated in a zesty Italian dressing (made from scratch) and all of the ingredients really soak up that flavor. All of the amazing veggies packed inside add so much texture, flavor, and color to the pasta. It is the perfect finishing touch to this pasta salad.
The Best California Spaghetti Salad Ingredients
These ingredients are simple and easy, and you probably already have most of them on hand. This recipe is great to make ahead of time so that the flavors can all blend together. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.
- Spaghetti: Use thin linguine and break it into 1-inch pieces to make it easier to eat.
- Cherry tomatoes: Chopped them in half to make them more bite-sized.
- Cucumber: The cucumber gives this salad the fresh taste I love.
- Bell pepper: I used red, but swap for any color of pepper you prefer. Make this recipe your own!
- Red onion: If you don’t like biting into the raw onion, marinate them in the dressing first to lessen their strong flavor.
- Olives: The olives are very salty and delicious!
Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Italian salad dressing: Use any Italian dressing you love because you are going to amp it up with all the other seasonings to create your own version of this staple dressing. I love using this homemade version.
- Parmesan cheese: Grated and combined with the dressing to cover each part of the salad with its great nutty flavor.
- Sesame seeds: Add a rich, nutty flavor to the dressing.
- Paprika: Adds great color to this dressing and is the perfect addition to this California spaghetti salad.
- Celery seed: These little seeds pack all the powerful flavors of celery- earthy, grassy, and slightly bitter- that balance out this dressing.
- Garlic powder: The extra garlic powder helps the flavor stay strong even when chilled.
Let’s Make a Pasta Salad!
This California spaghetti salad comes together in less than 15 minutes, and then all you have to do is let it sit and soak up all of the flavors. Once your noodles are cooked and ready to go, you have to throw everything in and mix it all up!
- Cook the pasta: Make according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Combine all ingredients: Add cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, green and red bell pepper, red onion and olives to the pasta in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together Italian salad dressing, Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder.
- Toss the salad in dressing: Pour dressing over the salad and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few different ways that you can change up this California spaghetti salad and make it unique every time!
- Vegetables: Get creative with this versatile dish and swap out vegetables. For example, try favorites like broccoli or yellow and orange bell peppers.
- Pasta: Use other pasta shapes. Some of my favorites, like Rotini or Farfalle, would work fantastic!
- Cooling Pasta: This pasta salad is best when it’s fresh out of the fridge. So, keep it cooling until right before serving.
- Make it Ahead: This is a great make-ahead recipe! It’s even better the next day, so I usually make it the day before and store it in the refrigerator overnight. This really gives all the flavors time to combine and soak into the pasta!
- Pasta Tip: After draining the salad, dunk the pasta in an ice bath (equal parts water and ice in a large bowl) to shock them. Then, your noodles will not soak up too much of the dressing and become gummy.
Storing Leftovers
This California spaghetti salad tastes just as good (if not better!) the next day! As long as you store it properly, this makes the perfect lunch all week long.
- In the Refrigerator: Store your salad in an airtight container in your fridge, which should last up to 5 days. Because the noodles soak up all the dressing, I like to keep some additional dressing on hand and add it to the salad just before serving. This makes it taste like you just made it!
More Pasta Salad Recipes to Try!
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California Spaghetti Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1 inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 can black olives, drained and sliced
DRESSING:
- 1 bottle Italian salad dressing 16 ounces
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain using a colander and rinse in cold water.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and olives in a large bowl.
To make the dressing:
- Whisk together italian salad dressing, parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder. Pour over salad and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How about salami or pepperoni added to the salad
Yes! That sounds great and will add great flavor! Enjoy!
What about Olive Garden dressing if you’re really in a hurry
Yes, that sounds great too! That does add a great flavor to this recipe.
What about adding roasted chicken breast…shredded?and sunflower seeds instead of sesame?
Want to make for potluck tomorrow. Don’t have sesame seeds. Can use little Tahini paste instead or just leave out?
I would recommend leaving them out unless you have used Tahini paste before and know that it may alter the taste and texture a bit.
Made this tonight for my family with my vegetarian daughter in mind. We all love it and made it with spiral noodle instead of spaghetti.
Great recipe, made it for our bible group that gets together. They loved it as well and wanted the recipe.
I make mine with your ingredients plus hard boiled eggs and I use Kraft Peppercorn dressing and sour cream (half and half) with a little sugar and last I use a little celery seed.
That sounds delicious! I am so glad you make it your own! Thanks so much for sharing! I will have to try it your way soon! XOXO
i MAKE A SIMILAR RECIPE FOR THE SPAGHETTI SALAD. I PUT MARINATED ARTICHOKE HEARTS IN IT THOUGH. ALONG WITH CUCUMBERS ,OLIVES, GREEN ONIONS AND TOMATO. IT’A ALWAYS A HIT ALSO .
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!! XOXO
Any suggestions for a substitution for the parmesan cheese? Some in the
family do not like it!
Sometimes you can leave it out.
This is what I found when I searching:
Asiago is another of Italy’s great dry cheeses. It is a bit sweeter than Parmesan and most brands aren’t quite as hard in texture. It is a widely used substitute for Parmesan in pasta dishes and on pizzas, providing good flavor.
Hope that helps!! Xo
Maybe try fresh parmesan cheese
This salad looks good. Thing is I don’t like raw onion and really don’t care for bell peppers. Do you really have to use them?
Use either red or yellow bell peppers, they are sweeter and taste much better. I don’t like the green bells either. As far as onion, use onion powder instead and just a little so that the flavor has a chance to marry in the salad.
I use the pre-chopped green onions from the deli – mild flavor and pretty in the salad.
I leave out green pepper and it still tastes great. If you don’t like onion, use onion in half and half without onion. This makes a LOT.
How’s to make Italian dressing
This salad has always been a hit. Love this salad. But notice some put crab meat or lil salad shrimp in theres. Going to go that way next time I make it.
Love it! Absolutely delicious 😀
I made it using small shell pasta, adding fresh parsley, mint and basil from the garden and some cooked shrimp. I added Salad Supreme, some salt and pepper. Used just a little of the Italian Dressing. Sprinkled grated parmesan over each serving. To die for !!!!
Made this last night and added grilled chicken. It was so yummy!
Hi I’m about to prepare this salad for a picnic tomorrow can anyone get back to me and let me know if you should the Cucumber or not.