This Spaghetti Salad recipe is loaded with fresh veggies like peppers, tomatoes, and onion as well as cheddar cheese. Homemade Italian dressing adds the final touch. Perfect for summer potlucks and BBQs!
I love this spaghetti salad – and so does my family. It’s a staple on our table during the summer months, whether we’re hosting or it’s just us. It’s pretty similar to my Italian pasta salad, as far as the ingredients go, though I use cheddar cheese here instead of mozzarella. I also included my favorite homemade Italian dressing recipe, though feel free to use store-bought dressing if that’s what you prefer. It’s super tasty either way!
Why This Is The Best Spaghetti Salad Recipe
This recipe is always a popular one! Here are a few reasons why.
- Perfect for summer potlucks. This recipe is loaded with fresh summer produce, like peppers, tomatoes, and onions. It also makes a pretty large amount, which makes it perfect for sharing with a crowd at summer potlucks and BBQs.
- Quick & easy. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare this spaghetti pasta salad, making it easy enough to whip up anytime. Just remember that it does need to chill for several hours for the best flavor, so it’s best to make it in advance.
- Easy to customize. I often customize this pasta salad based on what produce I already have in the fridge. Sometimes I’ll add in broccoli or cauliflower or omit an ingredient if I know someone doesn’t love it.
What You’ll Need
This spaghetti pasta salad is made with spaghetti noodles, veggies, and cheese. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Spaghetti noodles – I recommend breaking them in half for shorter noodles that are easier to serve.
- Veggies – I add green pepper, red pepper, red onion, an English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and black olives to my spaghetti salad.
- Cheddar cheese – Feel free to choose mild or sharp, based on your preferences. It can also be replaced with a similar cheese.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated is the way to go here.
- Salt & pepper
- Italian salad dressing – I like to use the homemade Italian dressing recipe included in the recipe card. However, store-bought Italian dressing works too!
Recipe Variations
Here are a few easy ways to customize this recipe.
- Customize the veggies. Feel free to add more vegetables or omit any that you’re not a fan of. Banana peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower are all great additions.
- Try a different cheese. I love the bite of sharp cheddar in this salad. However, mozzarella balls are also a great option. Other cheese, like Colby Jack, could be used too.
- Add some meat. Feel free to add some diced ham, salami, or mini pepperoni to this spaghetti pasta salad.
How To Make Spaghetti Salad
This spaghetti salad recipe is so easy to make. The most time-consuming part is boiling the pasta!
- Cook the pasta. Cook the spaghetti to al dente then drain and rinse. Toss with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking. Place in the fridge to cool.
- Add the veggies. Add the diced veggies and cheese to a large bowl with the cooled pasta.
- Add the dressing. If using homemade Italian dressing, combine the ingredients. Pour the Italian dressing over the salad, add the grated parmesan, and gently stir.
- Chill. Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this spaghetti salad recipe.
- Cool the pasta. Let the pasta cool in the fridge while preparing the rest of the ingredients. To speed up the process, I’ll often run it under cold water.
- Dice everything evenly. Try to make sure that most of the veggies and add-ins are roughly the same size. This ensures everything is distributed evenly and makes it possibly to have multiple flavors in every bite.
- Make ahead. I highly recommend preparing this salad several hours in advance. Overnight is even better. That gives the flavors time to meld together and the pasta time to absorb the flavors of the dressing.
Serving Suggestions
Spaghetti salad is a staple at summer potlucks and BBQs. This recipe makes a pretty large amount, which makes it perfect for larger crowds. I’ll often whip it up for a side dish whenever we’re making something on the grill, whether that’s chicken skewers, steak, or something simple like burgers and hot dogs.
Before serving, give it a good stir to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed and the dressing isn’t just on the bottom.
How To Store Leftovers
Leftover spaghetti salad lasts for 3-4 days. Keep it in an airtight container, or a bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap, in the fridge. Note that the spaghetti will continue to soak up the Italian dressing as time goes on, so I often add a bit more before serving the leftovers.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Cowboy Pasta Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Creamy Bow Tie Pasta Salad
- Big Mac Pasta Salad
Spaghetti Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles broken in half
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives drained
- ½ cup cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups Italian dressing recipe below – or use store-bought
Homemade Italian Dressing
- 1 ½ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions (el dente); drain and rinse. To prevent sticking, drizzle a small amount of olive oil over pasta and toss. Refrigerate until cool.
- In a large bowl; add tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, olives, onion, cubed cheese and olives.
- Combine dressing ingredients; pour over salad and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese; gently stir together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Last Step:
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12 comments on “Spaghetti Salad”
Perfecto!
Thanks Christina!
Absolutely delicious. Because we were eating it in one day and I love avocados, I sliced avocados self add if anyone wanted to add them to their salad….all gone.
Thank you Theresa!
Thanks so much for the homemade Italian dressing recipe. Very simple to make. I also added bacon bits and crouton crumbs. Loved it
Thanks Kristina!
Awesome
Thanks Audette!
I assume you could easily half this?
Hi Laura. Yes, you’ll have no issues with halving the amounts for a smaller portion.
Excellent!
Thanks Miska!