This easy spaghetti pasta salad is simple and refreshing. It’s made with spaghetti, small tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, parmesan cheese, and a simple homemade Italian dressing.
This cold pasta salad is great for parties and barbecues. It also makes a tasty lunch or side dish that goes well with roasted chicken, fish, and meat dishes.
It’s easy to make ahead. Just take it out of the refrigerator a few minutes before serving, give it a toss and it is ready to serve. Our macaroni salad is another wonderful cold pasta dish as is this popular artichoke salad.
Once you give this easy spaghetti salad a try, check out this tortellini pasta salad and a simple garden pasta salad that are just as delicious.
Ingredients
- Produce – Garlic, cucumber, and small tomatoes. Use grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or other small varieties. Choose them ripe, but not too ripe so they don’t break apart when stirred.
- Pantry – Pitted black olives (I use canned olives) and spaghetti. If you don’t have spaghetti and still want to enjoy this delicious pasta dish you can substitute linguine. If you only have short pasta, you can use that too.
- Cheese – Grated parmesan cheese.
- Oil – Use extra virgin olive oil or light–tasting olive oil.
- Vinegar – I like using red wine vinegar to make Italian dressing. But apple cider vinegar and white wine vinegar can be substituted.
- Sugar – Is used to balance the tart flavors. We use raw cane sugar, but white sugar is fine too. If you need to replace the sugar, try half the amount of honey. Taste and add more if needed.
- Spices – Italian seasoning, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and salt. The crushed red pepper gives the dressing a little kick. Leave it out if you don’t like spicy. You will also need extra salt (about 1 tablespoon) for the water to cook the spaghetti.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
Make the zesty Italian dressing first and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients. That way the flavors in the dressing get a chance to combine.
Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and crushed red pepper to a jar or a bowl with a tight fitting lid.
Shake vigorously until it’s mixed and thickens a little. Refrigerate until ready to use. Shake well right before pouring it over the salad.
Cook the spaghetti to package directions. Go a little past al dente but not totally soft. Use a colander to drain the pasta and promptly rinse with cool water until it’s no longer warm.
Add the tomatoes, cucumber, and black olives to a large bowl.
Place the spaghetti on top. Add the dressing, parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
Toss well. Use a silicone spatula to get under the ingredients and turn them over. You can also use tongs along with the spatula.
Continue stirring until everything is coated with the dressing. Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled. Remove it from the refrigerator a few minutes before serving so the dressing loosens. Toss well before serving.
Serve an easy coleslaw, our tasty potato egg salad, and marinated tomatoes along with the spaghetti pasta salad at your next barbecue for a fantastic cold side dish spread your party guests will love.
Storing instructions
Keep the spaghetti salad chilled until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible and do not leave them out longer than 2 hours (1 hour if it is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit). Discard leftovers that have been at room temperature longer than that.
If handled properly, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Spaghetti Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Homemade Italian Dressing
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Garlic Clove grated or minced finely
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
- Pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional
Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces Spaghetti cooked to package directions until just a little past al dente
- 8 ounces Cherry or Grape Tomatoes cut in half or thirds depending on their size
- 1 Large Cucumber (about 8 ounces) peeled and seeded if not using an English cucumber
- 3 ounces Large Black Olives drained and sliced
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese plus extra for serving if desired
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Salt for the pasta water plus extra at the end if needed
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Make the dressing first and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and crushed red pepper to a jar or a bowl with a tight fitting lid.
- Shake vigorously until it’s mixed and thickens a little. Refrigerate until ready to use. Shake well right before pouring it over the salad.
Make the pasta salad
- Cook the spaghetti to package directions. Go a little past al dente but not totally soft. Use a colander to drain the pasta and promptly rinse with cold water until it’s no longer warm.
- Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and black olives to a large bowl. Place the spaghetti on top. Add the dressing, parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
- Toss well. It is best to use a silicone spatula to get under the ingredients and turn them over. You can also use tongs along with the spatula.
- Continue stirring until everything is coated with the dressing. Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled.
- Remove it from the refrigerator a few minutes before serving so the dressing loosens. Toss well before serving.
Notes
- Do not overcook the pasta. Cook until it is still firm but no longer al dente.
- Cool the spaghetti quickly after draining. Run it under cold water to stop the cooking. Use a colander to drain it well.
- Use an extra-large bowl so you have enough room to toss the pasta ingredients without spilling.
- If you have a favorite Italian dressing and would rather use it instead of a homemade dressing, you can substitute. Start by adding ¾ cup, then add a tablespoon or two at a time while tossing until coated.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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