California Spaghetti Salad
California Spaghetti Salad: A Refreshing Delight for Every Occasion
Are you looking for a light and refreshing dish that’s perfect for summer cookouts, potlucks, or meal prep? Look no further than this California Spaghetti Salad! This cold pasta salad combines vibrant vegetables, creamy mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing to create a dish that’s not only delicious but also incredibly versatile. Whether you’re hosting a barbecue or simply meal prepping for the week, this salad is sure to be a hit! If you have been following me for a while, you already know about my love for pasta salads! The combinations that you can come up with are infinite! And here are a few more of my favorites:
Dill Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad with Bacon
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This California Spaghetti Salad is not only easy to prepare but also incredibly adaptable. You can switch up the vegetables based on your preferences or what you have on hand. For instance, feel free to add broccoli, zucchini, or even artichoke hearts. If you’re a meat lover, adding slices of salami or pepperoni can elevate the dish to new heights. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients Needed:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- Salt (for boiling water)
- 3 mini cucumbers, sliced
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 large red onion, diced
- 2.25 oz can of black olives, drained
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
- 16-ounce bottle Italian dressing
- 2 to 3 tablespoons salad supreme seasoning
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
In a large pot, adding a generous amount of salt to flavor the spaghetti. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add 1 pound of spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente, which typically takes about 8-10 minutes. After cooking, drain the pasta and immediately run it under cold water to halt the cooking process. Set the cooled spaghetti aside in a large bowl.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Slice three mini cucumbers and halve 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes. Next, dice one green bell pepper and half of a large red onion. I love using this chopper from Amazon. It ensures everything is cut in evenly sized pieces and it is much quicker than using a knife!
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Once the spaghetti is cooled, add the sliced cucumbers, halved tomatoes, diced bell pepper, diced onion, and a can of drained black olives to the bowl.
Now it’s time to add the cheese and dressing! Toss in 8 ounces of mozzarella pearls, pour in a 16-ounce bottle of Italian dressing, and sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of salad supreme seasoning over the top. Finally, stir in half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Lastly
Mix everything together thoroughly, ensuring all ingredients are well combined. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, let the salad chill for at least one hour, but the longer it sits, the better the flavors meld together.
California Spaghetti Salad is perfect for summer cookouts, family gatherings, baby/bridal showers or meal prep for the week ahead. Its light and refreshing qualities make it a favorite among guests at any gathering. Plus, with the ability to customize the ingredients to suit your tastes, it’s a dish that everyone can enjoy.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
California Spaghetti Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spaghetti
- 1-2 tbsp Salt for boiling the spaghetti
- 3 mini Cucumbers, sliced or diced
- 1.5 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
- 1/2 Large Red Onion, diced
- 2.25 oz Can of Sliced Black Olives
- 8 oz Mozzarella Pearls
- 16 oz Bottle of Italian Dressing
- 2-3 tbsp McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning
- 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Begin by boiling water in a large pot, adding a generous amount of salt to flavor the spaghetti. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add 1 pound of spaghetti.
- Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente, which typically takes about 8-10 minutes. After cooking, drain the pasta and immediately run it under cold water to halt the cooking process. Set the cooled spaghetti aside in a large bowl.
- Once the spaghetti is cooled, add the sliced cucumbers, halved tomatoes, diced bell pepper, diced onion, and a can of drained black olives to the bowl.
- Toss in the mozzarella pearls, pour in the bottle of Italian dressing, and sprinkle the 2 to 3 tablespoons of salad supreme seasoning over the top. Finally, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Mix everything together thoroughly, ensuring all ingredients are well combined. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, let the salad chill for at least one hour, but the longer it sits, the better the flavors meld together.
This is the yummiest! Brought to a reunion and it was gone in a flash!
Wow! That is awesome Helen! I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! Thank you for coming back and leaving a review 🙂