California Spaghetti Salad is a colorful pasta salad made with chopped fresh vegetables, tender spaghetti, and a zesty Italian dressing. It’s bright, refreshing, and perfect for picnics, potlucks, or summer meals.
Ingredients
- 1 lb thin spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 2 cans sliced ripe olives (2.25 oz each), drained
Dressing:
- Italian salad dressing
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Sesame seeds
- Paprika
- Celery seed
- Garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook pasta
Boil spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. - Combine ingredients
In a large bowl, mix pasta with tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, peppers, onion, and olives. - Make dressing
Whisk together Italian dressing, Parmesan, sesame seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder. - Toss & chill
Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to let flavors blend. - Serve & enjoy!
If you want, I can also make:
- a super-short social caption
- a printable recipe card
- or a healthier version with swaps
Just tell me! 🍝🥗
