Description

California Spaghetti Salad with Fresh Veggies is a vibrant and refreshing cold pasta salad featuring thin spaghetti tossed with a colorful medley of diced tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, and olives. Enhanced with a zesty Italian dressing and a flavorful blend of Parmesan cheese and assorted seeds and spices, this salad is perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish at gatherings. Chilling the salad allows the flavors to meld beautifully, making it an easy and delicious make-ahead recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

1 pound of thin spaghetti

Vegetables

2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 red onion, diced

Other

1 can (2.25 ounces) of sliced ripe olives, drained
1 bottle (8 ounces) of Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon of poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of celery seed
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

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Instructions

Cook the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the thin spaghetti and cook for 9 to 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it and stop the cooking process.
Prepare the vegetables: Dice the tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, cucumber, and red onion into bite-sized pieces. Drain the sliced ripe olives thoroughly.
Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and cooled spaghetti along with all the diced vegetables and drained olives. Toss gently to mix evenly.
Add dressing: Pour the entire 8-ounce bottle of Italian salad dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Toss well to coat all the ingredients evenly with the dressing.
Season the salad: Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder over the salad. Toss gently again to distribute the seasonings throughout.
Chill and serve: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, give the salad a final toss to redistribute the dressing and seasonings.

Notes

For best results, use freshly diced vegetables and ripe tomatoes for vibrant flavor and texture.
This salad can be prepared a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Add cooked protein like grilled chicken or shrimp if you want to make it a more substantial meal.
Adjust the seasoning and dressing amount to taste depending on your preference for tanginess or spice.
Use gluten-free pasta if you require a gluten-free version.