Spaghetti Pasta Salad is a colorful cold pasta salad made with spaghetti, crisp cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives, Parmesan cheese, and Salad Supreme seasoning, tossed in zesty Italian dressing. It’s an easy make-ahead side dish that’s perfect for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, and family gatherings.
I’ve been making versions of this pasta salad for years, especially during the summer when we’re having a cookout or need something easy to bring to a gathering. I like all the fresh vegetables mixed with the spaghetti, but the Salad Supreme seasoning is what really gives this salad its signature flavor.
Why I Love Spaghetti Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Spaghetti: You’ll need 16 ounces of spaghetti, broken into smaller pieces. Breaking the noodles makes the cold pasta salad much easier to toss and serve.
- Cucumber: One diced cucumber adds a fresh, crisp crunch to the salad.
- Red Bell Pepper: One diced red bell pepper adds sweetness, crunch, and bright color.
- Green Bell Pepper: One diced green bell pepper adds another crisp texture with a slightly more savory pepper flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes: One cup of halved cherry tomatoes adds juicy freshness throughout the pasta salad.
- Red Onion: A half of a red onion, thinly sliced, adds a little bite and extra crunch.
- Black Olives: A half cup of sliced black olives adds a mild, briny flavor that works well with the Italian dressing and Parmesan.
- Fresh Parsley: A quarter cup of chopped fresh parsley adds freshness and color.
- Parmesan Cheese: A half cup of grated Parmesan adds salty, savory flavor throughout the salad.
- Salad Supreme Seasoning: Two tablespoons give this spaghetti pasta salad its signature seasoned flavor. This is one ingredient I wouldn’t leave out because it’s a big part of what makes this particular pasta salad stand out.
- Zesty Italian Dressing: You’ll need ¾ cup, adjusting slightly to taste. It coats the spaghetti and vegetables and brings all the flavors together.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Add these to taste after everything is mixed together. Since the Parmesan, Salad Supreme, olives, and dressing already add seasoning, taste the salad first before adding more.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How To Make Spaghetti Pasta Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broken spaghetti noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
- Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, drain well.
- To a large bowl, add the cucumber, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives, chopped parsley, and cooled spaghetti. Toss everything to combine.
- To the mixing bowl, add the grated parmesan cheese, salad supreme seasoning, Italian dressing, salt, and pepper. Mix using tongs until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Cover and chill the Spaghetti Pasta Salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together.
- Just before serving, give the salad supreme pasta salad a good stir to redistribute the dressing and seasonings.
- Serve the spaghetti salad as a refreshing side dish or a light main course. Enjoy!
Tips I Found Helpful
- Cook the spaghetti just until al dente so it holds its texture after being tossed with the dressing and chilled.
- Break the spaghetti into smaller pieces before cooking. This makes the finished salad much easier to toss, scoop, and eat. Drain the pasta well so excess water doesn’t dilute the Italian dressing.
- Let the spaghetti cool before combining it with the vegetables so the fresh vegetables stay crisp.
- Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
- Toss everything thoroughly so the Salad Supreme seasoning and Italian dressing are evenly distributed throughout the pasta.
- Chill the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving to give the flavors time to come together.
- Give the salad another good toss just before serving. If some of the dressing has settled at the bottom, this will redistribute it.
- Taste before adding extra salt and pepper. The dressing, Parmesan, olives, and Salad Supreme already add plenty of seasoning. 🍝🥒🍅
FAQs about Spaghetti Pasta Salad
More Salads I Love
Spaghetti Pasta Salad
Spaghetti Pasta Salad is a colorful cold pasta salad made with spaghetti, crisp cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives, Parmesan cheese, and Salad Supreme seasoning tossed in zesty Italian dressing. It’s an easy make-ahead side dish for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, and family gatherings.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles, broken into pieces
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Salad Supreme seasoning
- 3/4 cup Italian dressing (adjust according to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broken spaghetti noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
- Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, drain well.
- To a large bowl, add the cucumber, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives, chopped parsley, and cooled spaghetti. Toss everything to combine.
- To the mixing bowl, add the grated parmesan cheese, salad supreme seasoning, Italian dressing, salt, and pepper. Mix using tongs until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Cover and chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together.
- Just before serving, give the salad supreme pasta salad a good stir to redistribute the dressing and seasonings.
- Serve the spaghetti salad as a refreshing side dish or a light main course. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook the spaghetti just until al dente and drain it well before allowing it to cool. Breaking the spaghetti into smaller pieces makes the salad easier to toss and serve. Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces and toss everything well so the Salad Supreme seasoning and Italian dressing are evenly distributed. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Give the salad another good toss before serving and add a little more Italian dressing if the pasta has absorbed too much while chilling.
I have made a similar recipe many times. There isn’t much difference in the recipes mine just uses more Salad Supreme seasoning. It’s very yummy😋😋😋 The first time ate this and got my recipe was about 30 years ago. It’s fun to see these old recipes making a comeback😋 Thanks!
I love this recipe and make it often! Sometimes I use Orecchiette paste. I like the little cups to catch all the goodness! Also I add Romano cheese! One of our favorites!