Description

A refreshing and colorful Summer Spaghetti Salad featuring al dente spaghetti noodles combined with crisp green and red peppers, cucumber, grape tomatoes, olives, and cubes of cheddar and Parmesan cheese, all tossed in a flavorful Italian dressing seasoned with garlic powder and Salad Supreme seasoning. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or light summer meals.

Ingredients

Scale

Spaghetti

1 pound box spaghetti noodles

Vegetables

1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 English cucumber, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
2.25 ounce can sliced olives, drained

Cheeses

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Seasonings and Dressing

1 tablespoon McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
16 ounce bottle Italian dressing
1 tablespoon kosher salt (for boiling water)

Instructions

Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Add the spaghetti noodles and cook according to the package directions until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles well and allow them to cool completely.
Prepare the Vegetables and Cheeses: In a large bowl, combine the diced green and red peppers, thinly sliced red onion, sliced cucumber, halved grape tomatoes, drained sliced olives, cubed cheddar cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Add Spaghetti and Seasonings: Pour the cooled spaghetti on top of the vegetable and cheese mixture. Sprinkle the Salad Supreme seasoning and garlic powder over the ingredients. Gently toss everything together to evenly distribute the seasonings.
Incorporate the Dressing: Pour the 16-ounce bottle of Italian dressing over the salad mixture. Stir carefully to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
Chill the Salad: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill before serving.
Serve: After chilling, give the salad a gentle toss and serve cold as a refreshing side dish or light meal.

Notes

Be sure to cook spaghetti just until al dente to maintain a pleasant texture in the salad.
Let the pasta cool completely before mixing with the dressing to prevent sogginess.
You can substitute the McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning with your favorite Italian herb blend if unavailable.
For extra protein, consider adding cooked chicken or chickpeas.
This salad tastes even better after resting overnight, making it a great make-ahead dish.
Adjust the amount of Italian dressing to your preference for a lighter or more dressed salad.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Summer spaghetti salad, pasta salad, Italian dressing salad, vegetable pasta salad, cold pasta salad