this Spaghetti salad The recipe is an elegant combination of noodles, and raw and roasted vegetables, dressed in a tangy Italian dressing and served on a bed of beautiful greens. Every bite is a delightful combination of flavors. Ready in 30 minutes!
When salad and pasta come together in a blissful bowl of Mars, all is right with the world. As a child, I remember my mother making a cold spaghetti salad that we loved. To be honest, the Italian dressing had a way of forcing my sister and I to eat the vegetables hidden in the soggy spaghetti. My version of the spaghetti salad recipe, but highlights the vegetables.
Stacked atop arugula and bathed in an oil-free tangy Italian dressing, this spaghetti salad tastes heavenly!
Jump:
Although my mother’s recipe tasted fantastic, I improved the taste by adding different vegetables. For example, I chose arugula as a base for its peppery flavor.
Spaghetti Salad Ingredients
- Grape tomatoes: Grape tomatoes are oblong in shape and smaller than cherry tomatoes. They have thick skin, so they hold less water than other tomatoes.
- Roasted Asparagus: Asparagus is low in calories and a great source of nutrients including fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K.
- red onion: Red onion gives a sweet taste to food.
- white onion: These onions have a sharper and more intense flavor, but the combination is great when combined with red onions.
- zucchini: Zucchini has a mild flavor, Slightly sweet and slightly bitter, with a rich feel.
- Red pepper bells: Red bells are sweet, not bitter, and often have a slight citrus flavor.
- green chillies: Sharper in taste than red bell pepper, green pepper has a slightly bitter taste, but when combined with other salad ingredients it gives a fresh grassy taste.
- Artichokes: An artichoke’s flavor is a combination of herbaceous, sweet and bitter and crunchy texture.
- Baby bell peppers: A small variety of bell pepper is added for extra flavor, color and texture.
- Kalamata olives: The flavor profile of Kalamata olives becomes rich, fruity and fleshy with a remarkable pungency not found in other olive varieties.
- Parsley: Parsley has a bright, herbaceous, and slightly bitter flavor that serves as a contrast to emphasize other flavors in a dish.
- mint: Fresh basil is strong and unique, a bit peppery with a hint of fennel. It adds a real hint of freshness to anything you put it on.
A way to make chopping vegetables easier and less time-consuming is to try a vegetable chopper. A helicopter not only saves time, but is also very affordable.
Substitute spaghetti salad
- Choose whole grain or gluten-free spaghetti noodles of choice. Angel hair pasta, spaghetti noodles and fettuccine noodles work well.
- Although this salad recipe is served cold, choose to roast all the vegetables together and serve the salad warm.
- Substitute green or black olives for Kalamata olives. Or omit the olives.
- Substitute green onion for white onion for a milder onion flavor.
- Add fresh dill for an extra herbaceous flavor.
Spaghetti Salad Dressing Ingredients
To keep it healthy, I dressed the spaghetti salad in an oil-free Italian dressing. Because the dressing enhances the pasta and vegetable flavor, I recommend making the dressing early so it can marinate in the refrigerator.
- White Vinegar: white vinegar Highly acidic, very crisp and clear, and completely neutral; Basically, it’s tofu in vinegar.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar It’s quite sharp and tangy, with smoky notes and a fuller body than you’d expect from white vinegar. It also gives a pinkish tint to the food
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemon has a bright citrus flavor that is very tart due to the acidity of the fruit.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup Adds sweetness to the dressing without using refined sugar.
- Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic whenever possible.
- Red Onion: Red onions are similar to yellow onions when cooked and milder when served raw.
- Green Chili: Green chilies are considered mildest in taste compared to other colors. They are harvested prematurely and have an apparent bitter Taste and crisp sweetness. Furthermore, they are described as having a green, grassy smell.
- Stone-ground mustard: Stone-ground mustard Has a sharp, tangy, earthy and spicy flavor. Its aroma is fresh and pleasant, while the texture is powdery or sometimes coarse,
- Mint: I like to use fresh basil for the best overall flavor.
- Parsley: Again, fresh is best if you have it.
- Italian Spices: A blend of herbs present in Italian seasoning typically includes basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram, with other herbs and spices sometimes featured.
- the water: Water thins the dressing and acts as an emulsifier instead of oil.
Also, the noodles and vegetable dressing intensify the flavor before serving on the arugula first.
Substitute spaghetti salad dressing ingredients
- Substitute apple cider vinegar for white vinegar, but add a splash of juice or extra lemon juice to balance the flavor.
- Substitute red wine vinegar in balsamic vinegar recipes.
- Bottled lemon juice works in a pinch.
- Agave nectar or date syrup is an excellent substitute for maple syrup.
- Substitute with minced fresh garlic: use half a teaspoon of minced garlic in place of each clove; Garlic flakes: Also called dehydrated (or dried) minced garlic, use ½ teaspoon of garlic flakes in place of each clove or try granulated garlic: use ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic in place of each clove.
- Opt for red or yellow chili instead of green chili.
- Dijon mustard is similar in flavor to stone-ground mustard.
- A general rule of thumb for dry to fresh herb ratio: Use one-third the amount of dry herb for the fresh herb called for in the recipe. For example, if you’re substituting fresh sage for dried sage in a recipe that calls for 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, use 1 teaspoon dried parsley instead.
- Make Italian seasoning at home, or use any bottled version you like.
- Choose a favorite store-bought fat-free Italian dressing.
- Try my creamy Italian dressing instead of oil-free Italian dressing.
- Another dressing suggestion is lemon basil dressing, which tastes great with this pasta salad recipe.
How to Make Cold Spaghetti Salad
Once dressed, toss all the ingredients together so that the dressing covers the noodles and vegetables.
After that, cover the salad and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
As a result, the marinated noodles and vegetables absorb the dressing. Although spaghetti salad is edible, I like to add a little more vegetable love.
So, I put a base of arugula (or any greens of your choice) in the base of each bowl and top with spaghetti salad.
Since the dressing is absorbed by the salad, the added arugula does not require additional dressing.
Instead, arugula intensifies Italian flavors from dressings, noodles, and vegetables.
If you’re looking for a delicious, elegant dinner, give this spaghetti salad recipe a try.
Recipe FAQs
Overcooking or undercooking pasta, not seasoning pasta enough, and not prepping pasta salad.
When making a cold pasta salad, always rinse the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles before making the salad.
I recommend making this pasta salad ahead of time because the flavors are better and more pronounced as it sits. Of course, you can enjoy it right after you put it together, but if you have 8 to 12 hours to let it sit in the fridge, you’ll be glad you did.
advice
- Always add salt to the water and bring the water to a full boil before cooking the noodles in the water.
- To cool the noodles, rinse the noodles in cold water after cooking.
- To serve this pasta salad hot, stir-fry all the vegetables with the asparagus, toss with the hot noodles, garnish and serve hot.
- Serve the noodle salad alone, or add greens to the base of the bowl for a more nutrient-dense component.
- This salad lasts 3-5 days in the fridge.
- Consider serving with crusty bread or vegan minestrone soup!
Try this great spaghetti salad recipe for a quick and easy weeknight recipe. Everyone always comes back for seconds!
Great vegan salad to try!
If you like this cold spaghetti salad recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We want to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Spaghetti salad
Spaghetti salad is an elegant combination of noodles and raw and sautéed vegetables, dressed in an oil-free Italian dressing and served on a bed of beautiful greens. Every bite is a delightful combination of flavors. Ready in 30 minutes or less!
material
Homemade Italian Dressing
instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Cut the asparagus and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
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Shake the pan to make sure the asparagus isn’t overlapping.
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Cook for 15 minutes; Remove from oven and allow to cool.
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Now, cook the noodles according to the package instructions (my noodles cooked in 12 minutes).
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Drain the noodles in a colander and immediately run cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking.
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Using your hands, turn the noodles in the colander to cool all the noodles.
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Drain the excess water from the noodles in a colander and pour the noodles into a bowl.
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Add asparagus and other vegetables except basil and parsley.
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to pour Italian dressing Over the noodles and vegetables, and using tongs, toss the dressing over the noodles and vegetables.
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Cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or so to intensify the flavor.
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Place a generous portion of greens (I used arugula) in the base of each bowl.
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Top with spaghetti salad and garnish with parsley and basil
Comment
- Always add a little salt to the boiling water while cooking the spaghetti.
- It is essential to trim off the pale ends of each stalk as they tend to be woody and tough. You can get used to bending each stalk until it is in half.
- I buy artichokes packed in water or brine rather than oil.
- Make the salad ahead of time and arrange it so the flavor builds up in the fridge.
- Add 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to spice up the spaghetti salad.
- For extra flavor, add vegan Parmesan cheese before serving.
- The salad will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
nutrition
Calories: 381kcalSugars: 69gProtein: 14gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans fats: 0.01gSodium: 220mgPotassium: 757mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2965IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 4mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegetarian and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂