Spaghetti Salad

Spaghetti salad is a family favorite in our home, especially on warm days when we’re craving something quick, fresh, and satisfying.

We toss al dente spaghetti with crunchy veggies, fragrant herbs, and our Italian dressing for a simple, wholesome meal that’s perfect for meal prep, and family dinners.

Our readers love summer salads, so we took inspiration from our Greek chickpea salad, Horiatiki and rice salad for this recipe.

To keep it vegan, just skip the cheese or try your favorite plant-based alternative. For a gluten-free version, swap in your go-to gluten-free spaghetti.

• Spaghetti: Make this recipe with any other pasta type, long or short. For example, linguine or bavette would be a suitable replacement for spaghetti.
• VEGGIES:
  • Tomatoes: you can use any ripe tomatoes such as vine, Roma, cherry, grape tomatoes, etc.
  • Cucumber: substitute with radishes or thinly sliced zucchini.
  • Bell pepper: red bell pepper, yellow, or green bell pepper.
  • Olives: Use Kalamata olives or Gaeta olives for an upgrade. Substitute chopped sun-dried tomatoes or marinated artichoke hearts.
  • Shallot: substitute green onion or red onion for shallot.

• Parsley: Flat-leaf parsley. Substitute basil, dill, mint, chives, and coriander, for parsley.
• DRESSING:
  • Lemon juice: freshly squeezed. Substitute apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
  • Grated lemon zest: best if from an organic lemon.
  • Maple syrup: substitute honey or agave syrup.
  • Dried oregano: substitute dried thyme.
  • Dried basil: substitute dried mint.
  • Garlic powder: substitute a fresh garlic clove, grated.
• Feta: substitute with non-dairy feta or mozzarella balls.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water per package instructions. When cooked, drain it, and cool it under cold water so that it stays al dente.

Transfer it to a large bowl, and if you don’t use it immediately, toss it with two teaspoons of olive oil to prevent it from sticking.

In a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, grated lemon zest, maple syrup, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

Chop bell pepper, tomatoes, and cucumber into small dice; cut the olives in half, and finely chop parsley and shallot, then add them to the bowl with the pasta.

Pour the dressing, then toss to combine. Taste and adjust for salt. Add feta cubes and a pinch of dried oregano.

This spaghetti salad makes a refreshing side dish at summer BBQs and cookouts. We love serving it alongside:

• BBQ Tofu – smoky, savory, and protein-packed.
• Creamy cucumber salad
• Vegan Potato Salad – for a creamy contrast with a smoky twist.
• Black bean burger

Tips

• Cool down the pasta: After cooking, rinse the spaghetti under cold water to cool it quickly and stop the cooking process. This keeps it firm and perfect for salads.

• Let it chill: For the best flavor, refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes before serving. It gives the dressing time to infuse every bite.

• Balance the textures: Mix soft ingredients like olives and feta with crunchy ones like cucumber and bell pepper to create the perfect bite.

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