🍝 California Spaghetti Salad
This is a cold pasta salad—fresh, colorful, and great for picnics or summer meals.
🧾 Ingredients
- 200–250 g spaghetti (cooked and cooled)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cucumber (diced)
- 1 bell pepper (red or yellow, chopped)
- ½ red onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup black olives (sliced)
- ½ cup shredded carrots (optional)
- ½ cup Italian dressing (or homemade)
- Salt & black pepper
- Optional: parmesan cheese, parsley
👨‍🍳 Instructions
- Cook pasta
- Boil spaghetti until al dente
- Drain and rinse with cold water
- Prep veggies
- Chop all vegetables into bite-size pieces
- Mix
- Combine pasta + vegetables in a large bowl
- Add dressing
- Pour Italian dressing over everything
- Toss well to coat evenly
- Chill
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (best flavor)
🧠Why people like it
- Refreshing and cold
- Crunchy vegetables + soft pasta contrast
- Easy make-ahead dish
- Works for parties and meal prep
⚠️ Nutrition note
Spaghetti is a refined carb, so:
- it can raise blood sugar if eaten in large portions
- adding vegetables and protein helps balance it
- whole-grain pasta is a better option if you want steadier energy
🍽️ Optional upgrades
- Add grilled chicken or tuna for protein
- Use olive oil + vinegar instead of bottled dressing
- Add feta cheese for extra flavor
If you want, I can make a low-carb version, a diabetes-friendly pasta salad, or a high-protein meal-prep version.
