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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Salads

    Spaghetti Salad

    Published: Aug 7, 2023 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This Spaghetti salad 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 blissful combination of flavors. Ready in 30 minutes!

    Spaghetti salad recipe served in a bowl on the table.

    When salad and pasta come together in a blissful bowl of goodness, all is well in the world. As a kid, I remember my mom making a cold spaghetti salad we loved. Truthfully, it was her way of coning my sister and me into eating vegetables hidden in the spaghetti drenched in Italian dressing. My version of spaghetti salad recipe, however, highlights the vegetables.

    Stacked on top of arugula and bathed in an oil-free scrumptious Italian dressing, this spaghetti salad tastes heavenly! 

    Jump to:
    • Spaghetti Salad Ingredients
    • Spaghetti Salad Substitutions
    • Spaghetti Salad Dressing Ingredients
    • Spaghetti Salad Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
    • How to Make Cold Spaghetti Salad
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tips
    • Great Vegan Salads to Try!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Although my mom's recipe tasted fabulous, I elevated the flavors by adding various vegetables. For example, I chose arugula as a base for its peppery flavor. 

    Spaghetti Salad Ingredients

    All the vegetables for the recipe chopped and put into a large mixing bowl on the counter.
    • Grape Tomatoes: grape tomatoes are oblong-shaped and smaller than cherry tomatoes. They have thicker skin, so they are less watery 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 onions offer a sweet taste to dishes.
    • White Onion: These onions tend to have a sharper and more intense flavor, but the combination is fabulous when combined with red onions.
    • Zucchini: Zucchini has a mild flavor, slightly sweet and slightly bitter, with a rich feel.
    • Red Bell Pepper: Red bells are sweeter, not bitter, and often have a slight citrus flavor. 
    • Green Pepper: sharper in taste than red bell peppers, green peppers taste a little bitter, but when combined with other salad ingredients, it offers a fresh grassy taste
    • Artichokes: The flavor of an artichoke is a combination of herbaceous, sweet, and bitter with a crunchy texture
    • Baby Bell Peppers: a small variety of bell peppers are added for additional flavor, color, and texture.
    • Kalamata Olives: the flavor profile of kalamata olives becomes rich, fruity, and meaty with a notable sharpness that other olive varieties don't have.
    • Parsley: parsley has a bright, herbaceous, and slightly bitter taste that serves as a contrast to emphasize the other flavors in a dish.
    • Basil: Fresh basil is strong and unique, a bit peppery with a hint of anise. It adds a real hint of freshness to anything you put it in.

    One way to make chopping vegetables easier and less time consuming to try a vegetable chopper.  Not only does a chopper save time, but it's also very affordable. 

    Spaghetti Salad Substitutions

    • Choose whole-grain or gluten-free spaghetti noodles of choice. Angel hair pasta, spaghetti noodles, and fettuccini noodles work well.
    • Although this salad recipe is presented cold, choose to roast all the vegetables together and serve the salad warm.
    • Add green or black olives as a substitute for the kalamata olives. Or omit the olives.
    • Substitute green onions for the white onion for a lighter onion taste.
    • Add fresh dill for an additional herb flavor.

    Spaghetti Salad Dressing Ingredients

    Oil-free Italian Dressing in a bowl on the counter.

    To keep it healthy, I dressed the spaghetti salad in an oil-free Italian dressing. Because the dressing enhances the pasta and vegetable flavors, I suggest making the dressing early so it marinates in the refrigerator. 

    • White Vinegar: White vinegar is highly acidic, very crisp and clean, and totally neutral; essentially, this is the tofu of vinegars.
    • Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is Quite sharp and tangy, it has smokier notes and a fuller body than you'll find in white vinegar. It also lends a rosy hue to foods
    • Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemons have a bright citrus flavor that is very tart, owing to the fruit's acidity.
    • Maple Syrup: Maple Syrup provides sweetness to the dressing without using refined sugar.
    • Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic whenever possible.
    • Red Onion: Red onions are quite like yellow onions in flavor when cooked and slightly milder when served raw.
    • Green Pepper: Green peppers are considered the mildest in flavor than other colors. They are prematurely harvested and have an apparent bitter taste and crisp sweetness. Furthermore, they are described as having a green, grassy flavor.
    • Stone-Ground Mustard: Stone-ground mustard has a sharp, tangy, earthy, and spicy flavor. Its aroma is refreshing and pleasant, while the texture is powdery or sometimes coarse,
    • Basil: I prefer using fresh basil for the best overall flavor.
    • Parsley: Again, fresh is best if you have it.
    • Italian Seasoning: The blend of herbs present in Italian seasoning usually consists of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram, with other herbs and spices, sometimes appearing.
    • Water: Water thins the dressing and acts as an emulsifier instead of oil.

    Also, dressing the noodles and vegetables first intensifies the flavors before serving on the arugula. 

    Spaghetti Salad Dressing Ingredient Substitutions

    • Apple cider vinegar replaces white vinegar, but add a splash of juice or extra lemon juice to balance the flavors.
    • Balsamic vinegar substitutes red wine vinegar in recipes.
    • Bottled lemon juice works in a pinch.
    • Agave nectar or date syrup is an excellent substitute for maple syrup.
    • Replace fresh garlic with minced garlic: use ½ teaspoon of jarred 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.
    • Choose red or yellow bell peppers instead of using green peppers.
    • Dijon mustard is similar in flavor to stone-ground mustard.
    • A general rule of thumb for the dried-to-fresh herb ratio: Use one-third the amount of dried herb for the fresh herb called for in the recipe. For example, if you're converting fresh sage to dried sage in a recipe that calls for 1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley, use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley instead.
    • Make homemade Italian seasoning, or use any bottled version you prefer.
    • Choose a store-bought fat-free Italian dressing of choice.
    • Try my Creamy Italian Dressing instead of the oil-free Italian dressing.
    • Another dressing suggestion is Lemon Basil Dressing, which tastes fabulous with this pasta salad recipe.

    How to Make Cold Spaghetti Salad

    I am tossing the salad ingredients with tongs in a large bowl.
    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Cut asparagus and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
    3. Shake the pan to make sure the asparagus isn't overlapping.
    4. Cook for 15 minutes; remove from the oven and allow to cool.
    5. Now, cook noodles according to package directions (my noodles cooked in 12 minutes).
    6. Drain noodles in a colander, and immediately run cold water over the noodles to stop cooking.
    7. Using your hands, move the noodles around in the colander so all the noodles are cooled.
    8. Shake any excess water from the noodles in the colander and pour the noodles into a bowl.
    9. Add the asparagus and other vegetables EXCEPT for THE BASIL AND PARSLEY.
    10. Once dressed, toss all the ingredients together so the dressing covers the noodles and vegetables.
    11. Next, cover the salad and leave it in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.
    12. Garnish before serving.
    Spaghetti Salad is served in a bowl on the table.

    Serving Suggestions

    • As a result, the marinated noodles and vegetables absorb the dressing. Even though spaghetti salad can be eaten plain, I like adding some vegetable love.
    • So, I place a base of arugula (or any greens you prefer) in the base of each bowl and top with spaghetti salad. 
    • Because the dressing absorbs into the salad, additional dressing isn't needed for the added arugula.
    • Instead, the arugula intensifies the Italian flavors from the dressing, noodles, and vegetables. 
    Two bowls of spaghetti salad served on top of arugula on the table.

    If you are looking for a fabulous, elegant dinner, give this spaghetti salad recipe a try. 

    Recipe FAQs

    What are common mistakes people make when making pasta salad?

    Overcooking or undercooking the pasta., not seasoning the pasta enough, and not dressing the pasta salad in advance.

    When making pasta salad do you rinse the pasta?

    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.

    Is pasta salad better the next day?

    I recommend making this pasta salad ahead of time because the flavors get better and more pronounced as it sits. Of course, you can enjoy it right after assembling it, but if you have 8 to 12 hours to let it sit in the refrigerator, you'll be happy you did.

    Tips

    • Always salt the water and bring the water to a full boil before adding the noodles to the water to cook them.
    • Rinse the noodles in cold water after cooking to cool the noodles down.
    • If eating this pasta salad warm, roast all the vegetables with the asparagus, toss with the warm noodles, dress, and serve warm.
    • Serve the noodle salad alone, or add greens to the base of the bowl for more nutrient-dense ingredients.
    • This salad lasts 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
    • Consider serving with crusty bread or Vegan Minestrone Soup!

    Try this fabulous spaghetti salad recipe for a quick and easy weeknight recipe. Everyone always comes back for seconds!

    Great Vegan Salads to Try!

    • Cauliflower Potato Salad
    • marinated vegetable salad recipe
      Marinated Vegetable Salad
    • Chopped vegan Greek salad recipe
      Chopped Vegan Greek Salad
    • hummus salad dressing
      Hummus Dressing

    If you love this cold spaghetti salad recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

    📖 Recipe

    spaghetti salad

    Spaghetti Salad

    Kathy Carmichael
    Spaghetti salad is an elegant combination of noodles, and raw and roasted vegetables, dressed in an oil-free Italian dressing and served on a bed of beautiful greens. Every bite is a blissful combination of flavors. Ready in 30 minutes or less!
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Total Time 27 minutes mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 381 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 16 ounces spaghetti I used fettuccini noodles
    • 1 bunch asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces and roasted
    • 1 red pepper diced
    • 1 cup artichokes chopped
    • 1 green pepper diced
    • ½ white onion diced
    • ½ red onion diced
    • 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in halves
    • 1 zucchini diced
    • ½ cup parsley chopped
    • ½ cup basil chopped
    • 8 ounces Arugula or greens of choice

    Homemade Italian Dressing

    • 1 recipe oil-free Italian dressing

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Cut asparagus and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
    • Shake the pan to make sure the asparagus isn't overlapping.
    • Cook for 15 minutes; remove from the oven and allow to cool.
    • Now, cook noodles according to package directions (my noodles cooked in 12 minutes).
    • Drain noodles in a colander, and immediately run cold water over the noodles to stop cooking.
    • Using your hands, move the noodles around in the colander so all the noodles are cooled.
    • Shake any excess water from the noodles in the colander and pour the noodles into a bowl.
    • Add the asparagus and other vegetables EXCEPT for THE BASIL AND PARSLEY.
    • Pour the
      Italian dressing on the noodles and vegetables, and using tongs, toss the dressing into the noodles and vegetables.
    • Cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or more to intensify the flavors.
    • Place a generous portion of greens (I used arugula) in the base of each bowl.
    • Top with spaghetti salad and garnish with parsley and basil

    Notes

    • Always add a little salt to the boiling water when cooking spaghetti. 
    • It's essential to trim the pale ends of each stalk because they tend to be woody and tough. You might be accustomed to bending each stalk until it snaps in half.
    • I buy artichokes packed in water or brine rather than oil. 
    • Prepare and dress the salad beforehand so the flavors develop in the refrigerator. 
    • Add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to spice the spaghetti salad. 
    • For added flavor, add vegan parmesan cheese before serving. 
    • The salad will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 14gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 220mgPotassium: 757mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2965IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 4mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Luci

      August 09, 2023 at 7:01 am

      Hello Kathy,
      How much artichoke?

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        August 09, 2023 at 8:18 am

        Hi Luci, sorry about that! Thanks for letting me know. One cup of artichokes, chopped. I buy the artichoke hearts in water.

        Reply
    2. Anonymous

      September 20, 2020 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars

      Reply

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