Classic California Spaghetti Salad - Bright, Fresh, and Perfect for Parties
California spaghetti salad is a crowd-pleasing classic that tastes like sunshine in a bowl. It’s colorful, crunchy, and tossed in a zippy Italian-style dressing that clings to every strand of pasta. This dish shows up at potlucks, family barbecues, and summer picnics because it’s easy to make ahead and always disappears fast.
Ingredients
- Spaghetti: 12 ounces (dry), broken in half for easier serving
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: 2 cups, halved
- English cucumber: 1 medium, diced (or 2 Persian cucumbers)
- Bell peppers: 2 small, any color, diced
- Red onion: 1/2 small, thinly sliced or finely diced
- Black olives: 1 cup, sliced (or sub Kalamata for a brinier bite)
- Parmesan cheese: 1/2 cup, freshly grated
- Fresh parsley: 1/4 cup, chopped
- Optional add-ins: Mini pepperoni or salami, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, feta, or mozzarella pearls
- Olive oil: 1/2 cup
- Red wine vinegar: 1/3 cup
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon, freshly squeezed
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
- Dijon mustard: 1 teaspoon
- Honey or sugar: 1–2 teaspoons, to balance acidity
- Dried oregano: 1 teaspoon
- Dried basil: 1 teaspoon
- Crushed red pepper flakes: 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
- Kosher salt and black pepper: to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain well.
- Cool the pasta: Rinse the spaghetti briefly under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Shake off excess water. Toss with a splash of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Make the dressing: In a jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon, honey, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Prep the veggies: Halve the tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell peppers, and thinly slice or finely dice the red onion. Slice the olives.
- Toss it all together: In a large bowl, combine the cooled spaghetti, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onion, olives, and parsley. Pour over most of the dressing and toss until coated.
- Add cheese and adjust: Sprinkle in the Parmesan and toss again. Taste and add more dressing, salt, or pepper as needed.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 2–4 hours. The flavors meld and the pasta absorbs the dressing.
- Serve: Before serving, toss again. If it seems dry, splash in a bit more dressing or a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.