Fresh veggies and a rich variety of seasonings make this a great springtime dish for a party or a family picnic! Garnish with tomatoes and parsley and serve with a spaghetti salad smile!
In the teacher's lounge a few month's ago, a parent brought in a pasta salad from a local catering place in observance of education week (how sweet-we LOVE food)and it had a "kick" to it. This is it! Just make it with tri-colored pasta add some cubes of cheese and that one had pepperoni. Let it set for a while to blend the flavor. Instant hit! And thanks to all out there who remember us teachers!
Read MoreIt was not at all interesting and quite boring. I thought the unusual spices, like the poppy seeds, would give it a good flavor, but it didn't. All I could really taste was the Italian dressing on top of pasta.
Read MoreIn the teacher's lounge a few month's ago, a parent brought in a pasta salad from a local catering place in observance of education week (how sweet-we LOVE food)and it had a "kick" to it. This is it! Just make it with tri-colored pasta add some cubes of cheese and that one had pepperoni. Let it set for a while to blend the flavor. Instant hit! And thanks to all out there who remember us teachers!
Great summer salad to use garden veggies. I used radiatore pasta in place of spaghetti noodles to *hold* the dressing and make it easier to pick up the pasta with a fork! Instead of bottled italian dressing I made the Italian Dressing recipe from this site and used it. Added a handful of cubed fresh mozzarella cheese. Used grape tomatoes in place of regular tomatoes. Next time I will add chopped pepperoni and broccoli and eliminate the poppy seeds.
My Gramma has made this for years with leftover spaghetti - for those people who aren't sure what kind of salad seasoning to use, Gramma has always used Salad Supreme and it turns out delicious! I can't wait to try this recipe. Sounds delicious!
Great based recipie! I doubled the parmesan cheese and cucumbers, added olives and bacon bits, and omitted the poppy seeds. I used fettucine since that what I had, and assume this will be great for any pasta shape. Excellent!
This is the best way to make pasta salad! The usual way seems so boring to my family now. It's such a verstile recipe and it's always a hit!
This Salad is a great summer pasta salad....I have made it several times and people just love it. I really did not add or take anything away the pasta salad was PERFECT the way it is. Easy and everyone will love it.
It was not at all interesting and quite boring. I thought the unusual spices, like the poppy seeds, would give it a good flavor, but it didn't. All I could really taste was the Italian dressing on top of pasta.
Very good pasta salad. Like many others, I used rotini noodles instead of spaghetti and added 1/2 yellow bell pepper (chopped) and chopped celery instead of cucumbers. With a little S&P and plenty of chilling time, this is a nice addition to your dinner table.
This is a favorite! I made it gluten free by replacing the noodles with Tinkyada Rice Pasta. I added sliced black olives, extra parmesan cheese, extra cayenne pepper, and parsley for looks. I also used white onion instead of red. Next time I would maybe use a little less Italian dressing – I like the flavor the spices naturally add versus the “store bought dressing salad”. I’ll definitely make this again.
Made this with ingredients I had on hand. Used reg. onion instead of red, Ramano and cheddar cheeses, diced up hard salami and cucumber. Added diced tomatoes on plates when ready to eat so they wouldn't get soggy. I like it just fine but my son and husband didn't care for this. Oh yea, I also added some sesame seeds! Would make again for a summer potluck.
Perfectly spicy! I added black olives and left out the onions. I only had about 1+ cup of italian dressing and it was more than enough. I think a whole bottle would have been a bit to much- it might tame down the "pepper" taste, but my family loved it! Thanks for a great base recipe!
Great Recipe! Used Cavatappi pasta instead of spaghetti and added green bell pepper. I made it the night before and it turned out awesome!
I added about a third of a clove of fresh minced garlic, a couple of table spoons of fresh Basil torn into small pieces, some apple cider vinegar and some olive oil. These additions made this reciped fantastic. I might omit the poppy seeds next time.
Great recipe! However, we used fresh cayenne pepper and it was SPICY! I'd definitely use less next time. Otherwise, it's a keeper!
This is a simple and yet delicious recipe. I would use more Italian dressing next time though, since 1 whole bottle didn't coat as much as I would like. I made this dish the night before so the veggies and pasta had time to absorb some of the flavors but I would like more "oomph" next time.
Made this for Memorial Day barbecue. It was a big hit. A little different than the traditional spaghetti salad with Salad Supreme seasoning.
Excellent! I cut down on the seasoning salt and omitted the red onion. We loved it, thank you! :)
Delish! The only change I made was to use angel hair instead of spaghetti. Everyone said they thought the flavors came thru better than with spaghetti
This recipe is a summer favorite in our household. Love the spices and the ease of making this salad.
I made this last night for lunch today, and I can't say I like it much. The spagetti is rather soggy, and I don't care for the contrasting sesame seed/poppy seed/ Parmesan flavors. Looks like I'll be making something else. Thanks anyway.
This salad is awesome! - didn't have a cucumber so used sweet red pepper instead and it worked out fine.
This is a great salad because you can add almost anything and it still tastes great. I have used summer squash and that was very good. The new pepperoni minis works great in this salad
This is pretty good, although I prefer Sharese's recipe.
This was very good although I made a few changes out of personal preference not because of anything wrong w/the recipe. I did not use sesame or poppy seeds. And instead of bottled Italian dressing, I used homemade Italian dressing. I also added zucchini & mushrooms.
Served for a football party and guests loved it. It doesn't specify kind of salad seasoning--I used ranch.
Some pasta salads I've had with Italian dressing are OK but a little bland. This one though had a nice taste due to the added spices. I did leave out the poppy seeds but added some parsley flakes. Next time, I may experiment by decreasing the amount of cayenne pepper and trying a different pasta.
I was happy to be able to use the leftover spaghetti I had in the fridge but this recipe just didn't do it for me. It was basically noodles, some veggies and dressing...nothing made it stand out from the many pasta salads I've tasted (made by 'cooks' who simply pour Italian dressing on pasta and veggies and call that a 'pasta salad'). I had to add ALOT of red pepper flakes and fresh ground black pepper before it had any flavor at all for me. This recipe is bland and one dimensional...certainly needs some jazzing up. If I had to make this again I would definitely use a Mediterranean dressing and would add black olives and feta cheese. But as is...I'd never make this version a second time. I only gave it two stars (would have given it one otherwise) but I appreciated the fact that it can use leftovers and staples...handy when it's too hot to cook.
I used a bottled dried seasoning called "Salad Supreme", which had all the spices called for, and then some. It adds a nice "kick" to the flavor.
Very Good!!!
This is so good, I am watching my carbs but this is worth cheating. It is perfect for a pot luck or as a side for almost any BBQ dish. Thanks this is one of those keepers.
This is very zesty- a great side dish to foccacia sandwiches. However, I felt it was missing just a little something, like green peppers. I'll try adding finely chopped green pepers to bring out the colors next time. great recipe though. My husband flipped for it!
My husband enjoyed this very much. I used tri-colored pasta and it made a beautiful presentation. Excellent spring time meal. I made it the night before and it was so flavorful.
This salad was great! I used Good Seasons Italian dressing and rotini noodles, omitted poppy seeds (couldn't find them in the the grocery store) and added black olives. I served it at a baby shower and nearly ate the whole bowl myself.
I put this together very quickly for a last minute pot luck so I only had a few hours to put it in the fridge and it came out very good. I used the Good Seasons dressing as someone had suggested. I also used rotini instead of spaghetti and added a yellow pepper. The onion was a little strong for me so the next time I'll probably only use half of an onion.
If you like Italian dressing you'll love this recipe. I think the dressing amount should be cut by quite a bit. All you can taste is the dressing. IN a salad, the dressing is just supposed to lightly blend into the salad. The vegetables and other ingredients are supposed to make it shine. It isn't supposed to be heavy, but light.
Made this for a family reunion. My husband thought is was very good, but I thought it could use something more. Next time I will use more garlic powder and cayenne pepper. And maybe a little more Italian dressing. Will definetly make this one again.
Really great! The spicy dressing makes this special-I always make this the night before serving so the flavors can come together.
I made this as written, except for the veggies. I used zuchinni, tomatoes, and green onion, because that is what I had. I took it to a picnic. I thought it was good. One guy took the container and tried to run, another guy stopped him. I had several people ask me for the recipe.
This salad is so delicious. The longer it sits in the frige, the better it gets! Leftovers are awesome! It has a bit of a bite to it, too. VERY good. This is the only spaghetti salad I'll ever make.
GREAT recipe!! The only thing I did different was add chunks of pepperoni. Everyone loved it!!
Excellent! A big hit at the family gathering. I added a small can of sliced black olives. I will DEFINITELY make this again soon.
I used rotini pasta instead of spaghetti. I made this for a party and it was a huge hit!! Everyone was commenting on how delicious it was. The only bad part was I had no leftovers to bring home! ;)
My husband and mom-in-law raved about this for days after I fixed it. I plan on making it this summer for our camping group.
I omitted the sesame seeds because I didn't have any. I don't think they were missed. Yum,Yum! Very Good!
Very good seasonings/flavorful dressing. I also added in some cubed colby cheese. This will be a staple, summer salad for 2009.
I MADE THIS LAST NIGHT FOR A BARBEQUE. EVERYONE RAVED AND ASKED FOR THE RECIPE. NEXT TIME I'LL MAKE IT THE DAY BEFORE AND LET IT MARINATE. THANK YOU FOR THIS ONE.
This was just awesome! I didn't have any poppy seeds but I threw in some black olives and feta cheese..The whole family loved it!
mmmmmm!I love it!
This was good, but not really my style. The extra flavoring was better than just using bottled Italian dressing, but the seeds kind of freaked me out, to be honest.
This is a great picnic recipe. It's very easy to throw together. I made this several times over the summer and it was a hit every time!
Had trouble finding poppy seeds. Added green peppers too.
Very good pasta salad. Like many others, I used rotini noodles instead of spaghetti and added 1/2 yellow bell pepper (chopped) and chopped celery instead of cucumbers. With a little S&P and plenty of chilling time, this is a nice addition to your dinner table.
I used a Good Seasons Italian dressing mix and the results were a zesty robust salad that was a delight to eat. There are only two of us and sometime leftovers do not remain appealing beyond the first day. This is a marvelous salad.
Tastes as delicious as I hoped it would!! I added more parmesan and sliced black olives, and my whole family loved it!!
Great recipe! However, we used fresh cayenne pepper and it was SPICY! I'd definitely use less next time. Otherwise, it's a keeper!
I enjoy making and eating spaghetti salads. I just break the spaghetti in half and cook not in small pieces. I like to use Red Wine Vinegar Salad dressing mixed with a Zesty Italian. I added chopped basil and parsley and omitted the sesame seed because I didn't have any left.
Nicely spicy. I like the salad but I think there is a bit too much dressing. Though I have made this twice, I will keep looking for a better spaghetti salad recipe.
I love to use this recipe to doctor up my plain italian dressing too! I mix up the dressing and put it back in the bottle and it is good for regular salads as well as spaghetti! It gives a good kick!
Good Salad. Grilled out Sun and had this for a side. Keeps well for a few days. Better than the plain ole one with Italian dressing. The flavor is wonderful Its a keeper
Very good! I added a can of sliced black olives and some cubed colby cheese but didn't have any seeds and it was great. I used a store brand, fat free italian dressing but cut a bit of the dressing and used apple cidar vinegar as I wasn't sure how I felt about the amount of dressing used and it was delicious! It had a nice kick to it.
I loved this recipe!!! My family thought it was great. The only change I made was I used the Kraft Balsamic vinaigrette instead of the Italian and added some fresh minced garlic!
This is more than a 5 star recipe. I made a 2nd one using spinach fettucini and is is great also. My next try is going to be with bow ties. Keep up the good recipes.
For me, this is a year-round recipe. My Dad loves it and considers it my specialty... Little does he know it's not my creation at all! This is a sure winner every time with him. It's so easy to make, tastes great, and lasts such a long time. I should make this all the time! Luckily I have a well-stocked spice rack, so going shopping for ingredients is pretty cheap.
Absolutely delicious! I've decided I'm having 1970's summers for the rest of my life, and this recipe makes the cut! I doubled the amount of parmesan and seasoning salt, and added black olives. Served with fried chicken and jello parfait. I will be making this salad once a week for the rest of summer...
Such a nice change from your ordinary pasta salad! We loved the added touch of the seeds crunch and the little bit of zip from the cayenne pepper. I'm going to try adding some basil next time, as well. Thanks for a great recipe!
This was so tasty, the extra seasonings gave it a zing that everyone at work loved! I added 2 tsp. of mrs. dash, broccoli and omitted the onion.
Was very good and easy to make! I switched the cucumbers with squash and it was fine! I will make it again!
I make this for summer camping trips and it is fantastic! I use zesty italian dressing.
Our favorite pasta salad. Added a chopped red pepper and a some broccoli florets. Doubled the parm in the dressing and omitted the poppy seeds. Only used half lb. of spaghetti, that was plenty. Used a whole pint of grape tomatoes, halved. We love this so much!
I made this for a dinner with guests. I used Rotini pasta instead of spaghetti. I got rave reviews from our guests. My husband and I loved it too! This will be a future favorite!
I really liked this salad. I didn't add sesame seeds becuase I don't like them but otherwise everything else was yummy. This is great to make with leftover spaghetti!
This is a great recipe that I use quite often especially at potlucks. I replace the seasonings with McCormick's supreme salad seasoning though because I prefer that flavor. Other than experimenting with various dressing, I use this recipe.
Using spaghetti noodles makes this a great variation to pasta salad. Great idea!
awesome recipe, I use it year round at all our family get togethers.
I loved this and a big hit with the family. I added diced avocado. I make it for family and work pot lucks.
Nice spices. Made my own dressing (recipe from this site). Halved the seasoned salt and cayenne. Didn't notice any heat so next time I will try the full amount of cayenne. Added black olives. Will double cucumbers and tomatoes next time too. My husband complained that there wasn't enough vegs. Loved the spice mix. I usually use salad supreme but this mix was great on it's own.
Excellent! Received many compliments. I added a can of sliced olives and marinated over night. Quite Tasty
I didn't add paprika our cayenne pepper. Kids don't do hot stuff. But my FIL loved it so much gotta make him a bowl of his own!!
I used cavatappi instead of spaghetti, other than that I followed the recipe to the letter. It was delicious, and a little on the spicy side for those who like to "kick it up a notch". It makes a LOT, great for a picnic or get-together.
Easy & Delicious. A terrific summer treat to accompany a chicken or pork chop entree. Add black olives to add some more flavor!!
To make this salad even easier...for someone like myself who prefers salads to be in "bite-sized pieces", you now can buy spaghetti noodles that are already cut-up in smaller pieces. Yes, I know it?s not difficult to cut noodles, but when it?s hot and humid, I?m always grateful for e-a-s-y!!
The first time I made this it was pretty good and I made it exactly as listed. I chose it because it had a list of spices instead of the generic "italian seasoning". Before you make this make sure you like the Italian dressing you plan to use. In the future I started slightly changing things. Many other recipes add some cheddar so I did that and I added a couple more veggies. I have also tried different pastas, most work pretty good but let me advise against shells. Since most spaghetti salads are pretty similar, what I am mostly reviewing here is the spices. They work rather well. And they give you an amount of pepper instead of saying "to taste". I dislike that term especially since it is usually used in raw meat recipes.
