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Jump to Recipe PrintThis California spaghetti salad recipe is a bright, fresh, and flavorful take on pasta salad – it’s quick and simple to make and loaded with tasty ingredients! An easy party appetizer or side dish that’s ready in 30 minutes.
We love serving this fun pasta salad recipe to potluck and party guests – it’s always a big hit! It’s one of my favorite appetizer recipes, and also great as a light lunch or dinner side dish too.
This California spaghetti salad is a the perfect tasty appetizer or side dish for your next gathering! It’s loaded with fresh veggies, tender cooked pasta, and a bright dressing you can make in minutes.
I lived in California for 3 years, and absolutely lived off of pasta salads – they are tasty, loaded with veggies, and inexpensive to make. And always light and refreshing.
They are great for warmer weather, but also such a treat during the winter months (because they feel like summer to me).
This pasta salad is loaded with fresh produce: avocados, tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, and spinach. An easy vegetarian appetizer that everyone will love!
This California Spaghetti Salad Recipe Is
- Bright
- Fresh
- Tasty
- Easy to Make
- Made with Whole Ingredients
- Fantastic for Entertaining
- A Great Vegetarian/Plant-Based Recipe
Ingredients In This West Coast Pasta Salad
Inspired by my years of living in California, this spaghetti pasta salad is loaded with fresh vegetables and simple ingredients.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
- Spaghetti Noodles– I used a whole wheat spaghetti to keep it a bit higher in protein & fiber, but you can use a regular spaghetti or a gluten free spaghetti if desired.
- Avocado – creamy, ripe, delicious avocado gives a fantastic depth of flavor in each bite.
- Red Onion – for a bright, spicy flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes – or any tomato that is in season, diced to chopped into bite sized pieces.
- Baby Spinach
- Red Bell Pepper – the chopped red pepper gives a nice sweetness and depth of flavor. You can also use a yellow or green bell pepper too.
- Black Olives
- Vegetarian Parmesan Cheese – you can use a regular or vegan parmesan cheese, depending on your dietary needs.
- For the dressing: extra virgin olive oil, fresh minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and oregano.
Substitutions
Instead of homemade dressing, you can use a zesty Italian dressing from the store if you are short on time.
If you don’t want to use red onion, you can leave it out or use a sweet Vidalia onion for a milder flavor.
Instead of garlic you can use garlic powder for a milder flavor.
Instead of balsamic vinegar you can use red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or a spicy Italian vinaigrette.
​Swap out parmesan for Romano or feta cheese instead.
How To Make This Spaghetti Salad with Italian Dressing
- Cook spaghetti al dente according to package directions. Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil, and set aside.
- Prep your veggies: chop the avocado, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, olives, and baby spinach. Add to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the dressing: to a medium mixing bowl or a pint sized mason jar. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix well to combine.
- Assemble the salad: in the mixing bowl, add the cooked spaghetti and pour over the dressing. Toss well to combine.
- Serve at room temperature, store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
What Equipment Do I Need?
Large Bowl – you can use a mixing bow, or a serving bowl. Just be sure it is large, as this pasta salad feeds about 8 people.
A Large Pot – for cooking the spaghetti. It’ll need to be large enough to fit a whole pound of spaghetti at a time.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is vegetarian, and meat free – if using a vegetarian parmesan cheese.
- To make vegan or dairy free, use a plant-based parmesan cheese. And if using a bottled dressing, ensure the dressing is vegan.
- To make gluten free, use gluten free spaghetti, and ensure any other ingredients in the dressing are certified gluten free.
More Easy Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
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California Spaghetti Salad
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large Bowl
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For the Spaghetti Salad
- 1 lb spaghetti I used whole wheat
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup black olives
For the Italian Inspired Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoons each sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil, and set aside.
- Prep your veggies: chop the avocado, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, olives, and baby spinach. Add to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the dressing: to a medium mixing bowl or a pint sized mason jar. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix well to combine.
- Assemble the salad: in the mixing bowl, add the cooked spaghetti and pour over the dressing. Toss well to combine.
- Serve at room temperature, store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Notes
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is vegetarian, and meat free – if using a vegetarian parmesan cheese.
- To make vegan or dairy free, use a plant-based parmesan cheese. And if using a bottled dressing, ensure the dressing is vegan.
- To make gluten free, use gluten free spaghetti, and ensure any other ingredients in the dressing are certified gluten free.
Nutrition
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A great meal and versatile yet scrumptious
Delicious! I had to cut back on the noodles but we love it. Fresh veggies from our garden and I added some cooked shrimp!
Thank you – and glad you added shrimp to make it versatile, really happy to hear you enjoyed it!
– Kelly