Spaghetti Salad with Salami and Fresh Mozzarella
This Spaghetti Pasta Salad is a fun twist on traditional pasta salad. Spaghetti is tossed with fresh cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper and olives. Mozzarella pearls and salami add protein to make it a light dinner.
Servings: 8
Calories: 433kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup diced English cucumber
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 6 ounces mozzarella pearls drained
- 1 cup diced salami
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or neutral tasting oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the spaghetti in the boiling water and cook for 9-10 minutes until al dente. Check with the manufacturer's packaging for accurate instructions for cooking. 12 ounces spaghetti
- Drain the spaghetti and run it under cold water until it is no longer hot. Drain again and place into a large bowl.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, make the dressing by whisking together the avocado oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Whisk until combined and then allow it to set. 1/2 cup avocado oil, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella pearls, salami and parsley into the bowl of cooled spaghetti. Toss everything together. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 cup diced English cucumber, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 cup finely diced red onion, 1/2 cup sliced black olives, 6 ounces mozzarella pearls, 1 cup diced salami, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Pour the dressing over and toss again, making sure the dressing covers all the pasta and veggies evenly.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Before serving, toss very well one more time, as the dressing and toppings likely sank to the bottom of the bowl. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Notes
- If you want to make this easier to serve or eat, you can cut the spaghetti with kitchen shears after it has cooled. You can also break the spaghetti in half before boiling. Yes, this is a no-no in Italy, haha.
- I like using avocado oil as a dressing base. It has a pretty neutral, mild flavor. If you want to use something else, you can use grape seed oil or a milk olive oil.
- I used bite-sized rounds of salami and then just cut them in half. The thicker pieces are good for this recipe. You can also use pepperoni as a substitute. Even ham pieces would work well.
- Taste the dressing and adjust salt and pepper as necessary. I like to add a sprinkle of salt and pepper over the salad at the end.
- You can really add your favorite toppings to this pasta salad. Chopped basil or arugula would be a great and fresh addition.
- You do want to chill this for at least an hour to allow the flavors to develop and marinate. You can make this the night before. You may want to add a fresh spritz of lemon juice or red wine vinegar to refresh everything if it is in the fridge overnight. Or reserve a few tablespoons of dressing to freshly toss with.
- You can make the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate until you need it. The flavor will be stronger.
Nutrition
Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 928IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 1mg
