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Shelly’s Spaghetti Pasta Salad is a light and vibrant pasta salad made with thin spaghetti noodles, olive oil, seasoned salt, lemon juice, and fresh crunchy garden veggies. It’s always a hit when entertaining and perfect for a crowd!
Shelly’s Pasta Salad is a delicious & simple angel hair pasta with a light marinade (dressing) and bright fresh veggies.
First, I must tell you all who Shelly is. Shelly is my sister Lauren’s mother in law. So that makes her family. Us southerner’s kind of just do that, whether ya like it or not! I have to say I always felt I had the best in law’s in the entire world. But my sister got lucky too! Being blessed with family that loves us beyond measure is so wonderful.
Now we feel Shelly’s Pasta Salad is a one of her best qualities! Ha Ha – not really, she is the greatest and oh so sweet, but we really like it a lot (In my best Jim Carey accent).
Everyone loves this and it is gobbled up! Even Drew (my son) eats this and he doesn’t like green peppers, olives, or onions. Yes, it is that good!! This on is a hit all summer long when we get together around the pool, on a picnic or just a spontaneous Sunday family dinner.
It really is easy to make, but oh so tasty. According to her strict instructions this is a 3-day process (That’s the secret). Since I was making this in “Blog time”, I cheated and made it all in one day. It turned out “almost” as good as Shelly’s, but the second day it tasted just like hers – shhhh don’t tell her I cheated – wink wink.
Spaghetti Salad Ingredients
- Thin Spaghetti Noodles or Angel Hair Pasta
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice
- Red & Green Bell Pepper
- Red Onion
- Black Olives
- Celery
How To Make Spaghetti Salad
Step 1 | Mix Pasta in Marinate and Refrigerate Overnight
(Shelly’s Recipe call to make this on DAY 1)
- Mix the Marinade (Dressing)
- Boil Pasta to al dente & Drain Water from the Pasta
- Put Pasta in large airtight container with lid. Pour on marinade and shake.
- Refrigerate
- Every once in a while, shake it again
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Step 2 | Add Veggies
(Shelly’s Recipe call to make this on DAY 2)
- Cut and add all the veggies
- Place lid back on container and shake
- Then Shake every once in a while for good measure and taste
- Marinate overnight
Shelly says don’t forget the shaking 😉
Step 3 | Toss Pasta Salad and Serve
(Shelly’s Recipe call to make this on DAY 3)
- Eat it all up
- Shelly waits an extra day and does this on day 3. I did this at blog speed and added my veggies in the early morning and served later in the day and it was delicious. – I do this on the 2nd day.
Cold Spaghetti Salad Recipe FAQs
This pasta salad has a unique and simple dressing that usually strikes the perfect balance of flavor. But if your salad is but if it’s not hitting the mark, don’t worry—there’s an easy fix!
– Under-salted Pasta Water: While this recipe skips salt in the cooking water, some folks like to lightly salt it to give the pasta a head start on flavor. Just be careful not to overdo it, as the seasoned salt in the dressing is usually enough!
– Not Enough Dressing: Pasta is a sponge—it soaks up all that delicious marinade as it chills. If the salad feels bland, drizzle in a little more olive oil, lemon juice, or a sprinkle of seasoned salt, and give it a good toss.
– Settling Dressing: As the pasta salad rests, the dressing can settle at the bottom of the bowl. Give it a shake or a quick toss every now and then to make sure everything stays well-coated and flavorful.
For this recipe and many others, the answer is no—do not rinse the pasta. Here’s why:
– Better Dressing Absorption: Rinsing removes the starch on the pasta, which helps the dressing cling better. Without rinsing, the dressing coats the pasta and works like magic to hold all the flavor.
– Keep it Warm: Toss the pasta with the dressing while it’s still warm—this lets it soak up all that goodness as it cools down.
The only time I might rinse is if I’m using a mayo-based dressing, you can rinse the pasta lightly to cool it down and prevent it from sticking and getting gummy.
Pasta salad is a great make-ahead dish, but it doesn’t last forever. Here’s what to watch for:
– Fresh Veggies: Crisp veggies like bell peppers can lose their crunch after a couple of days and start to get soft or slimy.
– The Dressing: Fresh ingredients like lemon juice or any dairy-based dressings can spoil faster. Oil-based dressings tend to hold up longer.
– Pasta: Over time, pasta can dry out or get mushy, depending on how it’s stored.
– Proteins (if added): If you’ve included grilled chicken, shrimp, or cheese, your salad should be eaten within 2–3 days, max. Always store it in an airtight container in the fridge to keep it fresh.
If it looks or smells off, don’t risk it—toss it out and make a fresh batch.
This pasta is so versatile and is perfect with a variety of menus, YA GOTTA LOVE THAT. You may just find it debuting on many of your menus too!
Perfect Additions to your Summer Menu
- American Flag Dip
- Honey Chipotle BBQ Wings
- Chopped Greek Salad with Greek Potato Salad
- Best Key Lime Pie Recipe
- Creamy Banana Pudding
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Cold Spaghetti Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Marinade (Dressing)
- 2 tbsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Pasta Salad
- 1 lb angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti noodles
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- 2 6.5 ounce cans black olives, sliced (I used 1 & 1/2- 3.8 ounce & topped with remaining for garnish)
- ¾ cups red onion, diced , (I used 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup celery, diced
Instructions
Marinate Pasta in Dressing – Shelly’s Instructions make 2 Days before Serving
- Mix up pasta marinade (dressing).
- Cook Pasta according to package to al dente (do not add salt to water) and drain. Do NOT rinse. Pour immediately in an air tight bowl with lid. Pour on marinade (dressing), toss to mix up and coat pasta. Refrigerate over night. Every once in a while give the bowl a shake to coat pasta.
Pasta Salad – Shelly’s Instructions make 1 Day before Serving
- Add celery, onion, red & green bell peppers,& olives. Shake in bowl. Refrigerate Overnight. Every once in a while give the bowl a shake to coat pasta.
- Toss before serving and garnish as desired.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
This is delicious! Everyone loved it
Thank you, Margie! I am so glad it was a hit!
I made this yesterday. Yummy, however…I personally believe you should use half the amount of spaghetti or double all the veggies. I have way more noodles to pasta. Also, I added more lemon juice, but my lemons were on the small side.
It’s perfectly fine to double up on veggies for sure! I am glad you enjoyed it!
This pasta salad is perfect for summertime, on the menu for this week – yum!!
I hope you enjoyed it! I love that it is a lighter choice!
This salad is bright and beautiful! It’s going to be perfect for our summer potlucks and picnics!
Thank you so much Julie!
I saw this recipe on IG and had to check out the details. What a simple marinade and I love cold pasta salads. This is happing this week to share with guests we’re having over the weekend. I have plenty of time to follow Shelly’s 3-day process!
I was so thrilled when Shelly shared this one with me! It’s always a hit. Although, I do usually skip a day and cheat lol!
Served this over the weekend at a family cookout and it was the first thing gone!! Great recipe!!
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it! I love that it was a hit! Thank you so much for sharing it with friends <3
I made it two days ahead and cant believe how yummy the marinade was and how it really got into the pasta! I LOVED it!! Definitely making this again!
It’s amazing the flavor by letting it marinate! So good and a nice light one that doesn’t lack in flavor!
I love the clean simplicity of this salad! It will be perfect with our grilled chicken this weekend!
It is amazing how delicious it is for such simple ingredients! Nice and light and perfect for summer!
Fun!! Why have I never thought to use spaghetti in a pasta salad. Great simple recipe … my kind of summer cooking!
I know we leave that noodle out of the pasta mix too often. It’s perfect for the summer heat too!
This was so easy to make and a total hit at the family picnic. Thanks!
It is so simple and delish! Great make ahead dish for a picnic!
I love pasta salad – of course, I may be the only one in my house – but if I find a pasta salad at a potluck, it is on my plate. This one looks delicious. And the idea of using spaghetti noodles is great. If you have leftover noodles from Friday night spaghetti, then you have pasta salad for Sunday. Great use of leftovers! Thanks for sharing!
I have never used spaghetti for a pasta salad! I love this idea. How fun and flavorful!
This was the first time I used it as well! Shelly created a Pasta Salad my family is in love with too!
I make a very similar spaghetti pasta salad – but the dressing is completly different! Love the addition of Lawry’s! Yum!
I love the dressing. So easy!
Thank you Cindy! It’s very simple and so yummy!
This looks like a tasty pasta salad!
Thank you Anne! We love Shelly’s recipe!
This is perfect for a labor day gathering. I love dishes you can make ahead of time so you don’t have to mess with them when you have guests.
Wow Nikki, that really does look bright and fresh. Very pretty salad. That’s what I love about most salads. They are naturally just so appealing to the eye, and look so fresh and inviting. Yum!
I can see why everyone loves this salad! I know I will, too!!!