Spaghetti Salad Is The Delicious Way To Use Up Leftover Pasta

If you've ever cooked spaghetti or its dainty friend angel hair pasta, you probably know how difficult it is to measure the perfect amount of thin pasta. Often, you end up with way too much. While you can always reheat it and toss it with sauce, you might be overlooking a far more interesting option. After all, if that leftover pasta was rotini, penne, or elbow macaroni, you probably think of making it a picnic-worthy pasta salad. Why don't we automatically go there with spaghetti? Just like other pasta shapes, leftover spaghetti makes a great base for a summery pasta salad.

The most important thing to note when making cold spaghetti salad is to skip the creamy, mayo-based dressing and opt for a tangy vinaigrette. Mayo-laden pasta salads are heavier and tend to stick together, and using spaghetti will likely result in noodles clumping together. A dressing slicked with olive, vinegar, and lemon will keep the noodles moving.

The trick to making delicious leftover spaghetti salad is to choose mix-ins that work with the long pasta shape. Use crunchy vegetables like cucumbers, red onions, and bell peppers to add texture. Make sure to slice them very thin or they might not integrate evenly with the long strands of pasta. This is the perfect opportunity to break out your spiralizer or mandolin to get super-thin slices. Chunks or cubes of vegetables will get caught on the side or fall to the bottom of the bowl. If you're using cheese, slice it thin or crumble finely so it coats the noodles.

Think light and fresh when considering dressings, as you would when adding sauce to hot spaghetti, so that the flavors don't overwhelm the pasta. Choose vinegar, citrus juices, herbs, and spices that complement the vegetables and cheese in the salad. If you're adding fresh mozzarella and tomato, choose a fresh herb vinaigrette packed with parsley, basil, and chives. If you want to incorporate a crumbly cheese like feta, opt for a Greek-style vinaigrette. When you're ready to throw everything together, get a bigger bowl than you think you need so you have room to toss thoroughly. Drizzle with about three-quarters of the dressing while tossing, making sure to coat everything. Before serving, drizzle with the reserved dressing and toss again to counteract any dressing absorbed by the spaghetti.