California Pasta Salad

By srumbel

Californians are fond of cookouts. This salad travels well to picnics, the beach or potluck suppers. Not only that—people love it when it gets there! —Jeanette Krembas, Laguna Niguel, California
from tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

• DRESSING:
• 1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 large cucumber, diced
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• 1 sweet red pepper, diced
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1 bottle (16 ounces) Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; Drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the vegetables and olives.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Drizzle over spaghetti mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 10-15 servings.

Nutritional Facts

1 serving (3/4 cup) equals 257 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 567 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein.