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Spaghetti Salad

Diner-StylePastaPorkStove-Top
Time :2 hours 20 minutes
Yield :10 servings
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The Scoop

This is not your average pasta salad, and it knows it.  
All you need is a bowl of cold spaghetti that you’ll transform into a wonderful salad with crunchy vegetables, pepperoni, basil, parmesan, and a glorious Italian dressing.
Unexpectedly addictive, it will replace your boring (no offense) pasta salads in a minute! 
Hack it:
Try a wintry version of the salad with root vegetables instead of peppers and tomatoes. Pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, anything goes!
Cheese-lover? We got you! Try a mixture of pecorino and parmesan for the ultimate Italian experience.
Skip the store-bought dressing and just whip equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice to make a delicious, homemade, and super healthy dressing.
Leftovers:
Twirl into spaghetti muffins: Use a muffin tin, add any leftover pasta, peppers, and tomatoes (but skip the cucumbers), drizzle with olive oil and cheese, and bake.
Turn any leftovers into a southern Italian classic, frittata de pasta, by mixing with eggs and frying in a non-stick pan!
Turn them into a quick stir fry with tofu or chicken!

Ingredients

  • 1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti, broken into thirds
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 10 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup red onions, diced
  • 1 cup pepperoni, diced
  • 1 (16-ounce) bottle Italian salad dressing
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

  • In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the spaghetti to al dente, according to the package directions.
  • Drain the cooked spaghetti and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  • In a large bowl, add the cooked spaghetti, the cucumbers, the green peppers, the tomatoes, the red onions, and the pepperoni.
  • Add the dressing to the salad mixture and toss to completely coat.
  • Add the basil and the parmesan to the salad mixture and toss to combine.
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
  • Serve.
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