Chilled spaghetti salad
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Use your favorite raw vegetables here. Some suggestions: cherry tomatoes, scallions, red or orange bell peppers, celery, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, olives, capers.
Ingredients
  • 1 box dried spaghetti (volume varies these days by brand - I used a 13 ounce box)
  • 1 heaping cup, total, small diced vegetables (see suggestions above)
  • Your favorite vinaigrette (a light olive oil-based dressing works really well here - you want a background note of dressing, not an overwhelming hit of it)
  • 2 ounces feta or goat cheese, crumbled
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Prepare the spaghetti according to package directions. Rinse well with cool water and let drain. Add a light drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and toss the spaghetti gently to work the oil throughout. (At this point, the spaghetti can sit while you finish dicing the vegetables, if necessary.)
  2. Using tongs, grab a large tangle of spaghetti and lay it in a large bowl. Drizzle a bit of of the vinaigrette over the noodles, along with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Spoon half of the vegetables over the top, and season with a pinch of salt. Repeat with the remaining noodles and vegetables. Drizzle more dressing over the top, and use the tongs to gently mix everything together, pulling a layer of noodles from the bottom of the bowl up to the top with each pass. The vegetables have a tendency to sink to the bottom, so make sure you get them mixed in. Add a drizzle of dressing as you go. The noodles should be glossy, but not dripping, and there should not be a puddle of dressing in the bottom of the bowl (drain it off, if there is).
  3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours. Before serving, drizzle a bit more vinaigrette on the salad, along with another pinch of salt and pepper, and toss gently.
Recipe by Leaf + Grain at http://leafandgrain.com/chilled-spaghetti-salad/