Fresh and light, this easy spaghetti salad recipe, adapted to be low carb, has just 7 net carbs and 254 calories! It is perfect for making ahead so you can soak up every minute of pool time. In fact, it’s better when it has time to soak up the vinaigrette and for the herbs to blend. Be sure to check out all of the delicious variations on this foolproof keto recipe!
For this recipe you’ll need: zucchini, summer (yellow) squash, Italian vinaigrette dressing (I used Ken’s which has 1 carb per serving), green onion celery, garlic, Bell pepper, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, olives (kalamata are delicious!), and Parmesan cheese.
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When I was a kid we ate a lot of cold meals in the summertime. My mom hated to cook any time of the year but was especially hostile toward the summer kitchen. She had grown up on a farm in the 1920s and she was one of those girls that worked in the fields rather than in the house with my grandmother.
So, while she would definitely make an effort during the colder months of the year once the thermometer got above 80 degrees she put the stove and oven to bed for the most part.
We ate cantaloupe halves with vanilla ice cream in the center, strawberry shortcake, anything Dad cooked on the grill – including corn on the cob, and salads of all kinds. When I married my first husband it truly shocked me that he expected to continue eating stews and pot roasts from May through September!
One of my favorite meals was a tangy spaghetti salad filled with crunchy-fresh summer vegetables and marinated in Italian dressing. When the weather finally started warming up here I found myself really craving the flavors.
But of course spaghetti is full of carbs.
I wanted to see if zucchini would soak up the marinade in a similar way to the spaghetti and I am very very happy to say that it did!
Table of Contents
Low Carb Spaghetti Salad Variations
Not only is this totally addictive as is there are a lot of ways to change it up! The main thing to remember is to let it sit in the fridge for at least a little while so that the flavors blend and the vegetables soak it up.
- Add chopped pepperoni
- Add chopped deli meat like salami, ham, or whatever you like
- Try mozzarella or provolone for some of the parmesan
- Use spiralized broccoli stems
- Use chicken stock instead of water for cooking the spiralized vegetables
- Fresh basil and oregano are fantastic in place of the dried if it’s available
- Add diced, grilled chicken
- Cherry tomatoes cut in quarters are delicious in this spaghetti salad
- Add diced cucumber
- Steamed asparagus is good in it
- I love bacon crumbled in this, too!
See? There are tons of different ways to change it up. Use up your leftovers!
Low Carb Spaghetti Salad Recipe
Make this quick and easy spaghetti salad in a big enough batch that you’ll have enough for the week. With so many ways to change up the basic recipe you aren’t likely to get tired of it… plus it’s SO good!! If you like this recipe please give it 5 stars.
Spaghetti Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini , spiralized
- 1 cup summer squash , spiralized
- 1/4 cup Italian Dressing , I used Ken’s – 1 carb for 2 tablepoons
- 1/4 cup green onion , chopped
- 1/3 cup celery , chopped
- 1/4 cup bell pepper , diced
- 2 tablespoons olives , sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano , dried
- 1/2 teaspoon basil , dried
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic ,mashed
- Salt , to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper , coarsely ground
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the spiralized zucchini and summer squash and simmer, covered, for 2 – 3 minutes, depending on the texture you prefer.
- Drain and rinse in cold water (or plunge into ice water).
- Gently pat dry.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix gently but thoroughly.
- Cover and chill overnight if possible – the flavor develops during this time.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this recipe? you may also like…
Click on the image to see the recipe. From left to right (all low carb): Manicotti, Million Dollar Spaghetti, Ramen
Still looking? Try one of these recipes from some of my favorite bloggers!
Zucchini Noodles Alfredo from Wholesome Yum – lightly crunchy zucchini noodles with a rich, creamy sauce.
Peanut Chicken Zucchini Noodles from Low Carb Yum – Asian inspired dish that takes just 15 minutes to make!
Amazing