Cold Spaghetti Salad (gluten-free, vegan)
Ali Segersten
Here is another summer recipe for you to sink your taste buds into. Refreshing, colorful, slightly salty, and full of flavor, this salad would make a great addition to a summer picnic!
The original recipe comes from my aunt Martha. While I was visiting my mom this summer, she pulled the recipe out of the old family cookbook in hopes that I would make it. I took one look at it and thought...yum! Martha's recipe used wheat-based spaghetti noodles and green bell peppers. I used Tinkyada spaghetti noodles because they don't get mushy and fall apart during cooking. Be sure to cook them al dente for this salad. For some reason I am not a huge fan of green bell peppers so I omitted them for this recipe. If you would like to use them, her recipe says to chop them and sauté lightly with the onions and garlic.
I use kalamata olives produced by the company Mediterranean Organics. I while back I wrote the company about the citric acid used in their products. Here in the USA citric acid can only be made from corn (through fermentation), but in other countries it can be made from either corn, wheat, molasses, or beets. About 25% of the citric acid used here in the USA is imported from other countries, meaning, unless you write the company to find out the source you may be getting minute amounts of gluten in your diet.
Here is the response I received from the company: The citric acid in the Mediterranean Organic Olives and Capers is produced by the fermentation of sucrose derived from cane and beet sources and purified to the highest standard. The Peppers is manufactured through a natural (microbial) fermentation process which converts corn syrup (a carbohydrate substrate) to citric acid using the microorganism Aspergillus niger . The corn syrup is GMO free. And yes, the products are also Gluten-free.
Happy Summer!
Cold Spaghetti Salad
Serve this delicious salad as part of a summer picnic or with a fresh green salad for an easy, light summer meal. My Herbal Vinaigrette over fresh greens would compliment this spaghetti salad very well.
To toast the pine nuts use a dry skillet and place over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and keep them moving in the pan for a few minutes until lightly browned. Watch them closely as they can burn easily!
Dressing
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Cook them al dente. Rinse and drain with cold water in a colander to stop cooking. Set aside.
- Heat a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and chopped onions. Sauté for about 10 minutes being careful not to brown too much. Keep the heat low enough to cook the onions until completely soft and flavorful (I add a few pinches of sea salt to the cooking onions to help with this).
- Then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Watch the temp so the garlic doesn't burn. Remove from heat.
- Add the cooked and cooled noodles to a large bowl. Then add in the cooked onions and garlic, and all of the remaining ingredients. Toss well. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
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Cold Spaghetti Salad
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About the Author
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN, is the founder of Nourishing Meals®, an online meal-planning membership with over 2000 nourishing recipes and tools to support dietary change and better health. As a functional nutritionist, professional recipe developer, and author of The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Nourishing Meals, and co-author of The Elimination Diet, she helps people overcome health challenges through food. A mother of five, Alissa understands the importance of creating nutrient-dense meals for the whole family. Rooted in science and deep nourishment, her work makes healthy eating accessible, empowering thousands to transform their well-being through food.Nourishing Meals Newsletter
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