From the Kitchens of Amy & JJ

Do you have a side dish that always brings a smile to your face when it makes an appearance at the dinner table? This is THAT recipe for our house. I can’t tell you the number of times we have requested Claudia’s Spaghetti Salad for birthdays, cookouts, dropping off at a friend’s house, church pot lucks, and more. The simplicity and flavors of this dish make it an easy recipe that can work for almost any occasion.

Some dark days for this fan favorite dish…A few years ago, the McCormick seasoning company attempted to discontinue the key ingredient in this recipe – Salad Supreme. I am sure many of my fellow mixer mates flooded their mailbox with demands to bring back this signature seasoning. It was hard to find for a time and people actually called into It Takes Two with Amy & JJ on KFGO with location sightings…after they had secured a few bottles for themselves first! Good news, you can easily find it on grocery store shelves now in the seasoning section. One large bottle yields several rounds of this recipe.

PLUS, this dish has the distinction (like a good chili) where it gets better after spending the night marinating in the fridge.

Trusted Tip! This recipe involves boiling pasta. Many chefs across the world save some of the pasta water when draining in a separate container. The water is rich in starch and is a great way to thicken cream sauces, soups rues or a gravy. Pasta water can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

 Claudia’s Spaghetti Salad

1 medium onion (in the summertime, use a Walla Walla Sweet Onion)

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 cucumber

15 cherry tomatoes

3.5 Tbls of McCormick Salad Supreme

1 lb pasta (Spaghetti or Angel Hair is best, but experiment with any type of noodle)

16 oz Kraft Italian Dressing

Slice the cucumber into thick slices and then quarter. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Chop the rest of the veggies and put all of these into a bowl. Add the italian dressing and the Salad Supreme seasoning.

Boil the pasta until tender and ready to eat. Drain the pasta water and set aside until warm, not hot.

Mix the pasta with the veggies and sauce. Let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. Serve cold at a BBQ, on a hot summer night, for an easy lunch or a large gathering. Stays delicious in the fridge for up to 5 days before turning soggy. I have no suggestions on the easiest method for eating this spaghetti salad. A fork? Tongues? Chop sticks? That’s up to you.