1-Step 1: Cooking the Pasta First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your chosen pasta and cook for 6 to 10 minutes until tender. You want it al dente, which means it should have a slight bite to it. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water immediately. Rinsing under cold water is crucial for cold pasta salad because it stops the cooking process and removes surface starches that can make the salad sticky.

2-Step 2: Whisk the Dressing While the pasta is cooling, you can make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together 60 ml red wine vinegar or white/champagne vinegar, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Add the juice from ¼ cup pepperoncini jar if you want extra tang. Slowly drizzle in 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil while whisking constantly until the mixture is blended and emulsified.

3-Step 3: Combine Ingredients Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss well to coat every piece. Next, stir in the chopped vegetables: 1 cup diced bell pepper, 1 cup diced zucchini, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, and 3 green onions. Add the ½ cup mixed olives and ½ cup pepperoncini or banana peppers.

4-Step 4: Add Cheese and Herbs Finally, fold in ½ cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese and ½ cup fresh mozzarella balls. If you are using fresh parsley or basil, chop it and add it now. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

5-Step 5: Chill and Serve You can serve this immediately, but it tastes better if you let it sit. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. This simple chicken stir-fry comes together in just 15 minutes, and by using fresh veggies and a tangy homemade sauce, it’s a quick weeknight dinner that never disappoints. Similarly, this pasta salad benefits from the flavors marrying together in the fridge.