This easy pasta salad recipe is flexible based on the ingredients you have in your kitchen or the season. Use a hearty pasta shape with nooks and crannies to hold onto the dressing, like rotini or penne. We love the fresh mozzarella balls and parmesan cheese, which melts into the dressing, and pepperoncini peppers add a tangy kick if you have them on hand.

Pasta Salad

• 1 pound dried pasta like fusilli, penne, rotini or farfalle
• 1 cup sliced bell pepper, 1 medium
• 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini , 1/2 medium
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions, 5 to 6 green onions
• 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers, optional
• 1 cup (4 ounces) halved mixed olives
• 1 cup (2 ounces) grated parmesan cheese or other hard cheese
• 1 cup (6 ounces) fresh mozzarella balls, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley or basil, optional

Homemade Dressing

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 to 3 tablespoons juice from pepperoncini jar, optional
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes (check the package for recommended cook time). Drain and rinse well under cold water.

2While the pasta cooks, make the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, pepperoncini juice (if using), and olive oil until blended. Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the dressing and mix well.

3Stir in the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if using), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and herbs (if using). Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve, or for the best results, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

• Storing: You can make pasta salad and keep it in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
• Make ahead: The extra time allows the flavors of the pasta, veggies, and dressing to meld together. I like making this salad the day before serving. I save a bit of the dressing separately in the fridge. Then, just before serving, I toss in the reserved dressing to refresh the salad.
• The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: Serving Size 1/10 of the salad / Calories 363 / Total Fat 19.1g / Saturated Fat 5.1g / Cholesterol 18.3mg / Sodium 507.1mg / Carbohydrate 36.6g / Dietary Fiber 2.3g / Total Sugars 2g / Protein 11.7g

AUTHOR: Adam GallagherThe full recipe post can be found on Inspired Taste here: https://www.inspiredtaste.net/38019/easy-pasta-salad-recipe/