Easy Cold Pasta Mix (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 1 pound uncooked pasta shapes such as rotini, fusilli, farfalle, or penne.
02 - 1 cup chopped bell pepper from 1 average-sized pepper.
03 - 1 cup thin zucchini slices from about half a medium zucchini.
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half.
05 - 1/3 cup green onions cut into thin slices (about 5-6 stalks).
06 - 1/4 cup banana peppers or pepperoncini slices if you want.
07 - 1 cup mixed olives cut in half (around 4 ounces).
08 - 1 cup hard cheese like parmesan, shredded (about 2 ounces).
09 - 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls cut in chunks (roughly 6 ounces).
10 - 1/3 cup basil or parsley leaves if you want.
11 - 1/3 cup champagne, white wine, or red wine vinegar.
12 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt with extra for adjusting taste.
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground.
14 - 1/2 teaspoon oregano dried.
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons liquid from the pepperoncini jar if desired.
16 - 1/2 cup olive oil, extra-virgin.

# Instructions:

01 - Fill a big pot with water, add salt, and let it boil. Toss in your pasta and let it cook until soft, usually between 6-10 minutes. Look at your pasta package for the right timing.
02 - As your pasta boils, grab a big bowl and make your dressing at the bottom. Mix the vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, jar juice (if you're using it), and olive oil until everything blends together.
03 - When pasta's done, drain it and run cold water over it to cool it down. Dump the pasta into your bowl with the dressing and stir it all around so every noodle gets coated.
04 - Now throw in your bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, green onions, banana peppers (if using), olives, parmesan, and mozzarella. Toss in herbs too if you want them.
05 - Give your pasta salad a taste and add more salt and pepper if it needs it. For really good flavor, wrap it up and stick it in the fridge for at least half an hour before you eat it.
06 - You can keep this salad in your fridge for 3-5 days, and honestly, it tastes even better as the flavors mix together over time.

# Notes:

01 - Making this salad ahead of time works great since it gets tastier as it sits.
02 - Keep some extra dressing on the side to add just before serving to wake up the flavors.
03 - Don't worry about sticking to the exact recipe - swap things in or out based on what's fresh or what you've got handy.

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