Fast Easy Pasta Salad

Olives: I like the salty, sour taste of olives. Olives, either green or Kalamata.

The addition of pepperoncini peppers to this salad is always a hit with me. A little amount of the brine from the jar was also added to my dressing.

When it comes to herbs, my preference is for parsley and basil. Discover your own preferences by trying new things.

The recipe for pasta salad calls for:

Pasta (penne, rotini, fusilli, farfalle, etc.) that has been dried, one pound

Half a medium-sized bell pepper; one cup of chopped pepper

Slicing half of a medium-sized zucchini into thin pieces yields one cup of zucchini.

Cherry tomatoes, one cup, cut in half

Five to six onions, coarsely chopped, measuring one third cup

Half a cup of chopped banana peppers or pepperoncini, if you like.

Various olives, halved, equal to one cup (four ounces)

Grated Parmesan cheese (or other hard cheese)—one cup, or two ounces

Six ounces (one cup) of fresh mozzarella balls, diced

Depending on your preference, use 1/3 cup of fresh basil or parsley.

make-your-own dressing

A third cup of vinegar, red, white, or champagne.

Add half a teaspoon of fine sea salt; adjust seasoning to taste.

half a teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground

Dried oregano, half a teaspoon

As an optional ingredient, you may use two or three tablespoons of pepperoncini liquid.

quarter cup of extra-virgin olive oil

First, boil enough water and season with salt in a big saucepan. For pasta, the recommended cooking time is six to ten minutes, or until it reaches a soft and easily digestible consistency. Keep an eye on the package for the recommended cooking time. Carefully pour off the contents and wash the material under cold water.

Put the dressing in the bottom of a big bowl and set aside while the pasta boils. Combine the olive oil, pepperoncini juice (if desired), oregano, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and mix until combined. Combine the drained and rinsed pasta with the dressing.

Toss in the cubed zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if liked), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and herbs (if wanted) with the rest of the ingredients. To mix everything together, give it a good stir. Check the spices by tasting the dish; if necessary, add salt and pepper. It is recommended to chill the dish for at least 30 minutes and no more than 5 days before to serving for optimal results.

Adams' and Joanne's recommendations

Doing this a day in advance will provide better results since it improves with time.

Nutritional details: Here is an overarching perspective on the diet. Using data provided by the USDA, we have calculated estimations.

What follows is a breakdown of the nutrients in one serving: A serving size is one tenth of the salad. Calories determined: 363 19 and a half grams of total fat. Packed with 5.5 grams of saturated fat Cholesterol: 18.3 milligrams The sodium content is 507.1 Mg. 37.6 grams of carbohydrates. There are 2.3 grams of dietary fiber. The total sugar content is two grams. Substance: 11.7 grams of protein.