Pepperoni (I used sliced, about 20-25 slices, cut into quarters) – I don’t always add the pepperoni; I only do it when I happen to have some on hand. It’s a nice accent.
¼ cup grated Parmesan
DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
(I made this dressing by eye, not by measuring, so it was hard for me to put numbers to this. I erred on the lower end, so you might need to add more of any of these ingredients. In particular, you might want to add more of the oil & vinegar so that there is enough to dress the whole salad. This way you can start by pouring some over the salad and then add more if needed.)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil (sometimes I use Smart Balance oil if I want a lighter flavor)
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon garlic power
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste…about ½ teaspoon
Ground sea salt (or kosher salt) to taste…about ½ to 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Boil pasta (in well-salted water) until “al dente,” drain and set aside
Quarter the zucchini & cucumber (lengthwise) and then cut quarters into roughly ½ centimeter pieces. I like the pieces cut this way, but you can do it any way you like!
Combine the pasta, zucchini, cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, pepperoni, and grated parmesan.
To make dressing, combine ingredients in separate bowl and whisk well, until sugar & salt are mostly dissolved. Give it a taste! Does it need more of anything? Now is the time to add it.
Pour dressing over pasta salad and stir well. Let sit in fridge for at least an hour. It gets better the longer it sits!