Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad with Cheese Cubes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 oz of rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

While pasta is cooking, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Blanch 1 cup of broccoli florets in the pasta water for the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Drain pasta and broccoli, then immediately plunge the broccoli into the ice bath to stop cooking and preserve its bright green color. Drain broccoli after 1 minute.

Rinse pasta under cold water to cool it down completely, then drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Slice 1 cup of cherry tomatoes in half. Dice 1 medium yellow bell pepper and 1 medium orange bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces.

Peel and dice 1 medium cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces. Finely dice 1/2 medium red onion.

Cut 4 oz of cheddar cheese and 4 oz of mozzarella cheese into 1/2-inch cubes.

Add all prepared vegetables, cheese cubes, and 1/3 cup of black olives to the pasta bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp of red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp of honey, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of dried basil, 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of black pepper until well combined.

Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.

Chop 1/4 cup of fresh parsley and fold it into the salad.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Toss again gently before serving to redistribute the dressing.