Boil the pasta. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Toss in your pasta of choice and cook until it’s al dente—tender with a little bite. Give it a gentle stir every so often to keep spirals from clumping together. It should taste perfect just before the package says it’s done.

Cool down. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it under cold water, so it stops cooking and gets cool enough for the salad.

Chop the veggies and herbs. While the pasta is doing its thing, wash and chop all your vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell peppers, finely chop the red onion, and shred the carrots. Chop up parsley and basil, and slice the olives (if needed). Keep the pieces bite-sized for an even mix—it makes the salad easy to eat and scoop.

Mix up the dressing. In a small bowl, briskly whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar or honey if you want a touch of sweetness. Whisk until it turns smooth and cloudy, almost creamy-looking—this means it’s emulsified and ready to coat every piece.

Bring it all together. Tip the cooled pasta into a large mixing bowl, then tumble in all your prepped vegetables and chopped herbs. Pour over the dressing and let gravity do the work—everything starts to glisten.

Toss gently. Use a folding motion with a broad spatula or spoon to combine everything, so nothing gets bruised. You’ll know it’s ready when the vegetables are evenly distributed and each piece of pasta is shiny with dressing, not sitting in a puddle.

Chill and finish. Cover the bowl and let the salad rest in the fridge for at least half an hour. This gives all those flavors time to meld into something extra delicious. Just before serving, taste and add a splash of lemon juice or a pinch more salt if it needs a lift. Serve cold, and enjoy the burst of fresh garden flavors.