While you're waiting for water to boil, whisk together the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, honey, salt, oregano, and black pepper in a medium bowl. The mustard acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar combine smoothly. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to create a cohesive dressing. I prefer Lucini Premium Select olive oil for dressings because it has a cleaner flavor that doesn't overpower the fresh vegetables. Set the dressing aside—this can be made up to an hour ahead without any loss of quality.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fusilli according to package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, prepare all your vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise (this makes them easier to eat in the salad), dice the bell pepper into roughly ½-inch pieces, slice the mini cucumbers, and rough-chop the fresh herbs. I always use Barilla Protein+ pasta because it holds its texture better in a cold salad and doesn't become mushy. Have everything prepped and ready before the pasta finishes cooking.

Drain the cooked pasta and spread it out on a large baking sheet or platter to cool for about 10 minutes. This prevents the pasta from overcooking and becoming sticky. While it cools, rinse and drain your chickpeas thoroughly—this removes excess sodium and prevents a mushy texture in the final salad. Tear or cut the mozzarella pearls if they're larger than bite-sized, measure out your kalamata olives, and drain the pepperoncini. All components should be ready to combine once the pasta reaches room temperature.

Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl and add the chickpeas, prepared vegetables from Step 2, mozzarella, parmesan, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, and fresh herbs. Pour the vinaigrette from Step 1 over the mixture and toss everything together until evenly coated. Make sure the dressing reaches all the way to the bottom of the bowl by tossing multiple times. The small mozzarella pearls provide the best distribution throughout the salad, giving you cheese in every bite.

Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the pasta to absorb the dressing. You can serve it straight from the fridge, or let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes if you prefer a lighter texture. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed—the salad tends to be flavorful from the dressing and cheese, but a pinch of extra salt can brighten things up if it needs it.