Moderately salt your pasta water. I recommend adding 2-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the boiling water before you add the pasta. Salting your pasta water is the first step in salting the pasta itself and will go a long way in boosting the flavor of the entire dish!

Cook just until al dente. Whichever pasta you choose, be sure to cook it just until al dente. I like to set my timer for 1 minute less than the lowest recommended cooking time and start tasting the pasta at that point. So if the recommended cook time is 4-6 minutes, I’ll set the timer for 3 minutes and start tasting the pasta then so that I can strain it as soon as it’s cooked through, but still has a toothsome bite.

Toss cooked pasta with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Don’t skip the step of tossing the cooked pasta in olive oil and seasoning it with salt and pepper. This will ensure that the noodles don’t stick together and also help the dressing stick to every nook and cranny of the noodle.

If you’d like to make this salad ahead of time, I recommend tossing the pasta with just half the dressing initially and then adding the remaining dressing to the pasta salad just before serving. This will ensure that the flavors are fresh and the pasta doesn’t get soggy. I would not recommend making this more than 2-3 days in advance.