The same sandwich every day or not so great food in the cafeteria? It does not have to be like this. I like to take a quick made pasta salad to the office. The amount is enough either for two days - or I share it with a dear colleague for our joint lunch break.

This colourful pasta salad can be prepared easily the night before. In the office, all ingredients only need to be well stirred. The basic idea is a practical salad kit. No peppers? Does not matter, a few sliced radishes will do, too. No spring onion anymore? Never mind, just leave it out. Or replace mozzarella with tuna or whatever is in the pantry. During summer it becomes a wonderful herby pasta salad.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

200 g short pasta - I like to use small wholegrain penne or farfalle
1 small yellow pepper or half of a very large one
125 g mini mozzarella balls
2 handful of black olives
200 g cherry or small date tomatoes
1 spring onion
fresh herbs

For the dressing:

6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
8 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar

In the bowl or can, you will take your lunch to the office with, stir the vinegar with sugar, a little salt and pepper and the mustard. Then add the oil and stir vigorously with a whisk.

Cook the noodles, drain and rinse with cold water (only for pasta salad, they are rinsed, otherwise: never). Cut the peppers into pieces that are about the size of a pasta, halve the mozzarella balls and tomatoes, and cut the spring onion into fine white and green strips.

Put the drained pasta, as dry as possible, on the dressing, all other ingredients follow. On top of it fresh stems of various herbs - whatever there is. For me currently: 3 stalks of basil and parsley, 2 stalks of lemon thyme, mint and dill.

Store tightly closed overnight in the refrigerator. Come lunch time, take the herb stems out, mix the ingredients well. Then simply pluck the herb leaves and dill fringe over the salad and enjoy your office break!

Leftovers:
Keep another day in the tightly closed container in the office refrigerator.

Also nice with grilled fish and meat.