The Best Pasta Salad

Name: The Best Pasta Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup white vinegar (red wine vinegar works too); 1/4 cup water; 2 teaspoons kosher salt (see notes); 2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder); 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 teaspoons each dry oregano and dry basil; black pepper to taste; fresh herbs if you want! sometimes I add fresh parsley, basil, or chives; 1 pound uncooked pasta (preferably rotini); one 10-oz. package cherry tomatoes, halved (2 cups); 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese balls, cut in half if needed; 8 ounces salami, cut into cubes or thin strips (see notes for types); 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced; 1 cup sliced pepperoncini; 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped