Home Town Drive-In Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package tri-color rotini pasta
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup finely diced sweet onion
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste (optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini pasta at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water to cool.

Whisk sugar, salt, and hot water in a large salad bowl until sugar has dissolved. Stir vinegar, vegetable oil, and oregano into sugar mixture to make a dressing. Mix tomato, red bell pepper, and onion in the dressing. Gently fold rotini into dressing and vegetables, mix in Cheddar cheese, and season with black pepper.