Summer pasta salad, full of salty prosciutto, gorgonzola cheese, garden tomatoes, pine nuts, and fresh basil. Served over tender pasta, this is an easy and delicious weeknight meal!
We’re on vacation this week in the High Sierras with a big group of people. Every night we meet in front of one of the condos and every family brings something to contribute to the night’s meal. I guess that’s called a pot-luck. I already said I’m bringing dessert for the celebration on the fourth. I’ll either make Fruit Filled Hand Pies or Apricot Cherry Slab Pie, which is good for a big group of people.
In the meantime, I still need ideas for big crowds. I love pasta salad. Not the grocery store kind…UGH! It’s always too sweet or slimy or something. I thought about my Homemade Gorgonzola Ravioli with the Summer Pasta Sauce and decided to turn those flavors into something easier.
This delicious and easy to make summer pasta salad!
- 1 pound penne or whatever kind of pasta you like
- ½ dozen tomatoes, cherry, heirloom, or garden, diced
- ¼ cup (or more) toasted pinenuts
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Several basil leaves, cut chiffonade (One Minute Food Byte how to chiffonade basil)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup olive oil
- splash of Balsamic vinegar
- ¼ to ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
- In a large bowl add tomatoes, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, olive oil and splash of vinegar to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
- Let it sit on the counter until you're ready for it.
- Meanwhile boil pasta, drain and toss with the sauce.
- Add crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and prosciutto, (optional)
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Suzi says
Lucky you hanging out in the High Sierras. It’s raining here in Florida. Love that pasta salad. Happy 4th of July to all of you up there. Thanks for the Twitter follow.
Cynthia says
Suzi , it’s beautiful here…very temperate…a bit cool in the evening which is a nice change from hot LA!