Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Bruschetta summer pasta salad Recipe
This summer season pasta salad is the whole lot you need when it’s too sizzling to cook dinner! Fast, practically no cook dinner (simply boil pasta) and stuffed with shiny, contemporary, bruschetta-inspired tomato flavours.
Additionally – a helpful tip for retailer basil that really actually, really works!
Each Christmas break, I’ve intentions of tackling formidable bucket listing recipes. Pâté en Croûte! Babi guling! Mole!
However as an alternative of a 12 hour charcoal-roasted suckling pig, I discover myself planning meals calling for minimal effort. Lazy mini pizzas. 3-minute smash burgers. And anything-goes pasta salads.
At present’s Bruschetta pasta salad was born from fridge scraps – tomatoes, leftover manchego cheese, random pasta, and rocket/arugula, tossed in a garlicky balsamic dressing. Easy but scrumptious!
When work resumed final week, I made it correctly (sure, I even went to the shop!), switching basil for rocket, parmesan for manchego, and it was even higher. Low effort, excessive reward – good for alleviating out of the summer season vacation haze. Give it a attempt!
My three golden pasta salad guidelines
As a result of no one ought to endure bland pasta salads!
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All the time infuse the pasta with flavour by tossing it with the dressing whereas it’s sizzling. It should suck up that tasty flavour in mere minutes!
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Smooth cooked pasta – Pasta companies up because it cools. The colder it’s, the tougher it will get. No person needs rock exhausting chilly pasta salads! To unravel this, overcook your pasta past al dente so it’s softer than nice in sizzling pasta dishes, but it surely’s the proper texture for chilly pasta salads!
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Salted cooking water – All the time cook dinner your pasta in salted water, so the pasta absorbs a little bit of salt because it cooks so it’s tastier. Pasta cooked in salted water is tasty even plain. Pasta cooked in unsalted water is flat and boring.
In brief, all you want is:
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pasta
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tomato
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basil
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balsamic
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garlic
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further virgin olive oil
However for these of you questioning why, what if, and “what can I exploit as an alternative of…..” – right here’s the complete model!
1. FOR THE PASTA SALAD
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Pasta – I used ziti / penne, however any brief pasta will work nice right here. Bow ties (enjoyable!), small shells, twirls and many others.
Actually small pasta like risoni/orzo, tiny stars, novelty ones like alphabet shapes and many others may also work however the quantity of the pasta salad will cut back. Lengthy pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine and many others additionally works, although I choose to serve it heat if utilizing lengthy pasta (I by no means bought my head round chilly lengthy pasta).
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Tomato – Any dimension, color or form, small (eg cherry tomatoes) or massive (I used what’s offered as “truss tomatoes” right here in Australia). Simply ensure that they’re ripe! If not, however you might be dedicated to creating this, I like to recommend roasting the tomatoes to coax out flavour and sweetness. See FAQ beneath for instructions.
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Basil – The basic herb herb used for bruschetta, as a result of tomato and basil are the perfect of pals!
For those who don’t have it / costly / out of season, add 1 1/2 tsp Italian herbs or different dried herbs of alternative into the dressing as an alternative, or use different contemporary herbs eg parsley, dill, oregano. Tomatoes are pals with different herbs apart from basil, you understand! 🙂
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Parmesan – Not utilized in bruschetta, however I added this for slightly flavour enhance. It wouldn’t be the top of the world for those who didn’t have parmesan however it’s undoubtedly slightly tastier with.
2. OPTIONAL EXTRAS (for those who’re feeling fancy)
The above is what I exploit for the bottom recipe, and it’s scrumptious as is. It doesn’t want something extra, but when I need to raise it, I like so as to add a drizzle of balsamic glaze and sprinkle of pine nuts. The tiniest contact of candy/tart from the balsamic glaze and toasty nuttiness of pine nuts provides that further little za za zoom to this pasta salad, and in addition appears good!
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Balsamic glaze – That is balsamic vinegar that has been diminished and has a syrupy consistency. It has a sweeter flavour than common balsamic vinegar and is used for drizzling to complete dishes, like Caprese Salad. It appears nice and provides a terrific pop of flavour.
Can’t discover it on the retailers? Make your individual. It’s really easy, it’s simply simmer and cut back balsamic vinegar with a contact of sugar or honey. I’ve popped instructions within the recipe notes.
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Pine nuts – It goes so nicely with the flavours on this pasta salad, a basic pairing with tomato and basil (like – pesto!). Be at liberty to depart it out or substitute with pepitas, sunflower seeds or
3. Dressing
We’re utilizing a easy balsamic dressing right this moment. I like the additional balsamic flavour it provides to the dish, and the way it stains the pasta a heat brown color.
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Balsamic vinegar – Any fundamental balsamic vinegar is ok although for those who’ve bought a high quality aged one, now can be a superb time to interrupt it out!
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Additional virgin olive oil – As with the balsamic, the higher the olive oil, the tastier the dressing.
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Garlic – The second you scent the garlic hitting the recent pasta, you perceive why we embrace it!
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Salt and pepper – As a result of dressing with out salt is bland!
It’s easy. In a nutshell:
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Toss cooked pasta and tomato (individually) with dressing, then go away for 10 – quarter-hour to soak up the flavour; then
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Toss pasta with the tomato, basil and parmesan. Serve!
OK…..there’s just a few minor little further particulars, and there’s a purpose for every. So for these fascinated by why we’re overcooking the pasta, why we salt the tomato later, why we pour off the tomato juices… right here’s why!
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Overcook pasta till comfortable – Cook dinner the pasta in salted boiling water*. Cook dinner the pasta for two minutes past the beneficial time per the packet till the pasta is overly comfortable, nicely past al dente. Why? As a result of the pasta companies up when it cools, and will get even firmer when chilled within the fridge. Don’t be that one that serves up exhausting pasta salad!! All the time overcook your pasta for pasta salads!
* I actually do advocate cooking pasta in salted water for pasta salads, to get a little bit of salt into the pasta itself else the pasta generally is a bit bland.
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Dressing – Whereas the pasta is cooking, shake up the dressing in a bottle. (Or whisk, if you wish to be regular, however shaking is simpler).
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Pasta flavour absorption – Drain your paste then put it again into the identical pot (save washing up). Give the dressing a superb shake then pour 2/3 of it over the pasta. Stir nicely – it can scent wonderful! – then go away for quarter-hour till it cools to room temperature, throughout which era the pasta will soak up the dressing flavour. YUM.
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Chop tomatoes – In the meantime, chop the tomatoes into 1 cm / 0.8″ squares, reserving all of the watery juices (it turns into a part of the pasta salad dressing). Don’t chop too small, else it turns into salsa-ish and turns into exhausting to eat with a fork.
My approach: reduce slices, stack, then reduce into sq.(ish) items. For the basis piece, I reduce across the root then chop into squares.
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Marinate tomato – Switch the tomato and all of the watery juices into a big bowl. Pour over all of the remaining dressing, then gently toss. Put aside for 10 to fifteen minutes for the flavours to meld, or nonetheless lengthy you’ve bought remaining for the pasta to chill.
⚠️ Don’t go away the tomato for for much longer than quarter-hour else it would get slightly too comfortable and mushy.
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Tomato juices – Pour the tomato juices over the pasta salad then toss the pasta. I do that earlier than including the tomato to minimise the tossing as soon as the tomato is added because the tomato is a bit delicate so we don’t wish to bash it round an excessive amount of. Additionally, I wish to salt the tomato earlier than including it into the pasta salad.
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Salt the tomato – Then sprinkle salt throughout the tomato and gently toss to combine via. We do that on the finish else the salt attracts an excessive amount of liquid out of the tomato.
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End – Add the tomato into the pasta, plus the basil and parmesan. Then gently stir to mix earlier than pouring right into a serving bowl.
Spruce it with balsamic glaze and pine nuts
Now, you may completely cease right here and also you’ll be joyful, glad and doubtless feeling slightly smug that you just’re having fun with such a tasty meal that referred to as for such minimal effort.
Nonetheless, for those who occur to be making this Bruschetta Summer season Pasta Salad to take someplace, or in case your mother-in-law dropped in for a shock go to, or for those who’re making this for a group lunch and your group occurs to be full of precise actual cooks, you then may wish to add the additional contact and end it off with slightly drizzle of balsamic glaze and pine nuts. It appears good and provides an additional pop of flavour and it’s low effort.
So, now that I’ve confessed my lazy Christmas-break cooking sins, it’s your flip for confession. Inform me your secrets and techniques, I wish to know! (And don’t be stunned if an iteration of it seems on this web site in some unspecified time in the future. 😈 I promise I’ll credit score you!) – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 500g/1 lb penne , ziti or other short pasta
- 2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , for cooking pasta
- 1 kg / 2 lb tomatoes , chopped into 1.25cm / 1/2” pieces, keep all juices (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 3)
- 3/4 cup tightly packed basil leaves , finely sliced (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup (tightly packed) finely shredded parmesan
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (good time to break out the good stuff)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves , minced using garlic press or very finely minced using knife
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup pinenuts , toasted
- Balsamic glaze , for drizzling (Note 6)
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water until extra soft, toss with 2/3 Dressing, cool. Toss tomato with remaining Dressing, leave 10 min. Pour off juices into pasta, toss. Add 1/2 tsp salt into tomato, toss. Add into pasta with basil, parmesan. Finish with balsamic glaze and pine nuts. Enjoy!
- Dressing – Shake the ingredients in a jar (or whisk in a jug).
- Soft cooked pasta – Bring a large pot of water to the boil with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook the pasta per the packet time plus 2 minutes, until the pasta is overcooked and soft. (Note 5) Drain in a colander, then return the pasta into the same pot.
- Flavour the pasta – Give the dressing a good shake then pour 2/3 of it over the pasta. Stir (enjoy the smell!). Set aside to cool for 15 minutes and let the pasta absorb the dressing flavour.
- Bruschetta – Put chopped tomato and all watery juices into a bowl. Pour over remaining Dressing, gently toss. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the pasta is cool to let the flavours meld.
- Finishing (the order matters!) – Pour the juices accumulated in the tomato bowl into the pasta then toss to disperse. Add the salt into the tomato, gently toss, then add the tomato into the pasta. Add the basil, parmesan, gently toss.
- Serve – Pour into a big bowl and serve! If using extra finishes, drizzle with a swish of balsamic glaze (not too much, it's strong!) and sprinkle with pine nuts. Eat!
Notes
1. Basil – If you don’t have it / expensive / out of season, add 1 1/2 tsp Italian herbs or other dried herbs of choice into the dressing instead, or use other fresh herbs eg parsley, dill, oregano – tomatoes are friends with other herbs other than basil, you know! 🙂
2. Tomatoes – Any type, any colour, sweet, juicy and ripe are of course best. If yours are not but you’re committed to making this, roast to coax out sweetness. See FAQ above for directions.
3. Salt – If you don’t have cooking salt / kosher salt, halve for table salt, increase 25% for salt flakes.
4. Optional extras to elevate, but this pasta salad is flavourful without so don’t feel obliged! Use for serving bowl if part of a buffet, or individual bowls if serving yourself at home (better distribution per person).
5. Extra soft pasta – Pasta firms up when cold so when it’s extra soft hot = perfect texture cold in pasta salads. Nobody wants rock hard pasta in their cold pasta salads! 🙂
6. Homemade balsamic glaze is easy! 1 cup balsamic vinegar plus 1 tbsp brown sugar in a saucepan, bring to simmer over medium high then reduce to medium low and simmer until it reduces to a thin syrup (it should coat a spoon). Don’t make it too thick because it thickens quite a lot when it cools! Use cool. Will keep for weeks in the fridge.
Leftovers will keep for 2 days in the fridge though the tomato is a bit softer than ideal. Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition per serving assuming 6 servings.
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