You know you want some
Casseroles are great, in the winter and the fall. And there are even a few I like to make in the warmer months. But the truth is, by the time I’m drinking iced coffee I don’t want anything to do with my oven. That’s when I make one of my favorite dishes, The Best-Ever Pasta Salad.
I originally made this a few years ago for my friend Sarah’s birthday picnic in Prospect Park when she asked me to make something cheesy — “really, really cheesy.” The morning of, I decided to combine some of my favorite things, which I happened to already have in my kitchen (starch and cheese) to make a summery, cheesy dish. It was a hit, and every year, as soon as the weather warms up I make it at my first opportunity.
It’s so good that my boyfriend’s coworker said recently at a barbeque, “This is the best pasta salad I’ve ever had!,” so good that my little sister has more than once drunkenly texted me, “I wish I were eating your pasta salad right now!,” so good that — well, you’ll just have to try it. Why is it so good? Because, like many of my recipes, it uses a pound of pasta and two different cheeses. In true Emily Farris fashion, there aren’t too many measurements. But here’s the gist of it.
Ingredients
1 pound of elbow macaroni, cooked to al dente and cooled
1 red onion, finely chopped
1/4-ish pound of smoked gouda, finely chopped
1/4-ish pound of sharp cheddar, finely chopped
A few spoonfuls of mayonnaise
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly-ground pepper
Cayenne pepper
Directions
Mix everything together, use the balsamic vinegar and spices to taste (I encourage you to use lots of spices, the cayenne really enhances the flavor of the cheddar). Eat immediately or refrigerate. The next day, if it’s dry, just add some more balsamic vinegar and mix. Enjoy!
Tags: balsamic vinegar, cheddar, cheesy pasta salad, mayonnaise, pasta salad, pasta salad recipe, recipes, smoked gouda, summer recipes
