I Mixed Tomato Salad with Pasta and It Tastes Unreal - The Real Way

This tomato salad was so good, I just added pasta — and it became my most-requested dish. 7 ingredients, no bottled dressing, no mayo. The Real Way. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 The tomato salad that started it all 0:10 The Ingredients 0:35 Prepare the Tomato Salad 3:52 Taste test the Tomato Salad 5:00 Prepare the Pasta Salad 6:00 The taste test 🛒 MY GEAR & INGREDIENTS: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. • Extra Virgin Olive Oil - https://amzn.to/3TbVTVG • Penne Pasta - https://amzn.to/4aub16U • Wood Cutting Board — https://amzn.to/444o4by 📖 FULL RECIPE: For the Tomato Salad: 4-5 ripe tomatoes, diced into small cubes ½ red onion, thinly sliced (must be red onion — don't substitute) 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tbsp kosher salt (adjust to taste) Fresh black pepper, to taste A generous pour of high-quality extra virgin olive oil A handful of fresh basil, chopped (must be fresh — never dried) To Finish the Pasta Salad: ½ lb penne pasta, cooked al dente Parmesan cheese, grated (optional — but it adds another layer) Instructions: Dice tomatoes and add to a large bowl. Thinly slice the red onion, chop the garlic, and add both. Add salt and pepper first — the salt draws the juices out of the tomatoes. Stir. Pour in a generous amount of olive oil. Don't be shy. Roll the basil leaves, slice thin, add to the bowl. Stir everything together. Taste. Adjust salt. This tomato salad alone is a home run — serve it with fresh Italian bread and dunk it in the juices. Add cooked al dente penne a little at a time, stirring as you go. The pasta absorbs that liquid — don't dilute it too much. The tomatoes are the star. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and serve. Steve Gigs | Real Plates, Real Life Real food. Real stories. Just the sounds of the kitchen. #tomatosalad #pastasalad #italiancooking #realplatesreallife #homemade