Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Summertime screams pasta salads. Actually, it screams 90 degree weather, high humidity, and frizzy hair. It really doesn?t scream pasta salad. It?s more of a whisper. It?s like a whisper 10 feet away saying, ?Hey, you. Yeah you, the one with the kinky hair. You?re looking pretty sweaty. I mean it was only one flight of stairs. What?s that? Oh, the humidity is making you wheezy? Well you look awful. But if you do get an appetite sometime soon, why don?t you maybe try a pasta salad? I mean, after all, it is summer. Everyone else is doing it kid, you might as well jump on board.? Yeah. Pasta salad speaks a lot to me.

So I decided to bring pasta salad to a church picnic, and what better way to enjoy a summer time pasta salad, than to eat it outdoors in the hot, humid weather? Man, I heart Texas for sure.

Tomato Basil Pasta Salad
Source: Adapted from Chef Mommy

3 large tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
12 oz pasta, your choice
1 cup basil leaves, cut into thin strips

Mix tomatoes, onion, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a large bowl.
Cook pasta as package directs.
Drain and add to bowl with tomatoes and gently mix together.
Let come to room temperature.
Add basil.
Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.