Sometimes in the summer time we are out all day enjoying the weather that we forget about dinnertime. We forget that we need to get a meal on the table {and sometimes we forget that we even need ingredients in our homes to be able to get said meal together}.
This summer pasta salad is great because you can have all of these ingredients on hand to make it for your family’s dinner – or for lunch if friends drop by and you didn’t have anything planned.

It’s all about having a well-stocked fridge/freezer/pantry.

Risoni pasta is a staple in my pantry as kids seem to love it {and it’s super easy for them to eat – in comparison to long thin spaghetti}. We also love frozen peas and chorizo so they too can normally be found in our fridge/freezer. And what family larder isn’t complete without a tomato or two?

Have you tried the new Gourmet Garden ‘Lightly Dried’ herbs? {This isn’t a sponsored post}. I poo poo’ed them at first as I love fresh herbs and normally have some growing in the garden. But sometimes you don’t have what you need on hand and I often find that purchasing fresh herbs leaves me wasting oh so much.

I picked up some of the Gourmet Garden ‘Lightly Dried’ parsley for my fattoush salad the other day and I was hooked. So I thought that I would also grab some of the basil to go into this great little summer pasta salad.

SUMMER PASTA SALAD
250g mixed tomatoes
2 chorizo sausages
1-½ cups of frozen peas
1 cup of risoni pasta
2 tablespoons of ‘Lightly Dried’ basil
¼ cup of olive oil
¼ cup of red wine vinegar
1 lemon
Sea salt

Pop the mixed tomatoes in a roasting dish, top with a little sea salt and roast at 180 degrees until blistered.

Slice your chorizo and crisp up in a frying pan.

In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook your risoni. Just before the pasta is ready add your peas to cook and then refresh everything under some cool running water.

Toss everything together with the basil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, the juice of the lemon and a little sea salt.