Michael Guérard's Genius Sauce Vierge</a href>, all you have to do is chop some tomatoes, smash a couple garlic cloves, snip herbs, douse with olive oil and lemon juice, and wait. <br /> <br />When the tomatoes have turned to sauce, boil the pasta, toast the pine nuts, and slice the mozzarella. Mix it all together, add more basil and a splash of red wine vinegar, and you've got the flavors of a margarita pizza, pasta salad-style. <br /> <br />This salad is also a good home for cubed or shredded roasted or poached chicken and—bonus—will get even better over time. <br /> <br />You'll want to adjust the quantities of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil to your own linking—this is just a guideline. "> Michael Guérard's Genius Sauce Vierge</a href>, all you have to do is chop some tomatoes, smash a couple garlic cloves, snip herbs, douse with olive oil and lemon juice, and wait. <br /> <br />When the tomatoes have turned to sauce, boil the pasta, toast the pine nuts, and slice the mozzarella. Mix it all together, add more basil and a splash of red wine vinegar, and you've got the flavors of a margarita pizza, pasta salad-style. <br /> <br />This salad is also a good home for cubed or shredded roasted or poached chicken and—bonus—will get even better over time. <br /> <br />You'll want to adjust the quantities of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil to your own linking—this is just a guideline. ">

Make Ahead

Bow Tie Pasta Salad with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

July 24, 2017
4
4 Ratings
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Serves 6 to 8
Author Notes

When you have time but no energy, make a largely hands-off tomato sauce that takes only patience: For Michael Guérard's Genius Sauce Vierge, all you have to do is chop some tomatoes, smash a couple garlic cloves, snip herbs, douse with olive oil and lemon juice, and wait.

When the tomatoes have turned to sauce, boil the pasta, toast the pine nuts, and slice the mozzarella. Mix it all together, add more basil and a splash of red wine vinegar, and you've got the flavors of a margarita pizza, pasta salad-style.

This salad is also a good home for cubed or shredded roasted or poached chicken and—bonus—will get even better over time.

You'll want to adjust the quantities of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil to your own linking—this is just a guideline. —Sarah Jampel

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • One batch of Michael Guérard's Sauce Vierge (link in headnote)
  • 1 pound bow tie (farfalle) pasta, cooked to al dente and drained well
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1 splash red wine vinegar, or more to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh basil, for garnishing
Directions
  1. When your sauce is ready and your pasta is cooked and drained, mix together all of the ingredients, adjusting the vinegar and the black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil.
  2. Store any leftover Sauce Vierge in the fridge for 2 to 3 days—spoon it over grilled or toasted bread, roasted chicken, or even seared fish or sautéed shrimp.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Mamasays
    Mamasays
  • Sarah Jampel
    Sarah Jampel
  • cindy
    cindy

4 Reviews

Mamasays July 29, 2017
Would anyone else add something like arugula to the finished salad
 
Sarah J. July 30, 2017
I think that would be great! Or baby spinach.
 
cindy July 28, 2017
There is no link in the head note for the Michael Guérard's Genius Sauce Vierge
 
Sarah J. July 28, 2017
Sorry about that! Here it is—https://food52.com/recipes/71600-michel-guerard-s-sauce-vierge—and I've updated the headnote.