Gouda is quite possibly one of my most favorite foods.  Nearly every day, I eat an apple with gouda for lunch.  Smoked gouda?  Even better!  (FYI – You can buy a huge wedge of it at Costco for much cheaper than the grocery store!)  This pasta salad was seriously delicious and even better the next day.  I was worried the sauce would be too heavy with the mayo, but it wasn’t at all.  I think next time we make it, we’ll throw in some bacon too.  Bacon and gouda together.. does it get any better than that?

Ingredients:

12 oz. pasta (we used penne)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
4 Tbsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
1/2 tsp. salt
ground black pepper
10 oz. grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 pound smoked gouda cheese, cut into small cubes
24 whole basil leaves

Directions:

Cook pasta until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until no longer hot. Set aside.
Mix mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and adobo in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, stir together pasta, dressing, halved tomatoes, and cubed Gouda. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed, and even an extra teaspoons or two of vinegar if necessary. Stir in basil at the end. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

From The Pioneer Woman.