Tortellini Pasta Salad (Print View)
Fresh tortellini with colorful vegetables, mozzarella, and tangy Italian dressing in a chilled pasta salad.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb fresh cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - ½ cup black olives, sliced
06 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
→ Cheese & Herbs
07 - ½ cup mozzarella balls, halved
08 - ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
→ Dressing
09 - ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
11 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - ½ tsp dried oregano
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Combine halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced black olives, finely chopped red onion, halved mozzarella balls, and chopped fresh basil in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Add cooled tortellini to the vegetable mixture. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Refrigerate salad for minimum 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Toss again immediately before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It tastes even better after sitting overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or make-ahead gatherings
- The combination of cold tender tortellini with crisp vegetables creates this incredibly satisfying texture that keeps people coming back for seconds
02 -
- The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits, so you might want to make a little extra dressing to refresh leftovers the next day
- Never skip rinsing the pasta under cold water, otherwise it keeps cooking and turns into a gummy disaster
03 -
- Cut all the vegetables into similarly sized pieces so every forkful gets a little bit of everything
- Make double the dressing and keep it in a jar, it is fantastic on regular green salads too