Tortellini Pasta Salad (Printable)
Cheese tortellini with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, mozzarella and basil in a bright Italian vinaigrette.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 16 ounces cheese tortellini, fresh or refrigerated
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
06 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
→ Cheese
08 - 1/2 cup mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
09 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
→ Dressing
10 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme)
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
17 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
# How To Make It:
01 - Cook tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water to halt cooking, and set aside to cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, black olives, red bell pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes.
03 - Add cooled tortellini, halved mozzarella balls, and grated Parmesan cheese to the vegetable mixture.
04 - In a small jar or bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, sea salt, and black pepper until thoroughly emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the bowl contents and toss gently with a spatula to ensure even coating.
06 - Scatter fresh basil leaves over the salad before serving. For enhanced flavor, chill for 30 minutes before plating.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- No one ever suspects how easy this comes together—it tastes like you fussed for hours.
- The mix of juicy tomatoes, creamy cheese, and zippy dressing won me over before the first picnic was through.
02 -
- If you skip rinsing the tortellini after cooking, it keeps steaming and sticks together—a lesson I learned the clumpy way.
- Letting the basil sit on top until just before serving keeps its aroma alive and avoids dark, wilted leaves.
03 -
- Never skip the cold rinse on tortellini; it stops the cooking and keeps it from going gluey.
- Emulsify the dressing well or the flavors won’t properly coat your pasta and veggies.