Tortellini Pasta Salad (Printable)
Cheese tortellini, fresh vegetables and mozzarella in a zesty Italian dressing — bright, chilled and easy to prepare.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 pound 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
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
17 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
# Directions:
01 - Cook tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, sliced black olives, diced red bell pepper, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
03 - Add cooled tortellini, halved mozzarella balls, and grated Parmesan cheese to the bowl with vegetables.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes for enhanced flavor.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It’s secretly the best way to make pasta salad feel like a real meal, not just a side.
- You can swap in whatever veggies are lurking in your fridge—nothing ever goes to waste.
02 -
- Once I left my tortellini in the pot too long—mushy pasta ruins this salad’s magic, so set a timer.
- If you skip cooling the tortellini fully, the cheese can get melty and sticky; patience pays off!
03 -
- Dry the veggies well after rinsing so the dressing clings to every bite and doesn’t get watered down.
- If bringing to share, pack the dressing and basil separately to keep things fresh until the last minute.