Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)
Tender tortellini with crisp vegetables in zesty Italian dressing
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz fresh cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
→ Cheese & Herbs
07 - 1/3 cup fresh mozzarella balls, halved
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
02 - Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell pepper into uniform pieces, thinly slice red onion into rings, and slice black olives. Add all prepared vegetables to the tortellini.
03 - Cut mozzarella balls in half and add to the bowl along with torn fresh basil leaves. Gently fold ingredients together.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing evenly over salad mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients without breaking tortellini.
06 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top and give one final light toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to develop.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- No heating up your kitchen when its already too hot outside
- Gets better as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd
02 -
- Rinse the pasta with cold water immediately after draining or it will keep cooking and get mushy
- The salad needs at least 15 minutes in the fridge for the flavors to really start mingling
03 -
- Cut your vegetables slightly larger than you think you should because they shrink when tossed with dressing
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving, as pasta needs more salt than you expect