Tortellini Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Cheese-filled tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables and zesty Italian dressing. Ideal for gatherings and light meals.

# 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 (bocconcini), 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

# Directions:

01 - Prepare tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to halt the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced black olives, minced red onion, halved mozzarella balls, and chopped basil.
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 fully emulsified.
04 - Add cooled tortellini to the vegetable mixture. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Toss once more immediately before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The tortellini stays perfectly chewy even after chilling, unlike regular pasta that sometimes gets weirdly soft
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, making it your best friend for busy weeks
  • People automatically assume it's complicated when really it just tastes like it
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that the tortellini absorbs dressing as it sits, so make extra dressing if you're serving leftovers the next day
  • The salad tastes significantly better after sitting, so never serve it immediately after tossing
  • If you're bringing this to a potluck, pack the dressing separately and toss it there
03 -
  • Use a jar with a tight lid to shake the dressing instead of whisking, it emulsifies faster and stores better
  • If the tortellini sticks together after rinsing, toss it with a teaspoon of olive oil before adding to the vegetables

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