Tortellini Pasta Salad (Printable)

Fresh tortellini with vegetables and zesty Italian dressing

# 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

# How To Make:

01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to halt 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, chopped red onion, halved mozzarella balls, and chopped basil.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
04 - Add cooled tortellini to the vegetable mixture. Drizzle dressing over top and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Refrigerate salad for minimum 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Toss once more immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Cold pasta hits different when the thermometer climbs and you need food that does not require an oven
  • You can prep everything the night before and it actually tastes better after sitting
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional unless you want mushy tortellini that absorbs all your dressing
  • This salad tastes best after sitting for a few hours so the dressing has time to work into the pasta
03 -
  • Cutting the cherry tomatoes in half releases their juices and helps them blend with the dressing
  • Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad because some vinegars are more acidic than others

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