Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
Italian tortellini salad is an unbeatable choice, combining the heartiness of pasta with the freshness of a salad. This cheese tortellini pasta salad with Italian dressing is delicious and hearty. Load it up however you want, and it can hold its own as a main course, which is how we enjoy it.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Made for any occasion: Casual family dinners, elegant garden parties, or barbecues.
Easy to make: It feeds a crowd and is simple to transport and serve, making it a go-to dish for picnics and potlucks.
Versatile: adapt to whatever fresh vegetables or meat you have and make it your own.
Make ahead: the flavors will meld and intensify, making it even more delicious the next day.
Recipe Ingredients
Tortellini: I used cheese-filled tortellini, which gave the pasta salad a rich and creamy base.
Cherry Tomatoes: Bring a burst of juicy sweetness and a pop of color to the cheese tortellini pasta salad. Use whole or halve them to evenly distribute.
Olives: Add a burst of salty goodness. I used green-stuffed ones. But black, pitted, sliced, halved, or a mix of anything will work.
Banana Peppers: These are optional, but I loved the mild heat, zing, and crunch they gave the Italian tortellini salad. You can replace them with jalapeños.
Bell Pepper: Gives a crisp texture and a sweet, slightly peppery flavor. Dice into bite-sized pieces so they mix well.
Cucumber: Fresh, seedless cucumbers give a lovely crunch.
Fresh Mozzarella: Cut into small, bite-sized pieces to make the salad more indulgent.
Fresh Basil: The fragrant leaves lend a pop of green and herbaceous, refreshing notes.
Italian Dressing: You can use a store-bought one or take a few minutes and whip up one at home. This homemade Italian dressing is so easy to make and is so fresh and tasty. I literally put it on everything!!
Please see the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Variations
Tortellini: The recipe is very flexible. I used dried cheese tortellini. You can use fresh tortellini with cheese or any other kind you prefer.
Vegetables: Add as many or as few vegetables as you like. Add red onions; use all colors of bell peppers. Red, yellow, or orange—all are great choices.
Herbs: Switch basil with parsley, if that’s what you have.
Nuts: Want more crunch and texture? Add the nuts of your choice.
Add heft: Make tortellini pasta salad with salami or pepperoni.
How To Make Tortellini Salad
Step 1: Start by cooking the tortellini according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain, rinse well, and cool.
Step 2: While the tortellini are cooking, chop the vegetables.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled tortellini with the vegetables.
Step 4: Add Italian dressing and stir gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
Step 5: Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Step 6: Let the tortellini pasta salad with Italian dressing chill in the fridge for an hour.
Final step: Serve and savor!
How To Serve The Italian Tortellini Salad
You can serve the tortellini salad at room temperature or cold, straight from the refrigerator. Either way, it's fabulous!
I can eat just bowls full of this pasta salad on its own. But I also like to serve it alongside a roasted carrot soup or a creamy pea soup.
It's so good with cheesy garlic bread, pull-apart pizza bread, and pesto bread! Or serve it restaurant-style with my copycat Olive Garden bread sticks. I LOVE eating this pasta salad with my favorite crispy salted butter rolls or Korean cream cheese buns!
Recipe FAQs
Can you make the tortellini salad ahead?
For sure! You can prepare the tortellini beforehand; just remember to add olive oil (or Italian dressing) when storing it so it doesn’t stick together.
You can also prep all the vegetables for the cold Italian tortellini salad recipe ahead of time, so you just have to assemble everything at the last moment.
Add a bit of Parmesan before you serve. Freshly grated cheese has the best texture and flavor.
How to store tortellini salad with Italian dressing?
This salad recipe is fantastic as a leftover because it gets better as it sits. So, you can keep it refrigerated for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Give it a good stir before you serve.
Loved Cold Tortellini Salad? Try:
Recipe
Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 oz Cheese tortellini
- 2 Cucumber, peeled and diced
- 7 oz Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 Red bell pepper, diced
- 2 Banana peppers, diced
- 1/4 cup Olives, sliced
- 1/3 cup Fresh mozzarella, diced
- A handful fresh basil leaves
- Italian dressing
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the cheese tortellini according to the package instructions.
- Drain and rinse with cold water. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer the tortellini to a large bowl.
- Add all the ingredients to the bowl - cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, banana peppers, mozzarella, and olives.
- Pour the Italian dressing on top and mix well. Add the basil and give it another mix.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- This salad tastes wonderful cold and also at room temperature. Enjoy!
Tried this with store bought tortellini and it was the bomb! Thanks Natasha for always sharing such fool proof and simple to make recipes.
Natasha Author
Oh wow! I'm thrilled to hear this! Thank you very much for following along and your support. Means so much to me ❤️