Tortellini Salad with Vegetables (Printable)

Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables, fresh mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing for a satisfying cold pasta dish.

# What You 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool pasta. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice cucumber and red bell pepper into uniform pieces. Thinly slice red onion. Slice black olives. Add all prepared vegetables to the bowl with cooled tortellini.
03 - Cut mozzarella balls in half. Tear fresh basil leaves into small pieces. Add mozzarella and basil to the salad bowl.
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 over salad mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over top and toss lightly once more.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. Toss again before serving if chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The textures are incredible—tender pasta, crisp vegetables, creamy mozzarella all coated in that tangy dressing
  • It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a couple hours making it perfect for meal prep
  • The whole family will eat it and you can throw it together in under 25 minutes
02 -
  • Rinse the cooked tortellini under cold water immediately or it'll keep cooking and turn into a gummy mess
  • The dressing needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge to really work its magic into the pasta
  • Don't add the Parmesan until right before serving or it'll disappear into the dressing
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables slightly larger than you think you need so they don't get lost in the pasta
  • Use the best olive oil you can afford since the flavor really comes through
  • If you must make it ahead, add half the dressing initially and the rest before serving

Return