Description
Tortellini Pasta Salad: The Ultimate Summer Crowd-Pleaser is a vibrant and refreshing dish that captures the essence of summer gatherings. This easy-to-make salad combines colorful vegetables, tender cheese tortellini, and a zesty dressing, making it a delightful addition to picnics, barbecues, or family dinners. Not only is it packed with fresh flavors, but it’s also versatile—customize it with your favorite veggies or proteins. Best of all, it can be prepared in advance, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully for stress-free entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped (or black olives)
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls
- 1/2 cup chopped turkey slices (optional)
- 2 cups baby spinach or arugula
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini according to package instructions in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and cool under cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, mozzarella balls, turkey slices (if using), spinach or arugula, and basil.
- Add the cooled tortellini to the vegetable mixture and toss gently.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
- Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (200g)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 25mg