Tortellini Pasta Salad (Printable)
Tender cheese tortellini tossed with fresh vegetables, mozzarella balls, and zesty Italian dressing for a satisfying cold dish.
# 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, 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 Steps:
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 fresh basil.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Add cooled tortellini to vegetable mixture. Pour dressing over salad 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 Pointers:
01 -
- The tortellini stays perfectly chewy even after chilling thanks to a quick cold water rinse trick
- Makes enough for a crowd but somehow tastes even better as leftovers the next day
02 -
- Never skip the cold water rinse or your tortellini will turn into one gummy clump
- The dressing needs at least thirty minutes in the fridge to properly marry with the pasta
03 -
- Cut your vegetables slightly smaller than you think necessary so every forkful gets a bit of everything
- Let the salad sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before serving cold from the fridge