Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad (Print Version)
Tortellini meets fresh veggies and tangy dressing in a quick, flavorful Italian pasta salad perfect for potlucks.
# Ingredients:
Dressing
01 -
1 batch homemade Italian dressing
Pasta
02 -
1 bag (567 g / 20 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
Vegetables
03 -
1 cucumber, peeled, sliced, and quartered
04 -
1 pint (approx. 300 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
05 -
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
06 -
2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
Other
07 -
1 can (170 g / 6 oz) black olives, drained and halved
08 -
8 oz (227 g) fresh mozzarella balls, quartered
09 -
8 oz (227 g) sliced salami, chopped
Optional additions
10 -
Feta cheese
11 -
Parmesan cheese
12 -
Fresh parsley
# Instructions:
01 -
Make homemade Italian dressing according to recipe instructions. Refrigerate until ready to use. Shake or whisk to recombine before dressing the salad.
02 -
Cook cheese tortellini in salted boiling water following package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Transfer tortellini to a large serving bowl.
03 -
Pour half of the Italian dressing over the warm tortellini and toss gently to coat evenly.
04 -
Add cucumber, cherry tomatoes, orange bell pepper, pepperoncini, black olives, mozzarella, and salami to the bowl with tortellini. Toss to combine.
05 -
If serving within one hour, toss salad with desired amount of remaining dressing. For better flavor, refrigerate salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and chill. If preparing ahead, refrigerate salad without remaining dressing and add dressing just before serving.
# Notes:
01 -
Use fresh refrigerated tortellini for best texture; cherry tomatoes are preferred as they maintain integrity better than other tomato varieties.
02 -
Pepperoncini add a tangy, mildly spicy flavor; banana peppers may be substituted if unavailable.
03 -
Optional protein add-ins such as grilled chicken or crispy bacon can enhance the salad's richness.