Tortellini Pasta Salad Italian (Printable)

Cheese tortellini with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, and mozzarella in zesty Italian dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

→ Cheese & Herbs

07 - 1/2 cup mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
08 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

→ Dressing

09 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
11 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make:

01 - Cook the tortellini according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, black olives, red onion, mozzarella balls, and basil.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
04 - Add the cooled tortellini to the vegetables. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Toss again just before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tortellini stays perfectly tender even after chilling in the dressing for hours
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it together in under five minutes
02 -
  • The tortellini will soak up the dressing as it sits, so make extra if you plan to serve it the next day
  • Room temperature tortellini absorbs dressing better than hot tortellini does
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables into similar sized pieces so every bite has the same texture balance
  • Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad and adjust the acidity to your liking

Return