Italian Tortellini Salad (Printable view)
Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables and fresh mozzarella in a zesty Italian dressing.
# What You'll 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 (bocconcini), 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
# Steps:
01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool pasta. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
02 - Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, thinly slice red onion into half-moons, and slice black olives. Add all vegetables to the bowl with cooled tortellini.
03 - Halve the bocconcini mozzarella balls and add to salad along with torn fresh basil leaves. Gently toss to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and smooth.
05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients without tearing the tortellini. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top and give one final light toss.
06 - Serve immediately for best texture, or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Toss again before serving if chilled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Cooks up in under 25 minutes but tastes like you fussed
- Gets even better after a few hours in the fridge
- Feeds a crowd without turning on your oven
02 -
- Rinse pasta under cold water until completely cool or it will continue cooking and turn mushy
- Add dressing to warm pasta not cold so the flavors absorb better
- Wait until just before serving to add the final Parmesan sprinkle
03 -
- Use a Microplane for the garlic—no one wants to bite into a raw chunk
- Season the dressing more aggressively than you think necessary