Tortellini Pasta Salad
This is a classic tortellini pasta salad that's perfect for cookouts, BBQs, and potlucks! It's a universal crowd-pleaser thanks to cheesy pasta pockets and lots of fresh and flavorful ingredients.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
For Salad:
- 10 ounces spinach or cheese tortellini (dried, refrigerated, or frozen)
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper (about 1 large bell pepper)
- 1 cup cup halved or quartered grape tomatoes
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- ½ cup diced red onions (see note)
- 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
- 4 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into quarters
- 1 can (3.8 oz.) sliced black olives, drained
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
For Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional: 1 teaspoon sugar or agave nectar
Instructions
- Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water; drain again.10 ounces spinach or cheese tortellini
- In a large bowl, combine cooked and cooled tortellini with bell pepper, grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, mozzarella, pepperoni, olives, and parsley.1 cup diced green bell pepper, 1 cup cup halved or quartered grape tomatoes, 1 cup diced cucumber, ½ cup diced red onions, 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into quarters, 1 can (3.8 oz.) sliced black olives, drained, ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- In a small bowl, measuring cup or jar with a tight-fitting lid, whisk together dressing ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add a bit of sugar or agave to dressing to sweeten it if you prefer it less tangy.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional: 1 teaspoon sugar or agave nectar
- Add dressing to salad; stir well to combine, until all ingredients are coated with dressing.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- Take the bite out of onions: I soak onions (after they're chopped or sliced) in ice water for about 10 minutes before adding them to the salad. It’s optional, but it takes the strength of them down a notch and prevents them from being overwhelming. Be sure to drain and pat them dry before adding them to the salad.
- Nutrition note: Nutrition information is calculated with cheese tortellini. I would guess that spinach tortellini have nearly the same nutritional value.
- Vegetarian: Simply omit the pepperoni. If you want, a can of garbanzo beans or cannellini beans can be added.
- Substitution ideas: Fresh mozzarella or smoked provolone cheese instead of mozzarella; salami instead of pepperoni; bottled Italian dressing instead of homemade; kalamata olives for black olives; red or orange bell pepper instead of green.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 986mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 687IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 2mg
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