Tortellini Pasta Salad Italian (Printable)

Cheese tortellini with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, and mozzarella in tangy Italian dressing. Ideal for gatherings and warm weather meals.

# 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 (bocconcini), 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

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to halt the 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 chopped fresh basil. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and smooth.
04 - Add cooled tortellini to the vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Toss again gently before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes but it tastes like you spent all day prepping
  • The flavors actually get better after sitting in the fridge, making it perfect for makeahead meals
  • Everyone finds something they like in the mix of textures and tastes
02 -
  • Overcooked tortellini will turn into mush in the salad so err on the side of too firm because the pasta softens as it sits in the dressing
  • The dressing needs to be made fresh and shaken hard because oil and vinegar refuse to stay mixed without vigorous effort
  • This salad needs that chill time to really work because the flavors taste completely different right after tossing versus an hour later
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables slightly larger than you think you need because they shrink and look more impressive that way
  • Taste the dressed salad after the chilling period because pasta absorbs salt and you might need another pinch
  • Use a glass container to store leftovers since plastic sometimes hangs onto strong onion and garlic smells

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