Last Updated on May 19, 2021 by Bianka
This quick and easy Summer Tortellini Salad is a crowd-pleaser cold pasta salad perfect for bbqs, parties, potlucks, and picnics! It’s drizzled with Homemade Italian Dressing and ready in just 15 minutes!
Summer Tortellini Salad With Italian Dressing
Hey loves!
Today I’m sharing with you this easy + delicious Summer Tortellini Salad! It comes together in just 15 minutes, it’s drizzled with homemade Italian dressing and served cold.
It has Tortellini, fresh cherry tomatoes, red onions, arugula, and juicy mozzarella ciliegine!
The Tortellini salad dressing comes together in literally 1 minute: all you do is mix all the ingredients in a jar & give it a good shake! Drizzle that baby on top of your Tortellini pasta salad & you’re ready to go!
It’s the perfect recipe for bbqs, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July or any other special occasion where you might want something easy, quick & delicious to feed a crowd!
Let’s make it! 💕
Summer Tortellini Salad Ingredients
You’ll find the full recipe + ingredients in the recipe card down below but this is what you’ll need:
- Tortellini. Any flavor & size works! I used larger Tortellini (aka Tortelloni) with a ricotta + spinach filling. You can use refrigerated, frozen or dried Tortellini, just make sure to cook it according to the package instructions!
- Cherry tomatoes. Grape tomatoes also work!
- Red onion. Sweet onion works too if you’re looking for a tamer alternative!
- Arugula. You can use spinach too!
- Mozzarella. I recommend using mozzarella ciliegine but you can also cut a large mozzarella into cubes & add it to your salad! Make sure to pick a good brand for best flavor!
- Italian dressing. For the homemade Italian dressing you’ll need high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, red vinegar, dried parsley, dried basil, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper! Please, please, please don’t use premade Italian dressing! It’s so easy to make your own & it really takes your cold Tortellini salad to the next level!
Optional Add Ins
Spice things up ⏤ customize this salad, try any of these add ins:
- Mini pepperonis
- Feta cheese (instead of mozzarella)
- Kalamata olives
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Pepperoncinis
- Cucumbers
- Red bell peppers
- Grilled or shredded chicken
3 Tips for Success
- Cook your Tortellini until al dente, following the package instructions. If you overcook your Tortellini, it will be mushy & will easily fall apart when tossed!
- Rinse with cold water & toss with your dressing! Once the Tortellini is ready to be drained, drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking! Then add it to a large bowl and toss with your prepared dressing to keep it from sticking together and allow it to soak up some of that delicious dressing!
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. If you’re in a rush, you can still serve this salad as is but pasta salads taste better after they’ve had the time to chill! Drizzle some extra dressing and toss again right before serving!
Can I make Italian Pasta Salad in advance?
Yes! Pasta salads are delicious the next day! Simply toss all the ingredients together with half of the dressing and reserve the other half for when you’re ready to serve!
Do not use fresh garlic as it doesn’t keep well! Stick to garlic powder for this recipe.
How long is Italian Pasta Salad good for?
Italian pasta salad keeps well for 2-3 days when covered with plastic wrap or stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Do not freeze this Tortellini salad as most of the ingredients contained do not freeze well!
What goes with Tortellini Salad?
I love this side dish with:
- Chicken With Onions
- Baked Honey Dijon Chicken
- Baked Cajun Popcorn Chicken with Chipotle Mayo
- Fried Zucchini Flowers Italian Recipe
HAPPY BAKING LOVES!! I hope you’ll love this easy, cold Summer Tortellini Salad as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
If you like this Summer Tortellini Salad, you might also like:
- Creamy Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Mozzarella
- Ham and Peas Pasta Salad
- Watermelon Salad With Feta, Mint & Cucumber
- Russian Olivye Salad (Salat Olivye)
- Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites Recipe)
Summer Tortellini Salad
Ingredients
For the Tortellini Salad
- 1 20 oz package (566 g) refrigerated Tortellini (I used ricotta and spinach Tortellini but any flavor works)
- 1 pint (473 g) cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 oz (225 g) fresh mozzarella ciliegine
- 2-3 cups arugula
- 1/2 red onion chopped
For the Homemade Italian Dressing
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (57 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup (57 g) freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese omit salt from the dressing if using Pecorino
- 1 tsp garlic powder do not use fresh garlic unless you plan on finishing the salad the same day
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt or more to taste
Instructions
- Make the Italian dressing. Simply add all the Italian dressing ingredients to a jar and shake until combined. Pop in the refrigerator and chill until ready to use.
- Cook the Tortellini in salted water according to package instructions. Drain when al dente and immediately rinse with cold water to stop it from overcooking. Add the Tortellini to a large bowl serving bowl, and toss with half of your prepared dressing. Add in the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, arugula, and red onion, and toss.
- If serving immediately: toss with desired amount of the remaining dressing and serve.
- If chilling: cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until you're ready to serve. When ready, remove from the refrigerator and toss with the remaining dressing and serve!
Notes
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