Description
This Garden Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe blends cheesy tortellini with fresh vegetables and zesty Italian dressing for a refreshing summer salad. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or meal prep, it’s an easy vegetarian dish packed with flavor and texture.
Ingredients
1 package (9 oz) cheese tortellini
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup kalamata olives, halved
1 cup mini mozzarella balls
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
2. While tortellini cools, prep the vegetables: halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, thinly slice red onion, halve olives, and cut mozzarella balls if needed.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine tortellini, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and mozzarella.
4. Add Italian dressing and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
5. Sprinkle with dried oregano and crushed red pepper, if desired.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Let the salad rest to enhance flavor—30 minutes minimum, overnight is even better.
Avoid overcooking tortellini; al dente texture holds up better in the salad.
If leftovers dry out, revive them with a quick drizzle of dressing or olive oil.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiled, Chilled
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 35mg