Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Print Version)

Tender tortellini with crisp vegetables and zesty Italian dressing, ready in 22 minutes.

# 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, and basil.
03 - Add the cooled tortellini to the bowl.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss to combine.
06 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and toss again lightly.
07 - Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tortellini stays perfectly tender and absorbs all that zesty dressing without getting mushy
  • You can prep everything ahead and it actually tastes better after the flavors hang out together
  • This salad travels beautifully and never gets soggy like pasta salads with mayonnaise
02 -
  • Rinse the cooked tortellini under cold water immediately or it will keep cooking and get rubbery
  • The salad tastes best after sitting for 30 minutes but avoid refrigerating longer than 2 hours or the tortellini starts to absorb too much dressing
  • Wait until just before serving to add the final Parmesan topping so it stays fresh and sprinkles on nicely
03 -
  • Tear basil leaves by hand instead of cutting them to prevent bruising and release more aromatic oils
  • Let the dressed salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the tortellini really soak up those flavors

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