Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad – Easy Make-Ahead Salad

This easy tortellini pasta salad recipe is perfect for any pot-luck, picnic, cookout or backyard barbecue. This delicious make-ahead tri color tortellini pasta salad is loaded with all of your Italian favorites, like salami, tomatoes, olives, banana peppers and more. Tossed with Italian dressing and shredded Parmesan cheese, this cold tortellini salad is amazing.

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Growing up in the mid-west, pot luck dinners were always a community-wide event. Every home cook brought their best dishes, including salads, fried chicken, crockpot dishes and decadent desserts to share with everyone.  

This cold tortellini salad is my go-to potluck dish I always bring. I’ve made this Italian tortellini pasta salad dozens of times for potlucks, cookouts, and block parties. This is the ONE dish I’m always asked to bring – it is universally loved by everyone. It’s great as a side dish and goes great with grilled chicken, pork chops, fried chicken or burgers.

What goes in an Italian tortellini pasta salad?

Here’s a quick-reference grocery list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this simple cold pasta salad:

• Tri-Color Tortellini – I prefer to use refrigerated tortellini, but you could also use frozen or dry (self-stable) tortellini for this recipe. Tri-color tortellini looks really pretty in this salad, but if it is unavailable, feel free to use regular.
• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes – these mini tomatoes are wonderfully sweet and add some great color to this pasta salad. I prefer to cut these tomatoes in half.
• Yello Banana Peppers (Pepprocinini peppers) – most grocery stores carry these mild, zesty peppers near the pickles and olives. They come in a jar and come either whole or slices. To save time, I go for the sliced pepeprs.
• Black olives – I prefer to buy the sliced black olives, but feel free to use whole olives as well.
• Red onion – diced red onion is great in this salad. It has a zesty bite, but works well with the rest of the ingredients.
• Mini pepperoni – these little mini pepperoni are ideal in a pasta salad like this. About a 1/2″ inch in diameter, bring a little extra Italian flavor and meatiness to this salad. If you cannot find mini pepperoni, feel free to use regular pepperoni that has been sliced into quarters.
• Shredded Parmesan cheese – the addition of the Parmesan cheese adds a bit of nutty flavor to the salad.
• Italian salad dressing – this recipe calls for store-bough dressing, however I love to use my homemade Italian dressing for this pasta salad. Feel free to use what you prefer – if going for store-bought, Newman’s Own is a good choice.

Ingredient substitutions and recommendations for tri color tortellini pasta salad:

• Protein Swaps: the mini pepperoni is great, but you could also swap in chopped salami, proscuitto, or grilled chicken. To make this pasta salad vegetarian, go with the addition of cannellini beans or chickpeas. I use thick-cut chunks of salami in my Italian Chopped Salad and my Italian Chicken Salad recipes.
• Veggie Add-In’s: roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and cucumbers are great in this salad. If you want to swap out the red onion, I would recommend going with Pickled Red Onion which isn’t as strong, but still has some nice flavor.
• Cheese Upgrades: Instead of or in addition to, toss in mini mozzarella balls or pearls, or go with feta cheese crumbles. I use mini pearl mozzarella in my Tri Color Rotini Pasta Salad and use feta cheese crumbles in my Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe.
• Dressing Alternatives: while Italian dressing is nearly perfect in this recipe, you could also use a Balsamic dressing or a Lemon Olive Oil Vinaigrette. You could also use a jarred pesto sauce, like what I use in my Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto and Tomatoes.

Quick Homemade Italian Dressing option for this pasta salad:

If you’re looking to use a homemade Italian dressing, I’ve got a great option for you. I use this dressing in multiple recipes, as it’s very versatile in salads or as a marinade for chicken.

For this simple homemade Italian dressing you’ll need the following: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. garlic salt, and 1/2 tsp. ground pepper. Whisk all of these ingredients together, as use as needed.

How do I keep tortellini pasta from getting soggy in pasta salad?

I learned early on when making any pasta for a pasta salad, but especially tortellini, you CANNOT overcook the pasta. When you overcook the pasta, it will quickly become gummy, mushy and fall apart in your salad. I recommend undercooking the pasta the pasta slightly. For example, the package directions for this refrigerated tortellini (pictured above) says to boil for 2 minutes. I would recommend cooking for only 1 minute, then quickly removing from the water, and transfer the pasta to ice water to cool.

For frozen or dry tortellini, the cooking time will vary. I still recommend cooking only to al dente. Reduce the cook time on these pastas to 1-2 minutes less than the package directions. Remove from the boiling water promptly and immediately transfer to ice water to stop the cooking process.

Love cooking with tortellini? Check out some of my other tortellini recipes like my Chicken Tortellini Alfredo, Skillet Tortellini and Meatballs Marinara and my Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup.

Another tip to keeping your tortellini pasta firm and tender is to only add 1/2 of the dressing when mixing together, especially if you’re making the salad in advance. The pasta will soak up the dressing, and become less firm. Add the remaining dressing and toss the salad ingredients to coat just before serving.

Can you make tortellini salad the day before?

Yes, definitely. When making this tortellini pasta salad in advance of a potluck, party or event, I recommend assembling all the ingredients, and toss together with just 1/2 of the Italian dressing. Pour the entire salad into a large resealable container and refrigerate. This salad can be made 24 hours in advance. Just before serving, pour the remaining dressing over the salad and stir together to recoat the ingredients. Add an additional sprinkle of parmesan cheese or ground pepper.

How do I store this tortellini salad?

I recommend storing this tortellini pasta salad in a resealable container in the refrigerator with a tight fitting lid. Leftover salad will keep for up to 5 days when refrigerated. I would not recommend freezing this salad.

How do I transport this pasta salad to an event or potluck?

When taking this Italian pasta salad to an event or potluck, I recommend making and storing the salad in a resealable container. Transporting this salad with a tight-fitting lid is best. However, if you would like to serve this pasta salad in a pretty serving bowl, you can do so, but I recommend wrapping the bowl with a tight-fitting wrap-and-seal plastic wrap for safe transport. Bring a large serving spoon for guests to help themselves.

What can I serve with cold tortellini salad?

This easy tortellini pasta salad goes great with cookout favorites like grilled chicken, BBQ chicken, fried chicken, burgers, pork chops, hot dogs, brats and even steak. Here are a few of my grilling recipes that go wonderfully with this Italian Pasta Salad:

• Salsa Burgers
• Grilled Caprese Chicken
• Grilled Steak Kabobs
• Brown Sugar Balsamic Grilled Chicken
• Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken
• Italian Grilled Chicken
• BBQ Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
• Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
• Grilled Pineapple Chicken
• Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
• Easy Oven Fried Chicken by Kylee Cooks

FAQ’s for making Italian tortellini pasta salad

If you loved this delicious tortellini pasta salad, be sure to check out these other salad recipes:

• Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
• Quinoa Chickpea Salad
• Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
• Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
• Greek Tortellini Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
• Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
• Strawberry Fluff Salad
• Snickers Apple Salad
• Garden Vegetable Pasta Salad
• Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
• Italian Chicken Salad
• Classic Macaroni Salad
• Deviled Egg Potato Salad

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Italian Tortellini Salad

Erin Indahl-Fink

The perfect pasta salad for any pot-luck, picnic, cookout or backyard barbecue! This delicious tortellini salad is loaded with all of your Italian favorites, like salami, tomatoes, olives, banana peppers, red onion, and topped with Italian dressing and shredded Parmesan cheese! The ultimate side dish for any meal!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Remove Ads Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salad and Sides

Cuisine Italian American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 357 kcal

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
• Wooden Spurtle Tools This 5-Piece Wooden kitchen tool set is amazing and great for use in non-stick cookware. No scratches and no plastic!
• Cutting Boards This 3-Pack of non-slip cutting boards are a fantastic tool for every home cook.
• Santoku Knife This 7" santoku knife comes with a bonus 5" knife. Sold through Macy's and at an AMAZING price I've never seen anywhere!

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 20 oz. cheese tortellini pasta tri-color or regular, frozen, refrigerated or dry
• 1 (5 oz. pkg.) mini pepperoni
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes red and/or yellow, halved
• 1 (3.8 oz. can) black olives, sliced drained
• 1/2 cup red onion diced
• 1/2 cup jarred mild yellow banana peppers chopped
• 1 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• pepper to taste

Instructions

 

Tortellini Pasta prep:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the tortellini 1 minute less than package directions. (For example if using refrigerated tortellini, directions say 2 minutes to boil, only cook for 1 minute.) For dry or frozen tortellini, cook 1-2 minutes less than package directions. This is so the pasta stays firm and doesn't become mushy in the salad.
• Once done cooking, immediately remove the pasta from the boiliing water and transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let the pasta cool completely. Once cool, drain from the water and rinse with additional cold water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Assembling the tortellini salad:

• In a large mixing bowl with the cold tortellini, add the mini pepperoni, tomatoes, olives, red onion, and banana peppers. Add the dressing and cheese and toss all ingredients to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve chilled.

Making in Advance of an event?

• If you're making this salad in advance of an event like a potluck, BBQ or gathering, assemble as directed. Instead of pouring the full 1 cup of dressing on the salad, coat the ingredients with only 1/2 cup of the dressing. Just before serving, add the remaining dressing and stir together to coat the ingredeints.

Notes

Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container. Will keep for up to 5 days refrigerated.

My homemade Italian Dressing is a better-tasting option to store-bought, bottled dressing. It takes just a few minutes to whisk together and the flavor is superior!

For this simple homemade Italian dressing you’ll need the following: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. garlic salt, and 1/2 tsp. ground pepper. Whisk all of these ingredients together, as use as needed.

 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 16gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 3618mgPotassium: 175mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 414IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 258mgIron: 2mg

Keyword tortellini pasta salad, Italian tortellini salad, tri color tortellini pasta salad, tortellini salad recipe, cold tortellini salad, easy tortellini pasta salad, Italian pasta salad with tortellini, tortellini salad for potluck

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