Looking for an easy recipe for tortellini pasta salad with pesto? This simple, delicious pesto tortellini pasta salad is loaded with fresh tomatoes, olives, mozzarella cheese and coated with pesto sauce. It’s the perfect side dish for a summer cookout, potluck or weeknight dinner.
Do you love enjoying a cold pasta salad during the summer months? It’s a fantastic side dish to go with just about any protein – grilled chicken, salmon, steak and even burgers.
This pesto tortellini salad is the perfect recipe for adding a flavorful side dish to your summer grilling menu. The ingredients for this pasta salad are easy to find at your local grocery store, and can be tossed together quickly and easily for a simple weeknight dinner or a summer cookout.
What do I need to make tortellini pesto pasta salad?
- Tortellini – I recommend picking up a package of tortellini from the refrigerated section at the grocery store. This is the quickest and easiest to cook. You can also use frozen tortellini (frozen foods section) or dry tortellini from the pasta section.
- Pesto sauce – I went with a jar of traditional basil pesto. You can find jarred pesto sauces in the Italian foods section of the grocery store where you find other pasta sauces.
- Fresh mozzarella “Pearls” – These smaller marble-sized mozzarella can be found in the deli section with the other refrigerated cheeses. These smaller “pearls” come in a plastic container packed in water and are perfect for pasta salads.
- Black olives – I chose to use whole large pitted black olives, but feel free to use sliced olives as a substitute.
- Roasted Red Peppers – roasted red peppers come packed in water in a jar and can be found near the olives, pickles and peppers at your local store.
- Red onion – red onion adds some nice zesty flavor and pleasing color to your salad.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes – feel free to keep these whole or half them if they are slightly larger. These add wonderful flavor and color to your pasta salad.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese – I typically purchase pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as a time-saver. However, may prefer to grate/shred their own Parmesan for superior flavor.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How do I make tortellini pasta salad with pesto?
To make tortellini salad, begin by preparing the tortellini. Simply bring a pot of water to boil and simmer for a short time. Immediately drain from the water and transfer the al dente tortellini to ice water to stop the cooking process and to allow the pasta to cool.
If you love tortellini, be sure to check out my Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup recipe.
How long do I cook tortellini for pasta salad?
When preparing tortellini for a cold pasta salad, you will only need to cook the pasta for a short time.
If you are using refrigerated tortellini, only about 90 seconds. If using frozen or dry tortellini, cook the tortellini for only to al dente (according to package directions) or even a little less.
The reason the pasta is cooked for a shorter period of time is because the pasta can become mushy or soggy when coated with the pesto and other ingredients after being refrigerated. For the pasta to stay firm and hold its shape, slightly undercook the pasta.
Once the tortellini has cooled in the ice water, drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add in the mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olives, peppers and onion.
Ingredient Substitutions and Recommendations:
- Yellow Banana Peppers – these are zesty and provide a great flavor to any Italian-inspired salad.
- Kalamata Olives – feel free to substitute Kalamata for the black olives. These will give the salad a more savory flavor.
- Salami – a great way to add some extra volume and protein is adding in some thick-cut, chopped salami. This is an ingredient in our Italian Tortellini Salad and our Zesty Italian Pasta salad.
- Bell Pepper – chopped greed, yellow or orange bell pepper would be a great addition for color and texture.
- Pine Nuts – pine nuts are an ingredient in pesto sauce and would be wonderfully complimentary to this pesto salad recipe.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
To the rest of the salad ingredients, pour the jar of pesto sauce onto the salad. Gently fold the salad together with a rubber scraper so that all the ingredients become coated with the sauce.
Do I need to refrigerate pesto tortellini salad?
Once you’ve tossed all the ingredients together and the sauce has coated the salad, it is best to chill the salad before serving. Chill the salad for at least 1-2 hours before serving. This will help the pesto sauce marinate with the rest of the ingredients.
Can I make this salad in advance?
This tortellini salad is great for making in advance of a dinner, cookout or potluck. Make up to 24 hours in advance and keep covered and refrigerated just before serving. Top with additional cheese or fresh basil leaves for garnish if desired, just before serving.
Do you add pesto to hot or cold pasta?
Pesto sauce can be added to either hot or cold pasta. If enjoying a hot pasta dish, the pesto is added to the hot, just cooked pasta and tossed together just before serving. If enjoying a cold pasta salad, the pesto can be added to chilled pasta, along with the other ingredients and then refrigerated.
What does pesto pasta go with?
Cold pesto pasta salad is always great for a cookout, potluck or any summer meal. Tortellini salad goes well with grilled chicken, burgers, steak and pork chops. Here are some of our favorite chicken recipes that would go great with pasta salad.
- Italian Grilled Chicken
- Baked Italian Chicken
- Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Mini Turkey Meatloaf – Italian Meatloaf Recipe
- Grilled Caprese Chicken
- Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken
- Brown Sugar Balsamic Grilled Chicken
If you loved this cold pasta salad recipe, check out our other pasta salad ideas:
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Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto and Tomatoes
Equipment
- Sauce Pan This Circulon A1 Series non stick saucepan includes a glass straining lid. A great piece of cookware!
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
- Rubber Scrapers These Cuisinart rubber scraper spatulas are fantastic for fillings, batters, and so much more!
Ingredients
- 1 (9 oz. pkg.) cheese tortellini refrigerated
- 1 (8.1 oz. jar) pesto sauce
- 1 (8 oz. pkg.) pearl mozzarella
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup black olives whole or sliced, drained
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper jarred, diced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Fill a sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Add in the tortellini and boil for 90 seconds. (This will be less than the package directions.) After 90 seconds, promptly drain from the boiling water and transfer the pasta to a bowl of ice water to cool. Let pasta cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the pasta from the ice water once cool. Transfer the drained tortellini to a large mixing bowl.
- To the bowl of tortellini, add in the pearl mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, onion and red pepper. Pour the pesto sauce over the ingredients. Using a rubber scraper, gently toss together the ingredients to coat all the ingredients with the sauce. Add in the shredded Parmesan cheese and stir together with the other ingredients.
- Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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