Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)

Cheese tortellini with fresh vegetables in zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for gatherings or quick meals.

# 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, halved
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process. Transfer to a large bowl.
02 - Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, and thinly slice red onion. Add to the bowl with cooled tortellini along with sliced black olives.
03 - Cut mozzarella balls in half and add to salad along with torn fresh basil leaves. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over top and toss lightly once more. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The dressing tastes even better after it sits for a bit, so its actually the perfect make-ahead dish for busy days
  • You can throw in whatever vegetables are languishing in your crisper drawer and it somehow always works
02 -
  • Overcooking the tortellini is the number one way to ruin this salad, they should be just tender with a little bounce still
  • The salad starts to get soggy after about 6 hours, so plan to eat it the same day you make it
03 -
  • Double the dressing and keep the extra in a jar for quick salads all week
  • Let the tortellini cool completely before mixing with the vegetables or the mozzarella will melt

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