Tortellini Salad

Tortellini salad is perfect for potlucks and BBQs because it's easy to make and can be served as a side dish or as the main entree.

It features cheese tortellini, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, spinach, basil, and parmesan tossed in a vibrant red wine dressing.

 

This simple tortellini pasta salad recipe will be on repeat once you've tried it. It's so easy to make, and the fresh flavors of summer pair perfectly with the cheese tortellini.

Make this easy pasta salad up to 3 days in advance for parties or for meal prep. It's a great way to use up the basil and tomatoes from your garden!

It's tossed in a simple red wine vinaigrette that brings all the fresh flavors together.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• cheese tortellini: We love using homemade sourdough cheese tortellini for this pasta salad, but you can find fresh or frozen tortellini in the grocery store. Look for fresh tortellini pasta in the refrigerated section, while frozen tortellini can be found in the freezer section.
• tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes are perfect for tossing in pasta salads because they are bite-sized. If cherry tomatoes are unavailable, choose a tomato with less water content, such as plum or Roma tomatoes.
• artichoke hearts: Marinated artichoke hearts add another level of depth of flavor and texture to the dish.
• fresh spinach: Adds color and nutrients to the dish. It can be omitted or replaced with finely chopped kale.
• fresh basil: This tortellini salad wouldn't be complete without the addition of fresh herbs. The basil compliments the flavors of the tomatoes and cheese in the tortellini, making the dish pop.
• parmesan cheese: Choose a good quality Parmesan cheese for the best flavor. Buy it in a block and shave or grate it by hand. Parmesan cheese can be substituted with Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, or feta cheese.
• red wine vinaigrette: A simple dressing made with red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• optional: This salad is customizable so feel free to switch up the veggies and the dressing. Italian dressing can be substituted for the red wine dressing. Add salami, red onion, olives, or bell peppers cut into bite-size pieces for even more texture and crunch.

How to make tortellini salad

1. Prepare the tortellini. Boil the cheese tortellini in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Rinse them under cold water and allow them to drain in a colander while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2. Prepare vegetables and herbs. Wash the tomatoes, spinach, basil and pat dry with a clean towel. Chop the spinach and basil and cut the tomatoes in half. Drain the artichoke hearts.
3. Make the dressing. Add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Assemble. Add the cooled cheese tortellini, vegetables, and basil to the bowl and toss to coat everything evenly with the dressing. Top with the parmesan cheese right before serving.

Serve

Serve this delicious tortellini salad as a main dish or as a side dish. It goes great with air fryer chicken breasts or shrimp.