Description
Succulent tortellini pasta salad delivers a Mediterranean-inspired symphony of flavors dancing across your palate. Cool herbed dressing and crisp vegetables make this light, refreshing dish perfect for summer gatherings you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein:
- 1 (9 ounces / 255 grams) package cheese tortellini
Vegetables:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
Seasoning and Dressing:
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil tortellini in salted water for 3-4 minutes or until floating and tender, following package instructions. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Dice cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion into uniform, bite-sized pieces to ensure balanced flavor distribution in the salad.
- Halve cherry tomatoes and slice black olives to create varied textures and enhance visual appeal of the dish.
- Transfer cooled tortellini to a spacious mixing bowl, then add prepared vegetables and olives, creating a colorful medley.
- Drizzle Italian dressing over the ingredients, using gentle folding motions to coat each component without crushing delicate pasta.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped basil leaves throughout the salad, incorporating herbs for a vibrant, aromatic touch.
- Season with salt and cracked black pepper, adjusting to personal taste preferences.
- Cover and chill in refrigerator for 45-60 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and develop a more cohesive taste profile.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick toss to redistribute dressing and reinvigorate the ingredients.
Notes
- Opt for fresh or frozen tortellini for the best texture and flavor in the pasta salad.
- Chop vegetables uniformly to ensure even distribution and a balanced bite in every forkful.
- Enhance the salad’s protein content by adding grilled chicken, salami, or mozzarella cheese cubes.
- Allow the salad to marinate longer for deeper flavor infusion, ideally up to 2 hours before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg