This Italian tortellini salad is truly a delicious summertime pasta dish, but we enjoy it all year long. It's an easy make-ahead salad, perfect to pack for a picnic, take to a potluck, or serve at your next backyard BBQ. This makes 6 main course servings or 8 side dishes.
Ingredients
- ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini: 20 piece
- 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes: 1 piece
- small fresh mozzarella balls: 0.75 cup (halved)
- English cucumber, halved and: 1 piece (sliced)
- red or yellow bell pepper: 0.75 cup (diced)
- mini pepperoni: 1 pack (5 ounce pack)
- banana pepper rings: 0.5 cup (roughly chopped)
- red onion: 0.5 cup (diced)
- black olives: 0.5 cup (sliced)
- Italian parsley: 2 Tbsp (minced)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper: (to taste)
- light Italian salad dressing (store bought or homemade): 1 cup
- Parmesan cheese: 0.33333 cup (grated)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil; stir in tortellini and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini float to the top and the filling is hot, about 3 minutes. Be sure not to overcook, as they’ll start to unfold. Drain well, cool to room temperature, and transfer to a large bowl.
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Combine tomatoes, mozzarella balls, cucumber, bell peppers, pepperoni, banana peppers, red onion, black olives, parsley, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl, and add to the tortellini.
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Drizzle Italian dressing over salad, lightly tossing all ingredients until well coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
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Stir again right before serving, garnish with grated Parmesan, and serve chilled. Store leftovers in the fridge in an air-tight container. Cook’s Note This tortellini salad keeps well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
