Tortellini Pasta Salad - The Keep At House Chef

This pasta salad is filled with tacky tortellini, salami, contemporary greens, and contemporary mozzarella. It’s all topped off with our scrumptious selfmade Italian dressing that’s really easy to place collectively, that you just’ll surprise why you’ve ever used store-bought!

For a special tackle the identical flavors, strive our Orzo Italian Pasta Salad.

Why Our Recipe

Filling sufficient to be the primary dish, or served up as a facet dish.
Do-it-yourself Italian dressing that’s fast and straightforward to make, and oh-so scrumptious.
Retains properly which is nice for leftovers, make-ahead choices, and meal prep.

The dressing is what actually takes this chilly tortellini pasta salad up a notch. You’ll be able to, after all, use store-bought when you’d like, however our dressing recipe is oh-so-easy to tug collectively — and it’s stuffed with freshness! This pasta salad is so filling that it may be served as a meal by itself. It additionally makes an excellent barbecue or potluck dish.

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients for tortellini pasta salad are laid out on a table.

Cheese Tortellini: You should utilize the contemporary, refrigerated type, the frozen selection, or the dried choice in containers discovered with the opposite pasta. Observe the instructions on the bundle to find out the cooking time.
Contemporary Mini Mozzarella Balls: The merchandise you’re searching for could also be referred to as mini mozzarella balls, bocconcini, or mozzarella pearls. Different nice cheeses are diced block mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and cheddar.
Olives: the sliced black olives in a can are an excellent choice, or you possibly can go inexperienced.
Salami: It’s also possible to combine and match your proteins in our chilly tortellini pasta salad recipe. Listed below are a number of concepts to encourage you: Grilled rooster, Steak, Chickpeas, Tuna.
Greens: We choose our Italian-style selection, however you may get artistic with totally different greens. Attempt cucumber, purple or yellow bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or asparagus.
Purple Onion: Can use sliced inexperienced onions if purple remains to be too sturdy.
Pepperoncinis: You could possibly additionally substitute with banana peppers.
Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes additionally work and you should utilize purple or yellow.
Salad Dressing: You may make your dressing with contemporary herbs over dried. You’ll wish to use one tablespoon of finely minced contemporary herbs for each teaspoon of dried herbs the recipe requires.

Tortellini Choices

With regards to making that purchasing record or grocery order, you may discover that there are three choices to select from on the subject of tortellini. As well as, you begin to see some taste choices too.

Contemporary Tortellini: These are discovered within the refrigerated part of the grocery retailer in a plastic container somewhat than a bag. They’re usually bought in portions of 9 ounces and 20 ounces. This recipe requires 20 ounces, however 18 ounces could be ample These find yourself having the perfect texture of all of your choices, however they’re additionally the costliest. Observe the bundle instructions for cooking occasions, usually a couple of minutes in boiling water.

Frozen Tortellini: These are usually extra reasonably priced than contemporary and are usually bought in baggage of 19 ounces, or as much as 3 kilos. Whereas this recipe requires 20 ounces, 19 ounces could be ample. These have a tendency to finish up mushier than contemporary or dried, so make certain to not overcook and comply with the bundle instructions for al dente.

Dried Tortellini: These are discovered within the pasta aisle and are essentially the most reasonably priced of the entire choices. It’s a bit extra shelf-stable and could be a lifesaver for impromptu dinners. Cooking occasions are normally a bit longer than contemporary or frozen, so comply with the directions on the field to make sure your tortellini is completely al dente.

Flavors and Colours: Inside all of those choices you’ll additionally discover varied flavors of tortellini—cheese, spinach and cheese, cheese and tomato, and many others—in addition to colours of pasta, significantly inexperienced and tri-color. Any and all of those can be utilized.

Pasta Tip: Stopping Clumping

There are two issues that you are able to do to forestall your pasta from sticking collectively. First, bear in mind to rinse your tortellini with chilly water as quickly as you take away it from the boiling water. Subsequent, earlier than you begin including the opposite elements, pour half of the dressing right into a bowl with the pasta and blend. Solely then do you have to begin including within the cheese, salami, and veggies. The added moisture from the oil within the dressing will stop it from sticking!

Make-Forward Directions

You may make this chilly tortellini pasta salad as much as in the future upfront. Cowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and retailer within the fridge The salad will soak up extra taste out of your dressing when you let the pasta sit for at the very least an hour earlier than serving.

Storage Directions

Refrigerate tortellini pasta salad in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. After three days the greens won’t have the identical crisp texture.