Description
This vibrant Tortellini Pasta Salad with Fresh Veggies is a delicious and refreshing dish perfect for gatherings or meal prep. Featuring cheese tortellini tossed with a tangy homemade red wine vinaigrette and loaded with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella, salami, and fresh herbs, it’s a satisfying and colorful salad that melds crunchy vegetables, creamy cheese, and savory meats in every bite. Chilling the salad allows the flavors to develop for a well-balanced, flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
Vegetables and Cheese
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls
- 2 cups baby spinach or arugula
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Meat
- 1/2 cup chopped salami or pepperoni
Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the refrigerated cheese tortellini and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the tortellini and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer the tortellini to a large bowl.
- Prepare the dressing: While the tortellini is cooking, combine the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well emulsified.
- Toss tortellini with dressing: Pour half of the dressing over the warm tortellini and gently toss to coat thoroughly. Allow the tortellini to cool for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Add salad ingredients: To the bowl with tortellini, add halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, chopped kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella balls, chopped salami or pepperoni, grated Parmesan cheese, baby spinach or arugula, and chopped fresh basil.
- Combine and chill: Pour the remaining dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl and toss gently to combine everything evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Before serving, toss the salad again to redistribute the dressing, then taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or red wine vinegar if desired. Garnish with extra fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Cook tortellini until just al dente to avoid mushy texture in the salad.
- Rinsing tortellini under cold water stops cooking and cools pasta for a refreshing salad.
- Use quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs for the best flavor in the dressing.
- Chilling the salad for at least 2 hours helps flavors meld beautifully.
- Feel free to substitute salami with pepperoni or omit for a vegetarian version.
- This salad can be made a day ahead for convenient meal prep.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: tortellini pasta salad, cheese tortellini salad, Italian pasta salad, fresh vegetable salad, easy pasta salad, summer pasta salad, picnic salad
