Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable Version)
Cheese tortellini tossed with fresh vegetables, mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing for a satisfying cold pasta dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz fresh cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
→ Cheese & Herbs
07 - 1/3 cup fresh mozzarella balls, halved
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice cucumber and red bell pepper into uniform pieces. Thinly slice red onion into half-moons. Slice black olives.
03 - Add prepared tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives, halved mozzarella balls, and torn basil to the bowl with cooled tortellini.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over salad mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over top and toss lightly once more.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- This salad actually gets better as it sits so you can make it hours before guests arrive
- The combination of textures creates this satisfying contrast that keeps people coming back for seconds
02 -
- Never skip the cold water rinse or your tortellini will keep cooking and become mushy
- The salad needs at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator for flavors to really develop
03 -
- Add the Parmesan right before serving so it does not get soggy from the dressing
- Reserve a handful of basil to garnish the top just before plating