This easy Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe features tri-colored tortellini, marinated artichoke hearts, red onion, red bell pepper and black olives, tossed in a seasoned oil and vinegar pesto dressing and garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Quick, easy and perfect for large groups and vegetarians!
You'll love this recipe!
- Versatile: whether you're feeding four or four-hundred, this Italian summer pasta salad is the perfect dish to serve.
- Quick and Easy: It takes about 15-minutes to prepare and is light, colorful and even better the next day!
- Entree or Side dish: Serve cold or at room temperature as an entree, or with a stunning cheeseboard or with your favorite barbecue ribs!
When it's too hot to cook, this flavorful tri-colored pasta salad hits the nail on the head! And it's delicious as leftovers, too!
Here's what you'll need:
The ingredients are simple, but feel free to add additional items:
- 1 lb. packaged tortellini (any flavor, color or filling)
- 1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts
- red bell pepper
- black olives
- dried Italian seasonings
- white balsamic vinegar
- prepared pesto sauce
- Parmesan cheese and parsley for garnish
How to make it:
Tortellini pasta salad is ready in less than 15-minutes! Serve it immediately or make it in advance! It actually tastes best when it has marinated in the refrigerator about 30 minutes.
- Bring large stockpot of water to boil
- Add fresh or frozen tortellini; cook for three minutes; drain (want to make your own tortellini?)
- Rinse tortellini with cold water
- In a large bowl, add remaining ingredients
- Combine well; add salt and pepper to taste (you can serve it now or chill it for later)
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley
How much to make for large groups:
If you're serving tortellini pasta salad as an entree, allow about ½ pound of cooked pasta (8 oz. or 1 cup) per person.
However, if serving as a side dish, allow ¼ pound (4 oz. or ½ cup) per person. If you want to make the pasta dish go even further, add in some spinach or romaine lettuce.
Related recipes:
Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb tortellini fresh or frozen; any flavor
- 6 ounces jar of marinated artichoke hearts do not drain
- 2 tablespoons prepared pesto
- ⅓ cup black olives sliced
- ⅓ cup red bell pepper diced
- ⅓ cup red onion finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- Parmesan cheese; fresh parsley garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop peppers, onions and olives; shred Parmesan cheese; cut parsley; set aside
- Bring a large stockpot of water to boil; add tortellini; cook for 3 minutes; drain
- Rinse cooked tortellini under running water; set aside
- In a large mixing bowl, add cooked tortellini, the jar of artichoke hearts and their liquid; add remaining ingredients (red peppers, red onions, black olives, Italian seasonings,pesto and white balsamic vinegar); combine well
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley
Notes
Serving a large group?
- If you're serving tortellini pasta salad as an entree, allow about ½ pound of cooked pasta (8 oz. or 1 cup) per person.
- As a side dish, allow ¼ pound (4 oz. or ½ cup) per person.
- If you want to make the pasta dish go even further, add in some spinach or romaine lettuce.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled
Nutrition
Sandra Drake says
This is so easy and refreshing!
Anecia says
Yes it is! Thank you!