Name: Tortellini Pasta Salad
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 (20-oz.) pkg. refrigerated cheese-filled bi-color tortellini; 2/3 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 tsp. grated garlic (from 2 medium cloves); 3/4 tsp. kosher salt; 1/2 tsp. dried oregano; 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper; 1/4 tsp. black pepper; 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar; 1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini salad peppers, plus 1 Tbsp. brine from jar (from 1 [16-oz.] jar), divided; 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, plus 1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion (from 1 large onion), divided; 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (from 1 [1-pt.] container); 1 cup sliced peeled, seeded cucumber (from 1 [10-oz.] cucumber); 1/2 cup chopped refrigerated uncured Genoa salami (from 1 [4-oz.] pkg.); 8 oz. ciliegine mozzarella pearls, drained; 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives (from 1 [6.5-oz.] jar); 1/2 cup chopped spinach (from 1 [5-oz.] container); 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Southern Living Tortellini Pasta Salad in a bowl to serve — Photo:
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Costen King, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Servings:

When it comes to the wide range of pasta salads to try, we're adding one more: tortellini pasta salad. In the recipe box of pasta salads, there are unexpected mashups like Shrimp Pasta Salad, Deviled Egg Pasta Salad, and even Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. This tortellini pasta salad recipe unapologetically brings things back to the basics, but with a little twist: cheese tortellini.

Tortellini pasta provides decadent little pockets of cheese, and pepperoncinis, brine, and a modest little pinch of sugar make this fresh, Italian-style dressing super Southern. Yummy additions like Genoa salami, spinach, and plenty of veggies make it filling enough for a main dish.

Learn how to make tortellini pasta salad. If you love keeping a big container in the fridge to munch on for lunch all week long, especially when there's some a balance of ingredients that make it a meal, you'll want to try this recipe.

Ingredients For Tortellini Pasta Salad

Because it involves making your own Italian-style dressing, the ingredient list for tortellini pasta salad is on the longer side, but we promise it's worth it and doesn't require too much extra work or time. Tossed together with pepperoncinis, soft cheese pearls and bursts of cherry tomato, this fun twist on pasta salad is unique and totally unmatched—plus, it gets better with time marinating in the fridge.

Bi-color tortellini: Provides the base of the salad. Bi-color tortellini adds some extra color, and cheesy tortellini adds extra flavor and texture.
Olive oil: Provides the base of the Italian dressing and ensures the salad is evenly coated, carrying all the delicious flavors throughout the dish.
Red wine vinegar: Lends a hint of acid and balances beautifully with the spices in the dressing and the brine.
Fresh garlic: Adds depth and complexity to the dressing.
Kosher salt and black pepper: Balances and enhances the taste of the dressing.
Dried oregano and crushed red pepper: A blend of herb and spice that carries the distinctive Italian flavor in the dressing.
Granulated sugar: Balances and softens the flavors of the Italian dressing mixture.
Pepperoncini peppers and brine: Add a salty, tangy, briny flavor, color, and crunch that sets this salad apart.
Red onion: Adds a sharp, texturally satisfying bite through the salad, as well as a beautiful red color.
Cherry tomatoes: Provide a burst of fresh tomatoey flavor.

Cucumber: Lends a fresh crunch that doesn't soften too easily.
Genoa salami: Adds some savoriness and saltiness as well as some heft and protein to the pasta salad. Genoa salami, unlike hard cured salami, is slightly milder and easier to chew but still has that distinctive kick of heat and tang.
Mozzarella pearls: Ciliegne mozzarella pearls, meaning "cherry-sized," are the perfect size and shape to evenly distribute throughout the salad and all its toppings.
Kalamata olives: A burst of briny yet sweet, velvety olives offsets and complements the briny crunch of the pepperoncinis.
Fresh spinach: Lends some fresh, earthy green—it's a sneaky, nourishing addition tossed in and virtually indistinguishable from the basil.
Fresh basil: Provide an aromatic and herbaceous pop of green.

Southern Living Tortellini Pasta Salad ingredients — Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Costen King, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

How To Make Tortellini Salad

The steps are quite simple, but their order is important. Since this recipe includes delicate high-moisture greens like spinach and basil, which can clump and bruise easily, these elements are folded in last to make sure they are distributed evenly.

Step 1. Cook pasta: Cook tortellini pasta according to the package directions for al dente.
Step 2. Prepare dressing: Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, fresh garlic, salt, oregano, red pepper, black pepper, sugar, pepperoncini brine, and chopped red onion in a large bowl until well-combined. (Adding chopped red onion at this step helps infuse and temper some of the red onion into the dressing for a dynamic flavor in the overall dish.)
Step 3. Combine: Fold in tortellini, tomatoes, cucumber, salami, mozzarella, olives, sliced pepperoncini, and sliced red onion until evenly coated.
Step 4: Add greens. The greens are the most delicate part of this salad, so it's best to fold them in separately at the last minute to ensure an even distribution.

Can I Make Tortellini Pasta Salad Ahead?

Yes! In fact, we recommend it. The fresh flavors of your own from-scratch Italian dressing shine even brighter after the ingredients of this salad have marinated a couple of hours or up to 24 hours.

To make ahead and store, wrap tightly with plastic wrap or seal in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Note: If preparing ahead of time, we'd recommend waiting to toss in the spinach and basil just before serving.

More Pasta Salad Recipes To Try

When it comes to pasta salad recipes—from simple to extravagant—we've got you covered. Here are some to try next time you're fixing to whip up a batch.

Ingredients

1 (20-oz.) pkg. refrigerated cheese-filled bi-color tortellini
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. grated garlic (from 2 medium cloves)
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini salad peppers, plus 1 Tbsp. brine from jar (from 1 [16-oz.] jar), divided
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, plus 1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion (from 1 large onion), divided
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (from 1 [1-pt.] container)
1 cup sliced peeled, seeded cucumber (from 1 [10-oz.] cucumber)
1/2 cup chopped refrigerated uncured Genoa salami (from 1 [4-oz.] pkg.)
8 oz. ciliegine mozzarella pearls, drained
1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives (from 1 [6.5-oz.] jar)
1/2 cup chopped spinach (from 1 [5-oz.] container)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Directions

Cook tortellini:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high; add tortellini, and cook according to package directions for al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain and set aside.

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Costen King, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Make dressing:

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, oregano, crushed red pepper, black pepper, sugar, pepperoncini brine, and chopped red onion in a large bowl until well combined.

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Costen King, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Add ingredients to dressing:

Fold in cooked tortellini, tomatoes, cucumber, salami, mozzarella, olives, sliced pepperoncini, and sliced red onion until evenly coated.

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Costen King, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Add spinach and basil:

Fold in spinach and basil. Garnish with additional basil, and serve immediately.

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Costen King, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel