• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cook2eatwell
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Cuban Recipes
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Cuban Recipes
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipe Index
    • Cuban Recipes
    • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads and Bowls

    Tortellini Pasta Salad

    Published: Aug 9, 2020 · Modified: Apr 20, 2022 by Elizabeth · Leave a Comment

    • Share
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    A graphic with two images of the salad and white lettering that reads tortellini pasta salad.

    This tortellini salad comes together quickly and is as pretty as it is delicious. With cheese tortellini, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, olives, onions and a homemade Italian inspired dressing this cold salad makes a great side dish or a refreshing lunch or dinner on its own.

    The tortellini pasta salad served in a large white bowl, displayed on a white table with an aqua colored linen underneath and a serving spoon in the background.

    The only cooking involved with this dish is boiling the tortellini. Like this garden pasta salad and this Italian pasta salad, it’s perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks and busy weeknights.

    This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients

    Homemade Italian Dressing

    • ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
    • 1 Garlic Clove, grated or finely minced
    • ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt – we use kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • Pinch Crushed Red Pepper, optional

    Tortellini Salad

    • 18 ounces Tortellini, we used a combination three cheese refrigerated tortellini
    • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 8 ounces Grape or Cherry tomatoes cut into halves or quarters depending on how large they are – or use one or two large tomatoes, seeded and diced
    • 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, cut into small cubes
    • 3 ounces Salami, sliced into thin strips
    • 4 ounces Black Olives, pitted and sliced into rounds
    • 2-3 tablespoons Sliced Onions, slice them as thin as possible – we used yellow onion
    The ingredients for the salad before being prepped arranged on a wood cutting board.

    Instructions

    Make the dressing first so the flavors have a chance to come together. Use a small canning jar, or other container with a tight fitting lid to mix the dressing. They are great for dressings and sauces like this stir fry sauce and chimichurri sauce.

    Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to a small jar or container. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to mix. Refrigerate until ready to use. Give it a good shake right before using.

    Cook the tortellini to package directions. Take care not to overcook them so they don’t get mushy. Drain completely and place them in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and use a silicone spatula to toss gently.

    Give the tortellini a stir once in a while to let the steam escape; this will speed up the cooling process. Refrigerate it to cool completely.

    Build the salad

    When the pasta is cold, add the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, salami, black olives, onions and the dressing and toss together until completely coated.

    Add as little or as much of the dressing as you’d like. Toss gently to prevent tearing the tortellini.

    A close up of the salad served in a large, white bowl.

    Make ahead and storing

    You can put the salad together and cover it with a lid or plastic wrap. Make the dressing and store it in a jar or bowl with a tight fitting lid.

    Don’t dress the salad until ready to serve and stir the dressing right before adding it in. It will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days. I don’t recommend freezing it. The tortellini, cheese and tomatoes won’t hold up well.

    You may also like these cold salad recipes:

    • Artichoke Salad
    • Loaded Potato Salad
    • Chicken Caesar Wraps
    • Tuna Salad Sandwich
    • Chef Salad
    • Egg Salad

    Follow Us! Subscribe to the newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest recipes.

    The tortellini pasta salad served in a large white bowl, displayed on a white table with an aqua colored linen underneath and a serving spoon in the background.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Tortellini Pasta Salad

    This tortellini salad comes together quickly and is as pretty as it is delicious.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: cold pasta salad
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 430kcal
    Author: Elizabeth

    Ingredients

    Italian Dressing

    • ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 2 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
    • 1 Garlic Clove grated or minced finely
    • ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
    • Pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional

    Tortellini Salad

    • 18 ounces Tortellini we used a combination of three cheese refrigerated tortellini
    • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 8 ounces Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
    • 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella Cheese cut into small cubes
    • 3 ounces Salami sliced into thin strips
    • 4 ounces Black Olives pitted, sliced into rounds
    • 2-3 tablespoons White Onions thinly sliced

    Instructions

    Make the Dressing

    • In a small jar, or a container with a tight fitting lid, add ¼ cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, dried oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper, if using. Cover the container and shake or stir to mix. Refrigerate until ready to use, stir vigorously before using too.

    Cook the Tortellini

    • Cook the tortellini to package directions. Drain the tortellini completely, and place it in a large bowl. Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, toss to keep them from sticking. Give the tortellini a stir once in a while to let the steam escape. Refrigerate the pasta and allow it to cool completely.

    While the Tortellini Cools

    • Cut the tomatoes in half or quarter
    • Cut the mozzarella cheese into small cubes
    • Slice the salami into thin strips
    • Slice the black olives into rounds
    • Slice the onions as thin as possible
    • Refrigerate the ingredients until ready to use. When the pasta has cooled completely, add the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, salami, black olives, onions and the dressing to the tortellini. Add the dressing, use as much or as little dressing as desired. Toss the tortellini salad gently to combine the ingredients.

    Notes

    Use a rubber spatula to stir the pasta salad to avoid breaking the delicate tortellini and mozzarella.
     
    Refrigerate any leftover dressing it will keep for a couple of days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 484IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 2mg
    The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.

    More Salads and Bowls

    • Chimichurri Steak Salad
    • Egg Salad
    • Artichoke Salad
    • Chef Salad
    • Share

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    aboutus

    Hi, I’m Elizabeth! welcome to Cook2eatwell. Food is my favorite subject; I like to cook food, talk about food, write about food, and most importantly, eat food. Lucky for me, my husband Eddie feels the same way. 

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Beef Barley Soup
    • Salisbury Steak
    • Easy Chili Mac
    • Mini Chicken Pot Pies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Cook2eatwell