Tortellini Pasta Salad features cheese-filled tortellini with tomatoes, red onions, mozzarella, salami, and spinach, topped with a tangy olive oil and vinegar dressing. It is delicious as a lighter main dish, for lunch, or served as a side dish at potlucks, barbecues, or any casual gathering! You may also want to check out my Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad and Italian Pasta Salad, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Tortellini: I used cheese-filled tortellini, but you could certainly experiment with other varieties of tortellini! Cook the tortellini per package instructions. Then, be sure to let the pasta cool completely before assembling the salad. You could also use other kinds of pasta like penne, bowtie, or make homemade shaped pasta.
Mozzarella: I added mozzarella pearls to the salad. Mozzarella pearls are bite-sized balls of fresh mozzarella cheese. They provide a distinct bite of cheese and a neat presentation of the salad. You could add shredded mozzarella or cubes of cheese, but it will alter the texture and overall ‘look’ of the salad.
Salami: I love the flavor that salami brings to the salad. Plus, it adds protein to make it more filling. If preferred, you could leave it out. Or, substitute pepperoni, prosciutto, cooked ham, or cooked turkey.
Spinach: Fresh spinach gives the salad some extra nutritional value and adds a vibrant green color!
Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is made from red wine that has been stored and aged in barrels. If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you could substitute white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. However, using different kinds of vinegar will change the taste of the dressing.
Herbs & Spices: The dressing is seasoned with dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
How To Serve Tortellini Pasta Salad
Tortellini pasta salad pairs well with a variety of dishes, whether being served as a light main dish or as a side dish. Here are some ways to serve the pasta salad:
- Serve the salad alongside grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp.
- Pair the salad with sandwiches or wraps.
- Serve with garlic breadsticks or garlic knots.
- Impress everyone’s taste buds by serving my focaccia breadsticks (which are amazing)!
- Pair the salad with a bowl of soup.
- Serve with a side of fresh fruit.
Why Chill The Salad
Although you can enjoy the tortellini pasta salad immediately after putting it together, I do recommend chilling the salad in the refrigerator. Chilling the salad for at least an hour gives all of the flavors time to meld and come together for a full-flavored bite!
How To Store Tortellini Pasta Salad
Store tortellini pasta salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container or cover the salad bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will last up to 3-4 days. When serving, do not let the salad sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 package (19 ounces) cheese tortellini, cooked according to package instructions, cooled completely
- 2 cups (298 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup (80 g) finely diced red onion, about ½ an onion
- 8 ounces (226 g) mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup (140 g) chopped salami
- 1 cup (30 g) baby spinach, packed, roughly chopped
Dressing
- ¼ cup (54 g) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- fresh basil, cut in ribbons, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cooked and cooled tortellini, cherry tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella pearls, salami, and spinach.
- To a small bowl, add olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the tortellini mixture, stirring to combine. Garnish with basil.
- This salad can be enjoyed immediately but is best served after chilling in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
Perfect for potlucks or a summer bbq! I love that it gets more flavorful the longer it sits!
Elizabeth
I love all things tortellini, including this salad. It's so refreshing and delicious, and I love the addition of salami for a little more substance.
Rachael
I loved this pasta salad, it is delicious! Perfect pasta salad to have for the spring or summer. Vinegar pasta salads are my favorite!
Annabelle
What a lovely, but simple salad! Perfect for potlucks as the weather warms up!
Bella
This is a simple, light, and tasty pasta salad. The tortellini is great since it is already stuffed with cheese!
The pasa salad 🥗 looks good 👍😊