Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)

Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables, mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing for a refreshing meal.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Cook tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool the pasta. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the cucumber and red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons. Slice the black olives. Add all prepared vegetables to the bowl with cooled tortellini.
03 - Cut mozzarella balls in half and add to the salad along with torn fresh basil leaves. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified and well combined.
05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top and toss lightly once more.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Do not chill longer than 2 hours or vegetables may become soggy.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pasta stays perfectly tender even after chilling in the dressing for hours
  • It travels beautifully and actually tastes better after the flavors mingle
  • One bowl feeds a crowd without any last minute cooking stress
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta thoroughly under cold water or it will keep cooking and turn mushy
  • Add the dressing about 30 minutes before serving so the pasta can absorb the flavors
  • The salad is best served the same day but the leftovers still taste great the next day
03 -
  • Use room temperature vegetables so the cold pasta does not immediately seize up when mixed
  • Double the dressing recipe and save half for drizzling over leftovers the next day

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