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Zesty Tortellini Pasta Salad

This easy tortellini pasta salad is loaded with cheesy tortellini, fresh veggies, and a vibrant Italian dressing. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for summer cookouts, potlucks, or a quick weekday lunch.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120

Ingredients
  

Salad Ingredients
  • 24 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
  • 1 cup chopped salami thick sliced deli hard salami recommended
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes washed and halved
  • 0.5 cucumber cucumber sliced and quartered
  • 0.5 cup sliced black olives
  • 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese pearls or diced fresh mozzarella
  • 0.5 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 0.25 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 0.25 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh sweet basil leaves
  • 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • 0.25 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Dressing
  • 0.5 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
  • 2 tablespoons pesto sauce

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Cook the cheese tortellini according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool them down and stop the cooking process. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked tortellini, chopped salami, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, black olives, mozzarella pearls, thinly sliced red onion, diced red and green bell peppers, fresh basil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
  3. Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the salad ingredients.
  4. Drizzle the zesty Italian salad dressing and pesto sauce over the salad.
  5. Gently toss all the ingredients together until they are well combined and coated with the dressing.
  6. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and deepen.
  7. Before serving, give the pasta salad a final toss. Serve chilled, garnished with additional fresh basil leaves if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 200gCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 120gProtein: 120gFat: 120gSaturated Fat: 120gPolyunsaturated Fat: 120gMonounsaturated Fat: 120gTrans Fat: 120gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 120mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 120gSugar: 120gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 120mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 120mg

Notes

This tortellini pasta salad is even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prepping or bringing to a potluck. You can customize it with your favorite vegetables like artichoke hearts or sun-dried tomatoes.
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