Italian Tortellini Salad

Who doesn’t love a scrumptious pasta salad? Now add in pasta stuffed with delicious cheese a.k.a tortellini and you have pasta salad done right!

Packed with crisp fresh-cut vegetables, mozzarella cheese cubes, and perfectly cooked cheese tortellini all covered in a zesty Italian salad dressing and grated parmesan cheese, this Italian Tortellini Salad is an excellent combination of flavors and textures. It’s the perfect summer side dish that leaves you wanting seconds!

My family couldn’t get enough of this pasta salad. From the mini pepperoni to the five-cheese tortellini to the variety of vegetables and fruit(Tomatoes are tricky like that.), this Italian tortellini pasta salad has something for everyone. It is the perfect side to our favorite mains like sheet pan hamburgers and easy sloppy joes recipe. Plus, this pasta salad also works well as a quick lunch on the go!

Pasta Salad with Tortellini

Italian Tortellini Salad is really easy. Preparing and chopping the vegetables is the hardest part. Which is the perfect job for kids! (Supervised, of course.) Then simply cook your pasta and mix all that goodness together!

Ingredients

• 18 ounces five cheese tricolor tortellini
• 1 1/2 cups Italian dressing
  • This can be either homemade or store-bought. We prefer Olive Gardens Italian dressing.
• 1-pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into 1/2 inch length
  • You can also use block cheese and cut it into cubes.
• 5 ounces mini pepperoni
  • Or 1 cup of a substitute meat choice.
• 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
  • Any color works fine but the yellow and orange bell pepper are sweeter than the green which is better for this pasta salad.
• 1 cup mini cucumber, sliced and halved
• 1 cup baby carrots, sliced
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

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Italian Tortellini Salad can be customized too. Simply take out what you can’t eat and add more of what you can. This pasta salad recipe is great for when summer gardens start to produce an abundance of vegetables or when you need to get creative about using up vegetables in the refrigerator.

Our family loves cucumbers so they are always a must but some people can’t tolerate peppers well so we don’t do those in sometimes. If you don’t have mini pepperoni try diced salami or cooked cubed ham.

Directions for Italian Tortellini Salad

First, Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Then rinse and cool the tortellini by gently running it under cold water in a strainer.

Then, once all other ingredients are prepped, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. It is best to refrigerate two hours before serving or you can eat it fresh. Enjoy!

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Italian Tortellini Salad is great for backyard BBQs, holiday parties, and potlucks.

Tips for a Great Pasta Salad

Start boiling the water and cook the pasta, while you chop the vegetables. This will save you time.

Don’t overcook the tortellini.

The tortellini will soak up dressing the longer it sits. If your pasta salad seems dry, add more dressing.

Storing Italian Tortellini Salad

Store this pasta salad with mini pepperoni in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It’s best when eaten within the first 3 days.

More Great Potluck Sides

Tender bowtie pasta, crisp broccoli florets, bacon bits, and shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese all mixed and coated in a sweet homemade dressing make this Bow Tie Pasta Salad recipe a true crowd pleaser!

This Crunchy Pea Salad with Cashews is a great summer salad packed full of classic flavors and textures. With chilled peas, crisp celery, chopped cauliflower, green onion, and cashews covered in a simple homemade ranch and sour cream dressing and garnished with bacon bits and shredded cheddar cheese, this salad is refreshing and light.

Tangy crushed pineapple, white shoepeg corn, sweet onion, and your favorite chunky salsa all come together to make this deliciously light and sweet salsa recipe. Dip it with your favorite tortilla chips and Pineapple Corn Salsa is the perfect appetizer for summer!

Crisp chopped veggies, shredded cheddar cheese, and a ranch, cream cheese, and sour cream spread all rolled tightly in lavash bread, make this Veggie Roll Ups recipe perfect for a fresh and light appetizer at any party!