Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)
Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables and zesty Italian dressing. A refreshing dish ideal for warm weather gatherings and quick meals.
# 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 (bocconcini), 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
# How To Make It:
01 - Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - In a large serving bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced red onion, black olives, halved mozzarella balls, and torn basil leaves.
03 - Add the cooled tortellini to the vegetable mixture.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over salad. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan over top and toss lightly. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The dressing hugs every ingredient so each bite tastes balanced
- It actually tastes better after sitting for an hour, making it perfect for prep-ahead meals
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water is essential or it keeps cooking and turns mushy
- The salad needs at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator for flavors to really develop
03 -
- Small pasta shapes like tortellini or ravioli work better than spaghetti or linguine in cold salads
- Adding a pinch of sugar to the dressing mellow out the vinegar's sharpness