Tortellini pasta salad is perfect for spring and summer, and it makes a great side dish or easy vegetarian meal.
We have a long warm season here in Alabama. “Summer” really runs from about May until October, with some nice milder days around it.
That kind of weather has me longing for simple, refreshing and flavorful dishes like this – tortellini pasta salad.
This recipe is my mom’s brainchild. She took an Ina Garten recipe, and used her method for making the dressing. And then she changed up the type of pasta to tortellini (genius!), plus added some different veggies.
I have been hearing the raves on this tortellini pasta salad since last summer from my dad and my sister, who eat my mom’s version on the regular.
I am only just now getting around to making it myself. After tasting it, I knew I had to share it here. It is SO absolutely delicious!😋🙌🏻
I planned this more as a side dish to go alongside some grilled chicken or grilled salmon. But! I ended up having it as an easy make-ahead lunch. And it was fabulous! Very filling and satisfying.
How to make this vegan/ dairy free
Making this tortellini pasta salad recipe vegan/ dairy free is super simple! It just takes two simple substitutions.
First, just use a vegan cheese tortellini, such as Kite Hill or any brand of vegan tortellini you prefer.
Second, you can skip the parmesan garnish at the end, and I promise, it still tastes amazing. Or! You can sprinkle on some nutritional yeast if you like.
I hope y’all enjoy it as much as we have! Let me know if you try it.
Tools Used to Make Tortellini Pasta Salad
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- Measuring spoons
- Dry ingredient measuring cups
- Measuring cup
- Knife and cutting board
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium sized pot for cooking the tortellini
- Strainer for draining the tortellini
Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
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Tortellini Pasta Salad
Tortellini pasta salad is great for spring and summer, and it makes a great side dish or easy vegetarian meal. Garlic, tomatoes, artichokes, kalamata olives, basil, olive oil.
Ingredients
- 2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (olives and cheese make it salty, but test to see if you want to add more)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving (fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley works well as a substitute)
- 10 ounce pack of cheese tortellini cooked to package instructions - I used Trader Joe's
- 1 12 ounce jar marinated, quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 jar pitted kalamata olives, drained (7 ounces)
- grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
For the dressing (make ahead)
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Add the halved tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to a bowl; stir and let sit covered at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours.
To assemble the pasta salad
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Add the cooked tortellini, drained artichokes, drained olives to the dressing mixture, and stir to combine.
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Serve immediately at room temperature with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
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For leftovers, be sure and remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes or so prior to eating to let the oil melt back to liquid form.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Note: This recipe originally appeared on A Pinch of healthy March 22, 2018.
Clementine says
I liked the veggies in here, but the tortellini I got at Trader Joe’s (spinach and cheese) was not great. I reduced the amount of olive oil to 2 Tbsp, as 1/2 cup seemed excessive to me, and it was a good amount for my preferences. Thanks for the recipe! I might try it again with different tortellini.
Dayle says
hello, are you supposedto add the tortellini right after you cook it or let it cool? thank you!
Dayle says
Hello, are you supposed to ice bath tortellini or add right after cooking? Sorry I missed it if it was in the instructions. Thank you
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Dayle! No ice bath necessary. You can add it after cooking.
Jenn Hoff says
This was SOOOOOOOOOOOO delicious! My family wouldn’t eat it because they’re wusses and don’t like tortellini (how I was born into this family I will never know), olives, or artichokes, but I gobbled it up and had leftovers every day for a week.
I do have one question- how big is the jar of olives supposed to be? I have 3 different sized jars, so I’m not sure.
Jenn Hoff says
Oh! I made the recipe full-screen, and suddenly the amounts appeared next to the ingredients. They are actually fairly close to what I used, to that’s good! ;’D
Jenn Hoff says
Wait, no! It still doesn’t say the size of the olive jar! I just read the line above.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am glad you enjoyed it!🙌🏻 I use a 7 ounce jar of olives, and I updated the ingredient list to reflect this. You could use a bigger one, if you want.
Christy says
This dish is incredible! Everyone has a hissy fit every time I make it, asking me for the recipe.