Description
A bright and flavorful Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad featuring tender cheese tortellini tossed in vibrant basil pesto with juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella pearls, tangy kalamata olives, red onion, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. Perfect as a refreshing side dish or light main, this easy-to-make pasta salad comes together quickly and tastes best chilled.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 18-20 ounces cheese tortellini (uncooked, about 1 ½ pounds or 750g)
- ½ cup pesto (good quality store-bought or homemade basil pesto)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 12 ounces (339g) mozzarella pearls, drained (or mini bocconcini, halved or quartered)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup sliced kalamata olives, drained before measuring
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Cook the Tortellini: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the cheese tortellini and cook according to the package directions, about 2-4 minutes for fresh tortellini or 4-6 minutes if frozen.
- Drain and Cool: Drain the cooked tortellini and rinse them thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them down for the salad.
- Combine Ingredients: Transfer the cooled tortellini into a large serving bowl. Add the pesto, halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, finely diced red onion, sliced kalamata olives, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh basil to the bowl.
- Toss Gently: Using a silicone spatula, gently toss all ingredients together until the tortellini and vegetables are lightly coated with the pesto. Be careful to avoid tearing the delicate tortellini.
- Season and Adjust: Taste the salad and add salt, pepper, or additional pesto or other ingredients as desired to balance the flavors.
- Serve or Chill: You can serve the pasta salad immediately, or for best flavor, cover and refrigerate it for 30-60 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- If using frozen tortellini, make sure to cook an extra minute or two as needed.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water helps prevent it from becoming mushy and cools it for the salad.
- Using a silicone spatula helps gently toss ingredients without breaking the delicate pasta.
- This salad tastes great chilled and can be prepared a few hours ahead for convenience.
- Feel free to substitute fresh mozzarella with bocconcini or another mild cheese.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
