This easy to make Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad is bursting with deliciousness! With tender and creamy cheese tortellini, mozzarella pearls, turkey pepperoni, and fresh veggies, it makes the perfect potluck choice. This is the flavorful side dish everyone will be talking about at your next picnic or backyard BBQ--guaranteed.
When the summer picnic invites start rolling in, a good pasta salad recipe is your best friend. Pasta salads come together in a flash, taste great, and pair well with so many BBQ favorites, like Ham and Swiss Cheese Sliders and grilled proteins.
This easy tortellini pasta salad pops with color, and is packed with a variety of textures and flavors.
From the pillowy soft, cheese filled tortellini and bite-sized mozzarella pearls, to the juicy grape tomatoes and crunchy green peppers and cucumbers (not to mention the savory bites of pepperoni), this hearty salad will totally delight your taste buds.
The robust, zesty Italian flavor comes from Ken's Steakhouse Light Northern Italian dressing (a favorite shortcut because it's just that good). It's the same dressing used in my Pepperoni Pasta Salad, another potluck favorite!
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👪Why you'll love it
| Prep ahead recipe: This tortellini pasta salad recipe tastes better the longer it chills, making it an excellent make ahead choice. As with all pasta salads, just make sure you have extra dressing on hand before serving (more on that below). Very customizable: One of the best things about pasta salads is that they're very open to changes and additions. Add in your leftover veggies, use a different variety of cheese--or even a different meat. The possibilities are endless. Crowd pleaser: Everybody loves a tasty, cold pasta salad at a picnic, and they're usually one of the first big chilled bowls to disappear. With cheese tortellini, this recipe is a serious upgrade on ordinary pasta salads, and is definitely a crowd favorite. |
🥘Ingredients
- fresh tortellini- the pillowy soft, cheese-filled stars of the show! I recommend Rana or Buitoni, found in the refrigerated pasta section of the grocery store
- turkey pepperoni- I prefer this over regular pepperoni and salami because it's lower in fat and calories, and way less greasy
- grape tomatoes- I try to use tiny ones because I like to keep them whole to cut down on extra liquid; whole grape tomatoes are easier to pick up with a fork than cherry tomatoes
- English cucumber- use this variety because it has edible skin, tiny seeds, and very low water content
- green pepper- provides a nice, crispy crunch, taste and color accent
- fresh mozzarella pearls- because you can never go wrong with more cheese, plus they look so cute and are fun to eat 😉
- light Italian dressing- choose Ken's Steakhouse Light Northern Italian for the best store bought dressing taste, or make your own
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
For more detailed instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
- Step 1: Cook tortellini according to package directions. Remove promptly and drain in colander.
- Step 2: Mix pepperoni and chopped veggies in a large salad or mixing bowl.
- Step 3: Gently fold in cooled tortellini and mozzarella pearls.
- Step 4: Pour on most of the dressing and gently mix (reserve some for just before serving); chill for at least two hours.
Hint: Immediately transfer the tortellini to a colander and rinse with cold water until no longer warm. This not only removes the starch, it shocks the pasta so it doesn't cook further.
🥣Substitutions
- Tortellini - for more color variety, use tri-colored tortellini, or spinach tortellini
- Cheese - swap the fresh mozzarella for burrata cheese or use feta for a saltier, tangier profile
- Meat - many Italian pasta salads have cubed salami; use that instead of the turkey pepperoni if you prefer
📖Variations
- Pesto tortellini salad - add pesto, sun dried tomatoes, olives, chopped arugula, and pine nuts
- Italian deluxe - add pepperoncini peppers, black olives, thinly sliced red onion, and freshly grated parmesan cheese (think Olive Garden salad-style)
- Roasted vegetable tortellini salad - instead of raw veggies, use roasted vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and garlic
For a Mexican inspired pasta salad, see Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
🍽Equipment
- 3 quart pot with lid
- colander
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- large mixing or salad bowl (4 quart capacity)
- slotted mixing or salad spoon
- spouted measuring cup
🍶Storage
Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freezing isn't recommended.
💭Top tip
Cooked noodles love to absorb and soak up dressing, especially the longer a pasta salad sits. That's why it's important to reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving. This not only makes the salad more flavorful, it makes it look and taste better. Don't forget to have extra dressing on hand for your leftovers!
🗨️FAQ
Cook it first to soften the noodles, but, yes, it's okay to enjoy cold tortellini within 5 days.
Absolutely! It's my preferred choice for Italian tortellini pasta salads! I especially like 3 cheese (or even 5 cheese😀) for the flavor variety.
No. Gnocchi are potato-based dumplings. They're not a good substitute for cheese tortellini in this Italian pasta salad.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite summer desserts to serve with Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad:
📋Recipe
Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 3 quart pot with lid
- colander
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- large mixing or salad bowl (4 quart capacity) I use a Pyrex bowl with a lid
- slotted mixing or salad spoon
- spouted measuring cup
Ingredients
- 20 oz. fresh cheese tortellini Rana or Buitoni family size
- 1 cup turkey pepperoni sliced into strips for easier eating
- 1 cup grape tomatoes choose small ones and keep whole
- 1 cup English cucumber sliced or chopped
- 1 cup green pepper chopped
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
- 1 & ½ cups light Italian dressing Ken's Steakhouse Light Northern Italian recommended
Instructions
- Cook tortellini on stove according to package directions. Do not overcook. Remove promptly and rinse under cold water in a colander.
- Add sliced pepperoni, whole grape tomatoes, chopped cucumber and green pepper to a large bowl; mix.
- Once completely cooled, add tortellini and fresh mozzarella pearls; gently mix.
- Pour 1 cup of the dressing into the bowl and mix; reserve the other ½ cup for serving.
- Cover and chill for a minimum of 2 hours so the flavors come together.
- Just before serving, add the reserved ½ cup of dressing and gently mix.
- Enjoy within 5 days. Keep refrigerated.
Megan M. says
Took this to a picnic this weekend and it was devoured. Everyone loved how tasty it was.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Sometimes I make two batches for that very reason!