Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable Version)
Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables and zesty Italian dressing for a satisfying 22-minute meal.
# 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, 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
# Directions:
01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice cucumber and red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice red onion into half-moons. Add all prepared vegetables to the bowl along with sliced black olives.
03 - Cut mozzarella balls in half. Tear fresh basil leaves into pieces. Add mozzarella and basil to the salad mixture along with cooled tortellini.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over top and toss lightly once more. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Come home exhausted to dinner thats already waiting in the fridge
- Watch people actually get excited about eating vegetables at potlucks
02 -
- Rinse the pasta thoroughly or the heat will wilt your fresh vegetables and melt that precious mozzarella
- The salad tastes even better after sitting for an hour so the dressing really soaks into the tortellini
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables slightly larger than you think you should so they hold their texture against the pasta
- Let the dressed salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to wake up all the flavors