Italian Pasta Salad bursting with your favorite Italian fixings with the best Italian dressing all on your table in 25 minutes!
Italian Pasta Salad is an in-demand potluck, picnic and party side and this cold Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing is made 1000X better with cheesy, pillowy tortellini!ย Itโs a quick chop and throw together recipe that can be made 100% percent ahead of time for the perfect stress-free side!
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Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe video
Why we love this Cold Tortellini Salad
I love my Italian food in the winter months from Chicken Parmesanย to Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, and Shrimp Fettuccine,ย ย And I love my summer food too fromย pineapple salsa, corn on the cob, baked beans, andย sweet cornbread.ย But what if you could have the best of both worlds?ย Enterย ย Italian Pasta Salad!
Italian Pasta Salad is fabulous because:
This Italian Pasta Salad recipe is loaded with cheesy, pillowy tortellini, salami, mozzarella, olives, bell peppers, pepperoncinis, tomatoes and cucumbers then smothered in bright and tangy Italian Dressing.ย Itโs hearty, comforting and refreshing all at the same time and belongs on your table all spring and summer long โ starting this Memorial Day!
Tortellini Salad Recipe ingredients
Letโs take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Cold Tortellini Salad Additions
Why this Cold Tortellini Salad is the Best
Most Italian Pasta Recipes will have similar ingredients but there are a few differences in this recipe that I think make it the โbest:โ 1) tortellini, 2) Homemade Italian Dressing, 3) pepperoncins,ย 4) mozzarella balls.
โขTortellini: Does it get any better than your favorite pasta salad except with tender pillows of cheesy tortellini enveloped in tangy Italian dressing in every mouthful?ย I am obsessed. ย All pasta recipes should be made with tortellini in my book.ย I already have shared Greek Pasta Salad with Tortellini, Southwest Tortellini Salad with Creamy Salsa Dressingย and have aย ย Shrimp Poโ Boy Tortellini Pasta Salad and a Cubano Tortellini Pasta Salad with Mojo Dressing coming your way because like I said โ I am obsessed with tortellini pasta salads!ย If you havenโt jumped on this bandwagon โ do it!
โขHomemade Italian Dressing: Iโve enjoyed my fair share of tasty bottled dressings, but I promise, nothing tastes as fresh and fabulous as your own Homemade Italian Dressing โ and it takes MINUTES to whisk together using pantry ingredients! ย This easy Homemade Italian Dressing is a balanced tangy and testy blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried herbs and spices and the best part โ Parmesan Cheese!ย It elevates this Cold Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing to a whole new level because after all a salad is only as good as itโs dressing โ so use the best!
โขPepperoncini:ย Please donโt skip!ย Pepperoncini bring this Italian Pasta Salad to life!ย They are slightly sweet but mostly tangy with a slight zip of heat. ย The pepperoncini (100 to 500ย Scoville heat units) is much closer to a bell pepper thanย a jalapeรฑo (jalapenos are about 40x hotter) so donโt be scared away.ย Their sweet heat tang is explosively delicious.
โขMozzarella Balls: ย There is a reason they call them โsnacking ballsโ because I could eat fresh mozzarella balls by the handful!ย They are soft and buttery and melt-in-your-mouth YUM. I promise you will be combing through the pasta salad just to find these pearls of satisfaction.
ย
How to make Pasta Salad with Tortellini
This Cold Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing is pretty straightforward, but here are some helpful tips and tricks!
โขIt is important not to overcook your tortellini โ you want it al dente, so it still has a little bite; otherwise, it will fall apart when tossed.
โขTo stop your pasta from cooking after itโs removed from the heat, rinse and drain it in cold water.
โขAfter pasta is drained, immediately add it to a large bowl then toss it with half of the dressing. By tossing it with dressing while itโs still slightly warm, it soaks in even more zesty flavor and the dressing also keeps the tortellini from sticking together.
โขIf you are serving immediately, you can go ahead and add all your chopped goodies and the desired amount of remaining dressing. โขHOWEVER, I highly recommend chilling for at least 30 minutes. A chilled salad tastes far superior than a room temperature one and this gives some time for the flavors to meld.
Can I make this Tortellini Salad ahead of time?
This Italian Pasta Salad is excellent the next day.ย When making in advance, gently toss all the ingredients together with half of the dressing, cover and refrigerate.ย When you are ready to serve, toss with desired amount of remaining dressing. ย If you use all of the dressing initially your pasta may soak up all the dressing.
What goes with Pasta Salad
- Chicken:
- Seafood:
- Beef:
- Pork:
- Burgers:
How long is Pasta Salad good for in the fridge?
Cover leftover cold Italian Pasta Salad with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container.ย Store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. I think it actually tastes best days after you make it!
Tortellini Salad Recipe FAQs
Yes! Eating tortellini cold is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. Cold tortellini is refreshing, creamy yet light and pillowy soft that melts in your mouth.
Yes, I recommend rinsing tortellini in cold water after cooking it because it is a delicate pasta and easy to overcook and fall apart. The cold water will help stop it from continuing to cook from residual heat so it remains the ideal texture.
The best dressing for pasta salad is Homemade Italian Dressing! It is a tangy and testy blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried herbs and spices and the best part โ Parmesan Cheese! It enhances the taste of the pasta and complements the fresh vegetables and other ingredients. Best of all, it keeps spectacularly well!
LOOKING FOR MORE PASTA SALAD RECIPES?
BLT Pasta Saladย with Lemon Chive Dressing
Southwest Orzoย Salad with Chipotle Honey Limeย Dressing
Creamy Bacon Pea Pasta Salad with Lemon Parmesan Dressing
Greek Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Feta Pesto
Cowboy Pasta Salad with Creamy Southwest Barbecue Sauce
Caprese Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 Recipe Italian Dressing
- 1 20 oz. bag refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cucumber peeled, sliced and quartered
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 6 oz.can black olives drained and halved
- 1 orange bell pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls quartered
- 8 oz. sliced salami chopped
- Optional: feta cheese, Parmesan, parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Italian Dressing according to directions. Refrigerate until ready to use then shake or whisk to recombine before using.
- Cook tortellini in salted water according to package directions. Rinse with cool water, drain and add to a large serving bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the warm pasta and toss to combine. Add the remaining salad ingredients to the tortellini.
- If serving within the hour: toss with desired amount of remaining dressing. Although you can serve salad immediately, I highly recommend refrigerating for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld and salad to chill.
- If serving later: Gently toss ingredients to combine but do NOT add remaining dressing yet. Cover and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, toss with desired amount of remaining dressing. This salad is excellent the next day.
Video
Notes
Italian Pasta Salad Ingredient Tips
- Italian Dressing: I beg you not to but if you must use premade Italian Dressing, then your salad will need about ยพ-1 cup.
- Tortellini: I use fresh refrigerated tortellini.ย You can any type of cheese and even think sausage would be yummy!
- Cucumber: You can substitute the slicing cucumber for an English cucumber and then you donโt have to peel it.
- Tomatoes: Donโt substitute the cherry tomatoes for Roma or another variety because they will fall apart in the salad.
- Olives: I use whole olives and then chop them because they are juicer and tend to hold together better but you can use sliced olives if you prefer. ย Sicilian olives would also be delicious! Olives are optional, and I actually donโt love olives, but I loved them in this salad!
- Bell Pepper: You can substitute the orange bell pepper for whatever you have on hand but my fav for this Italian Pasta Salad is orange.
- Pepperoncinis: Pepperoncinis can be found with the relishes and other pickled condiments.ย They are tangier and have a slight more kick than banana peppers but if you already have banana peppers on hand then you can use those.ย This recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons but you are welcome to taste and add more for additional tangy sweet heat.
- Mozzarella: I prefer to use fresh mozzarella balls, cut into bite size pieces. These can be found in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. You can also use fresh mozzarella logs and slice into cubes. ย If this mozzarella is too expensive or you donโt want to make a separate trip, you can substitute mozzarella cubes.
- Salami: You can substitute chopped pepperoni or chopped summer sausage for the salami.
- Feta
- zucchini
- Pepperoni
- Italian sausage
- Crispy thick-cut bacon
- shrimp
- grilled or shredded chicken
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Kay says
If I use chicken, do I still add the salami? Or can they both be added? Thank you!
Jen says
Totally up to you โ you can definitely add both if you like. Enjoy!
Joy says
Made this yesterday โ it was delish! I will add some spinach to the leftovers today. Loved the homemade Italian dressing โ will have a hard time buying readymade in the future.
Jen says
I am so happy you love this recipe, Joy! Thanks for the glowing review!
Jeanne says
This was delicious! Made your Italian Dressing recipe linked. I did not use the pepperoncini as itโs not available in Singapore where I live. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing this!!!
Jen says
You are so welcome, Jeanne! I am so happy you enjoyed this salad and the Italian Dressing! Iโm thrilled it will be a repeat! Thanks for the great review!
Terri says
Eating leftovers of this as I write, and it is delicious. It was super fast and did not make a huge mess, which is almost as important at this stage of life. I did not make any changes other than to use mozzarella pearls. Thanks for sharing!
Jen says
Hi Terri! There is nothing better than a quick meal and easy cleanup! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
jann says
this was sooo good!
Jen says
Iโm so happy to hear it!
Jane says
Delicious salad!! I made my own oil, vinegar and herbs dressing and I did not have salami on hand. Delicious ingredients that go so well together and refreshing for summer
Jen says
Thank you! Iโm glad it made for a refreshing meal!
Shiela says
Sewing incredibly good! We will definitely be eaten this again. I added artichoke hearts And red onion. In the dress scene I used brags seasoning and Brami high protein rotiny pasta andit came out absolutely fabulous!!!
Jen says
Iโm so glad that this will be a repeat recipe for you!
Andi says
Made this today, absolutely loved it! I had to use premade dressing and dairy free tortellini but it was delish. Thank you! Does this recipe freeze well?
Jen says
Hi Andi! I am so glad you loved it! I wouldnโt recommend freezing this dish because thawing would make it mushy. Thank you for your sweet review!
David says
Delicious! Made and letting the flavors blend in the fridge until dinner. Added chopped marinated artichoke hearts and fresh parsley. Used a good quality Italian dressing that we already had on hand.
Jen says
Hi David! Iโm so glad that you loved the flavors of this dish! Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment!