Description
This flavorful and crowd-pleasing Italian Tortellini Salad combines tender cheese tortellini, savory chopped pepperoni, mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh vegetables, and a zesty homemade Italian dressing. It’s a hearty and colorful recipe perfect for picnics, potlucks, or easy dinners, and even better after being chilled for a few hours.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta Salad
- 1 & 1/2 pounds refrigerated tortellini
- 5–7 ounces pepperoni slices, chopped
- 8 ounces mozzarella, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4 ounces Parmesan, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1 dry pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can medium black olives (about 6 ounces), drained
- 1 (6-oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup deli-sliced pepperoncini’s
Italian Dressing
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (white or regular)
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Tortellini: Boil the refrigerated tortellini according to the package instructions; typically, this takes just 2-3 minutes. Optionally, add salt to the boiling water for added flavor. Once cooked, drain the tortellini and transfer it to a large bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil to prevent them from sticking together; let cool slightly.
- Prepare the Mix-ins: Chop the pepperoni into quarters, mozzarella and Parmesan into bite-sized pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, and chop the green onions. Drain and optionally halve the black olives. Chop the artichoke hearts and drain the pepperoncini’s. Add all these ingredients to the bowl with the tortellini.
- Make the Dressing: In a blender, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, smashed garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender in a bowl, or mince the garlic finely, whisk in the vinegar and seasoning, and drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continually to emulsify the dressing.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl. Gently toss everything together until all ingredients are well combined and evenly coated in the dressing.
- Chill and Serve: You can serve the salad immediately, but it tastes best if refrigerated for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld. Prepare up to 24 hours ahead if desired, and toss again before serving.
Notes
- You can use either white or regular balsamic vinegar, depending on flavor preference and appearance.
- Salad is best when chilled for several hours; making it ahead enhances the flavors.
- Customize by adding other Italian favorites such as roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes.
- For a vegetarian option, simply omit the pepperoni.
- Drained and rinsed canned chickpeas can be added for extra protein.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 38mg
