This pasta salad — tortellini, artichokes, tomatoes, olives, parsley, tossed in a vinaigrette –gets better and better as it sits.
I love going to a restaurant and eating something that I love and recreating my own version at home. This tortellini salad is something similar to what they serve at The Cheese Board in my hometown of Linwood, NJ. I am not sure exactly how they make theirs, but this is pretty darn close. Mine might even be better.
I made this when I was playing around with different kinds of sweeteners. I tried using Sucanat, but I did not like that it did not dissolve, so I prefer to use honey. White sugar works, too. Whatever you got. You just need to add a touch of sweetness to balance the tang of the vinegar in the dressing.
This salad is really easy to make and tastes even better if you let it sit for a while.
Variations
Pesto Tortellini Salad: Add fresh basil pesto and mozzarella. Along with the cherry tomatoes it will make for a simple and flavorful salad.
Greek Tortellini Salad: For a refreshing Mediterranean twist, combine the pasta with chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, and a lemon vinaigrette.
Caprese Tortellini Salad: Similar to the pesto version but substitute balsamic vinegar for the pesto. Fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil, and drizzle with the vinegar will create a classic Caprese flavor.
Antipasto Tortellini Salad: Meat it up with salami and pepperoni. Then add sun-dried tomatoes and toss with an Italian vinaigrette for a hearty and flavorful salad.
Southwest Tortellini Salad: Tortellini meets Chipotle with this version that sees black beans, corn, avocado, red onion, and a chipotle lime dressing come together for a spicy and satisfying salad.
Bacon and Ranch Tortellini Salad: Combine cooked tortellini with crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, and ranch dressing for a creamy and indulgent salad.
How long do you recommend I let the salad chill?
An hour at least. If you had the benefit of making this the day before, letting it chill overnight is ideal. Just be sure the salad is well covered so it doesn’t dry out.
How To Store Tortellini Salad
Let the salad cool completely. You might want to divide it into portions now to make reheating simpler. Store in an airtight container then into the fridge it goes. It should keep for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it, though the texture of the pasta will change when thawed. I would recommend keeping the pasta separate from the rest of the ingredients until you are ready to eat. That way, you can store the vinaigrette/ingredients and just cook up fresh pasta when you want leftovers.
Tortellini Salad Recipe
Ingredients Â
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 Tablespoon honey or some sort of sweetener
- 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup olives
- 1 14-ounce can artichokes in water
- 1 package cheese tortellini
InstructionsÂ
- Mix together the vinegar, salt, pepper, and honey in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
- Toss the parsley, tomatoes, olives, and artichokes in the dressing.
- Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain and cool with cold water.
- Gently toss with the rest of the ingredients.
- Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
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