Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)

Cheese tortellini with crisp veggies and zesty dressing—ready in 22 minutes.

# 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 (bocconcini), 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

# Steps:

01 - Boil tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process. Transfer to large bowl.
02 - Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell pepper, thinly slice red onion, and slice black olives. Add all prepared vegetables to the bowl.
03 - Halve the mozzarella balls and add to bowl along with torn basil leaves. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and toss lightly. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor melding.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tortellini stays perfectly tender even after sitting in dressing for hours
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it together at the last minute
  • Its that magical dish that disappears first at every gathering
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the pasta under cold water or you'll end up with a mushy, starchy salad
  • Add the dressing about 30 minutes before serving but not much longer or the tortellini will absorb too much moisture
  • The salad tastes best at room temperature rather than ice cold from the fridge
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables slightly larger than you think you should, they shrink when marinated
  • Taste a piece of tortellini after it cools to make sure it's perfectly tender before adding to the salad

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