Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)

Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables and zesty Italian dressing for a satisfying cold pasta dish.

# 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 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the cucumber and red bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons. Slice the black olives.
03 - In a large serving bowl, combine the prepared tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, halved mozzarella balls, and torn basil leaves.
04 - Add the cooled tortellini to the bowl with the vegetables and cheese.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
06 - Pour the dressing over the salad. Gently toss with a large spoon until all ingredients are evenly coated.
07 - Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top and toss lightly once more. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld together.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tortellini stays perfectly tender and never gets mushy, even after sitting in dressing
  • Its one of those rare dishes that actually tastes better the longer it sits
02 -
  • Never skip rinsing the cooked tortellini under cold water or it will continue cooking and become rubbery
  • The salad needs at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator to let the tortellini absorb some dressing
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the garlic directly into the dressing for the smoothest texture
  • Let the dressed salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving so the tortellini can soak up some of that flavorful dressing

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