🥗🍝 Tortellini Pasta Salad
Cheesy tortellini, savory salami, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, creamy mozzarella, colorful peppers, and fresh basil come together in this irresistible Tortellini Pasta Salad.
Finished with a tangy homemade Italian-style dressing, this easy cold pasta salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, barbecues, lunch, parties, or a make-ahead summer dinner.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5–7 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour
Servings: 8–10
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Boiled & Chilled
🛒 Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 24 oz (680 g) cheese tortellini
- 1 cup chopped salami
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cucumber, diced
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, cubed or shredded
- ½ cup red onion, finely sliced or diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup fresh sweet basil leaves, chopped or torn
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Italian Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cook the Tortellini
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the cheese tortellini and cook according to the package directions, usually just until tender and al dente.
Be careful not to overcook the tortellini, as it needs to hold its shape in the salad.
2. Drain and Cool
Drain the tortellini thoroughly.
Immediately rinse it briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.
Drain again very well.
Transfer the tortellini to a large mixing bowl.
3. Prepare the Vegetables
While the pasta cools, prepare the vegetables.
Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell peppers, slice the black olives, and dice or thinly slice the red onion.
Chop or tear the fresh basil leaves.
4. Make the Italian Dressing
In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Whisk vigorously or seal the jar and shake until the dressing is well emulsified.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
5. Combine the Salad
Add the chopped salami, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, mozzarella, red onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and basil to the cooled tortellini.
Season with the kosher salt and black pepper.
Gently toss everything together.
6. Add the Dressing
Pour about ¾ of the dressing over the pasta salad.
Gently toss until the tortellini and vegetables are evenly coated.
Add more dressing as needed.
Reserve a little dressing if you plan to serve the salad later, as the pasta will absorb some of the dressing while chilling.
7. Chill
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the best flavor, allow the salad to chill for 1–2 hours before serving.
This gives the tortellini time to absorb the dressing and allows all the flavors to come together.
8. Toss and Serve
Before serving, give the salad a gentle toss.
If it looks a little dry, add the reserved dressing or a small drizzle of olive oil.
Taste once more and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
Garnish with additional fresh basil and mozzarella if desired.
Serve chilled or slightly cool.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Don’t overcook the tortellini: Slightly firm tortellini holds together much better in a pasta salad.
Cool the pasta quickly: Rinsing briefly with cold water stops the cooking process.
Drain thoroughly: Excess water will dilute the dressing and make the salad less flavorful.
Dress while the pasta is cool: This prevents the cheese and vegetables from becoming too soft.
Reserve some dressing: Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, so adding a little more before serving keeps the salad fresh and flavorful.
Chill before serving: Even 30 minutes makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
🧀 Easy Variations
Italian Antipasto Tortellini Salad
Add sliced pepperoni, banana peppers, artichoke hearts, and grated Parmesan.
Chicken Tortellini Salad
Add 1–2 cups cooked diced chicken for a more filling main-course salad.
Creamy Tortellini Salad
Replace part of the Italian dressing with mayonnaise or a creamy Italian dressing.
Mediterranean Tortellini Salad
Add feta cheese, cucumber, roasted red peppers, and Kalamata olives.
Pesto Tortellini Salad
Toss the finished salad with ⅓–½ cup basil pesto instead of the Italian dressing.
Spicy Tortellini Salad
Add sliced pepperoncini and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
🥗 Make It a Complete Meal
This tortellini salad is hearty enough to serve as a main dish.
For an even more substantial meal, add:
- Grilled chicken
- Italian sausage
- Diced ham
- Extra mozzarella
- Chickpeas
- Salami and pepperoni
- Roasted vegetables
🧊 Storage
Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It will keep well for approximately 3–4 days.
Give it a gentle toss before serving.
If the salad has absorbed too much dressing, refresh it with a small splash of olive oil and vinegar or a little extra dressing.
❄️ Make-Ahead
This is an excellent make-ahead recipe.
Prepare the salad several hours before serving and refrigerate.
For the freshest texture, add the basil shortly before serving.
You can also reserve some dressing and add it just before serving.
🍽️ Perfect Occasions for Tortellini Pasta Salad
Serve this colorful salad at:
- Summer barbecues
- Family gatherings
- Potlucks
- Picnics
- Birthday parties
- Holiday buffets
- Lunches
- Weeknight dinners
- Meal-prep lunches
🥗🍝 Final Result
This Tortellini Pasta Salad is loaded with everything you want in a satisfying cold pasta dish: cheesy tortellini, savory salami, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, creamy mozzarella, crunchy peppers, briny olives, sweet red onion, and fresh basil.
The bright Italian-style dressing ties everything together with a delicious balance of tangy, savory, herby, and slightly sweet flavors.
Colorful, easy, make-ahead friendly, and guaranteed to disappear at the table! 🥗🍝🧀✨