Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printable)

Tender tortellini with crisp vegetables in zesty Italian dressing, perfect for picnics and potlucks.

# What You Need:

01 - 12 oz fresh cheese tortellini

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

07 - 1/3 cup fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved

08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn

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

01 - Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.

02 - Combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella balls, and basil in a large salad bowl.

03 - Add cooled tortellini to the vegetable mixture.

04 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat evenly.

06 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and toss lightly. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor.

01 -

The dressing soaks into the pasta better than any vinaigrette I've tried making it more flavorful the longer it sits
Everything can be prepped ahead which means I'm not scrambling when guests arrive

02 -

I once made the mistake of adding the dressing while the pasta was still warm and it absorbed everything leaving the salad dry
Letting it sit for twenty minutes before serving makes such a huge difference in how the flavors come together

03 -

Cut your vegetables into pieces roughly the same size as the tortellini so every forkful has a bit of everything
Leftovers actually taste better the next day if the pasta hasn't gotten too soft