Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Printer-Friendly)

Tender cheese tortellini with crisp vegetables in zesty Italian dressing

# 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process and cool pasta. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, add halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced red onion, black olives, halved mozzarella balls, and torn basil leaves.
03 - Add cooled tortellini to the vegetable and cheese mixture.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over salad ingredients. Gently toss to coat evenly without damaging tortellini or vegetables.
06 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top and toss lightly once more. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor melding.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The texture contrast between chewy tortellini and crisp vegetables makes every bite interesting
  • It actually tastes better after the flavors hang out together for a while
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble whenever you're ready
02 -
  • Rinse the cooked tortellini under cold water immediately or it will keep cooking and get mushy
  • The salad needs at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator for flavors to really come together
  • Dont add the Parmesan until right before serving or it can get soggy
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the garlic directly into the dressing for even distribution
  • Let the dressed salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving

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