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This Easy Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad is ready in about 10 minutes! Made with just basic 5 ingredients you probably have in the kitchen right now! This is the perfect side dish for Summer parties, picnics, or potlucks!!!
Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
If you like easy pasta salad recipes, you’re going to love today’s new recipe! Because this pesto tortellini salad is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making over and over again. We brought it to a 4th of July party last year and it was one of the first dishes to go!
Ingredients:
- Cheese Tortellini: Any brand you enjoy will work here!
- Pesto: You can use homemade or store bought basil pesto. Or try my super healthy spinach basil pesto, which is vegan and made without parmesan cheese.
- Cherry Tomatoes: But in a pinch, chopped whole tomato or even sundried-tomatoes will work!
- Red Onion: Finely diced. If you’re not a fan of onion, feel free to omit. Or replace it with red bell pepper or even roasted red peppers. Another option is cucumber!
- Mini Marinated Mozzarella Cheese Balls: You can usually find these in the cheese case at the grocery store. If you can’t find the marinated the variety marinated in olive oil, the ones in water will work. Just drain them well.
How to make Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Bring a large pot of water a rolling boil. Add in the tortellini. Do NOT cook tortellini according to package instructions. Instead, boil for exactly 1 and 1/2 minutes. Then drain and rinse with cold water.
- Place drained tortellini in a large bowl. Add in the pesto, tomatoes, onion, and mozzarella. Toss to coat.
- Serve at once, or cover and place in the fridge until needed.
What to Serve with?
This is delicious and heartier enough to serve on its own! But you can also pair it with fruit, grilled veggies, sandwiches, meat, or even fish. Below are a few of our favorite recipes to pair tortellini salad with:
Can pasta salad be made ahead of time?
It sure can be! As long as you don’t overcook the tortellini, this pasta salad is very make ahead friendly. Because it contains dairy, it should be stored in the fridge until needed. You can eat it cold or at room temperature.
How long will pasta salad last?
This pesto tortellini salad will keep, out of the fridge, for about 2 hours. Just be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight, and toss it once in a while to keep it looking fresh.
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days. We love making a batch at the beginning of the week so we can enjoy a bowl everyday for lunch! Sometimes we toss grilled chicken or shrimp on top for a heartier meal. I think roasted chickpeas would also be a delicious addition!
Pro Tips: I do not recommend freezing this recipe. If it’s kept out of the fridge for more than 2 and 1/2 hours, I’d recommend discarding any leftovers.
More Summer Salad Recipes:
AND IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE FOR EASY PESTO TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW, AND DON’T FORGET TO SNAP A PIC AND TAG IT #BAKERBYNATURE ON INSTAGRAM! SEEING YOUR CREATIONS MAKES MY DAY ♥
Easy Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- (1) 20 ounce bag cheese tortellini
- 1 cup pesto
- 1 and 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- (1) 12 ounce container marinated mozzarella balls, drained
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add tortellini and cook for 1 and 1/2 minutes. Do not over cook!
- Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.
- Place tortellini in a large serving bowl. Add in pesto, tomatoes, cheese, and onion. Toss well to coat.
- Serve at once, or cover and place in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Why do you only cook it for 1.5 minutes? I plan on making it tonight!
Because you don’t want to overcook the tortellini 🙂
So are you saying that all package instructions have you seriously over -cooking the pasta? My instructions say 7 minutes.
For pasta salad, yes. They will be too soft and mushy after 7 minutes.
That makes sense, cook in less time to keep the tortellini firmer for pasta salad.
I listened to the recipe and cooked tortellini for 1.5 minutes. Perfect!
made this for a bbq and it was the first dish to go! so easy too. 5 stars~
As a pasta-lover, I’m over the moon about this recipe. I made it over the weekend, and despite very slightly overcooking the tortellini, the dish still came out amazing. Thanks for putting this together!
can frozen tortellini be used?
I just made it to go with our New Year’s Eve munchies and it was great! I was skeptical about the cook time for the tortellini but it was fine! Mine may have been right at 2 minutes cook time. Great little side dish.
The tortellini you have pictured looks fresh. I have tortellini that is dried. How long should I cook it?
Hi Ashley, I made this recipe last night and it was so flavorful & refreshing!! Thanks for posting this recipe❤️!
Are you supposed to drain the marinated mozzarella balls?
Yes!
Hello! I am not a huge fan of mozzarella balls so do you have any suggestions for a different type of cheese? Thank you so much!
This was such a simple pasta salad to make, we loved it so much. I left out the red onion and cooked the tortellini for 3 minutes. Absolutely perfect!
Could you use sun dried tomatoes instead of the cherry tomatoes?
Can you use frozen tortellini?
Yes!
Do you cook it for the same amount of time if it is frozen?
Made this for a Fourth of July brunch today. Added cooked shrimp and it was absolutely amazing and a big hit!! Easy to transport in a cooler to the boat. Will definitely make again.
Awesome recipe. I followed the recipe And it was perfect. Making it again for book club. Thanks
I made this just like the recipe said to about a month ago. It was perfect!!! Making it again today. Thank you for a great pasta salad.
Yummy
What can I us instead of pesto? don’t like it
Probably a different tortellini pasta salad recipe.
My husband is usually not too big on pesto, but he loved this! We happened to have regular (not marinated) fresh mozzarella balls, so I used those and they worked just fine. Thanks for the recipe!
This is amazing.