Tortellini Salad Italian Dressing (Print Version)

Tender cheese tortellini tossed with crisp vegetables, fresh mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing for a satisfying Italian-American dish.

# 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 the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.

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

03 - Add the cooled tortellini to the bowl with the vegetables.

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

05 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss to combine.

06 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and toss again lightly.

07 - Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

01 -

The tortellini stays perfectly tender even after chilling, never turning mushy like other pasta salads
That zesty homemade dressing makes everything taste bright and alive, not weighed down by heavy mayo

02 -

Rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water, or it will keep cooking and turn into a gummy mess
The salad tastes infinitely better after sitting for 30 minutes, so plan ahead if possible

03 -

Buy fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section, not the dried kind in the pasta aisle
Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad, adjusting the acid or salt as needed