Nothing says summer quite like pasta salad recipes. There are endless things that you can do with a pasta salad from the veggies you put in to the dressing you put on top of it. This Tortellini Pasta salad is a riff on my Italian Pasta Salad recipe. We use easy to find ingredients to make this great Tortellini Pasta Salad and then we round it off with my homemade Italian dressing. The result is a delicious pasta salad recipe that you will be requested to bring to family functions over and over again.
Making Pasta Salad Ahead
This cheese tortellini pasta salad is best within 24 hours of making it. If you are making it the night before, I recommend that you leave off the dressing and add it right before serving. This will prevent the noodles from absorbing all of the Italian dressing and getting mushy.
Using Mayo in Salad Dressing
You will notice that we are using mayonnaise in this recipe. It works as an emulsifier, in other words, it keeps the dressing from separating. You can absolutely skip it, as it is not necessary for taste, but just keep in mind that the dressing will separate. Giving the pasta salad a quick toss can take care of this.
Blending Salad Dressing
In this recipe I’m suggesting that you blend my Italian dressing. While it isn’t necessary, and it isn’t something I typically do when using this salad dressing, I like what it does for this pasta salad. Blending it smooths it out, helps the flavors combine quickly and allows for it to coat all of the ingredients in the salad evenly.
Cook the pasta. Follow the directions on the package.Combine all ingredients. Mix together tortellini, vegetables, salami, olives, cheese, and basil in a large bowl.Add the dressing. Stir to combine.
Either fresh or dry tortellini can be used in this recipe. It is just a matter of preference and budget.Use enough water. You don’t just need enough to cover the tortellini. You need enough that it can comfortably expand in the water.Bring the water to a roaring boil before adding the tortellini. You don’t just want to see a few bubbles, you want to se big raging bubbles.Salt the water before adding the tortellini. I typically use one teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of pasta.Set a timer. This is especially true when working with fresh tortellini. Over cooking pasta is the fastest way to ruin a dish. I like to set a timer so that I can pull it out at the exact time that is suggested on the packaging.
Storing Leftovers
This pasta salad with Italian dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. When eating leftovers, I recommend tossing in some extra Italian dressing. If you take it to a picnic and it is left out for two hours, toss it. Always use your best discretion with leftovers. I would not recommend freezing this recipe. If you try this cheese tortellini pasta salad recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
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