Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

This refreshing pesto tortellini pasta salad is perfect for hot summer evenings. It’s just as good taken to a family barbecue as it is packed for lunch as meal prep.

This salad is made using tortellini pasta, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, mozzarella, and spinach. It is drizzled with a fresh homemade basil and almond pesto. What more could you want?

Tortellini pasta salad: ingredients

• Fresh tortellini pasta 
• Mozzarella 
• Olives 
• Cherry tomatoes 
• Red onion 
• Spinach 

Pesto:

• Almonds 
• Fresh basil 
• Garlic
• Vegetarian Parmesan 
• Extra virgin olive oil

How to make tortellini pasta salad

Firstly, cook your pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Tip in your tortellini and cook for 30 seconds less than suggested by the packet instructions. Drain and toss together with a splash of olive oil to stop the pasta sticking together. Set aside.

Secondly, make the pesto. Combine all the pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until almost smooth, but still with a little texture. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

To a large salad bowl add together the tortellini, cherry tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, chopped spinach, and finely chopped red onion.

Drizzle the pasta with the pesto and toss together until fully combined. Serve!

How long to cook tortellini for pasta salad

I cook my tortellini for 30 seconds less than suggested by the packet instructions. This will help to stop the tortellini from falling apart when you toss the salad together.

How long does tortellini pasta salad last?

This pasta salad will last for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the pesto separately and dress the salad just before serving to prevent the salad going soggy.

What to put with tortellini pasta

I chose to add tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella, olives, and spinach to my salad. However, there are lots more ingredients you could add:

• Peppers – toss some sliced bell peppers through your salad for extra crunch
• Feta – if you prefer, you can replace the mozzarella with some cubed feta
• Sun-dried tomatoes – sprinkle in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes in place of, or as well as, the cherry tomatoes, for a deeper tomato flavour
• Cucumbers – add some sliced cucumber for extra crunch

When to dress pasta salad

It is always best to dress your pasta salad just before serving. Otherwise, the pasta will absorb the dressing and may become soggy.

Similar recipes

If you liked this recipe, check out more or my pasta recipes:

• Vegan Greek ravioli pasta salad
• Creamy garlic tomato pasta
• Roasted vegetable feta pasta

Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

5 from 1 vote

Tortellini pesto pasta salad with mozzarella, cherry tomato, red onion, spinach, and olives. Served with a homemade basil and almond pesto.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 minutes mins

Total Time 23 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 848

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 600g/1⅓lb fresh tortellini pasta I used a mix of cheese and tomato, and spinach and ricotta
• 250g/9oz ball of mozzarella diced into 1cm cubes
• ½ cup olives halved
• 1½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
• ¼ red onion finely chopped
• 3 cups spinach roughly chopped

Pesto

• 2 tbsp almonds can sub for use pine nuts, walnuts, or cashews
• 2 cups basil tightly packed
• 1 garlic clove roughly chopped
• ½ cup vegetarian Parmesan grated
• pinch sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

 

Cook the pasta

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook your tortellini pasta for 30 seconds less than suggested by the packet instructions. Drain and set aside to cool. To stop the pasta sticking together, you can toss it together with a drizzle of olive oil!

Make the pesto

1. Add all of the pesto ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until smooth, but still with a little texture. Tip into a bowl or small jug and set aside.

Prepare the salad

1. Into a large salad bowl add the pasta, mozzarella, olives, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and spinach. Drizzle over the pesto and toss together. Serve!