Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto

Bowl of cold pesto tortellini salad with a fork placed on top.

5 from 8 votes

Make tortellini pasta salad with pesto in just 20 minutes! This light and refreshing Italian dish is perfect for summer meals, picnics, and potlucks.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish, Entree

Cuisine: Italian, American

Servings: servings

Calories: 273kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

food processor
stockpot
mesh strainer
large serving bowl

Ingredients

For the Pesto Dressing

¼ cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups fresh basil leaves tightly packed
2 ounces parmesan cheese grated (about 1/3 cup after grating)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Tortellini Salad

16 ounces cheese tortellini fresh or frozen
1 ½ cups arugula
½ pint cherry tomatoes halved (about 1 cup)
8 ounces mozzarella pearls drained *see Notes
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

For the Pesto Sauce

Add the pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped.
Add the basil leaves and parmesan cheese and pulse again, until the basil is finely chopped.
With the food processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Pulse until the sauce is smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
Set aside until ready to use.

For the Tortellini Salad

Cook the cheese pasta according to the package directions. Cooking times will vary.
Drain the tortellini and run it under cold water until it is no longer warm to the touch – about 30 seconds.
Add the pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the pesto and stir gently to coat the pasta with pesto.
Add the arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella and pine nuts. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
This pasta salad is equally delicious at room temperature as it is chilled.

Notes

Recipe Variations:

Include some protein - Pesto with tortellini is a nice light meal as-is, especially during the summertime. To make a heartier, more protein-packed meal, consider adding grilled chicken nuggets, tofu, shrimp, or another protein of your choice.

Or, you could just make our salmon and pesto pasta!

For a lighter take without the pasta, our caprese pizza flatbread is a great choice — and it has a drizzle of balsamic glaze! Actually balsamic vinegar is a great way to introduce a bit of sweetness to tortellini pasta salad as well.

Substitutions and Tips:

Pine Nuts -You can swap out the pine nuts for walnuts, or omit the nuts completely if needed.
Lemon Juice -Using freshly squeezed lemon juice is best.
Pasta -This recipe calls for cheese tortellini, but you can use any type of tortellini.
Arugula -You can substitute baby spinach leaves for the arugula.
Fresh Mozzarella Balls - Fresh balls are different from blocks of mozzarella cheese. Look for pearl mozzarella balls (these are the smallest size), sold in a plastic container with brine. If you can't find pearls, cut larger sized mozzarella balls into smaller pieces.

TFN Pro Tip:

Place your serving dish inside of a slightly larger dish filled with water, then place it in the freezer.
This will create a form-fitted sheet of ice around the serving dish. Serve the pesto tortellini salad in that serving dish. This guarantees that your tortellini with pesto will stay cold for a lot longer!

Storing Instructions

Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
This pasta salad is equally delicious at room temperature as it is chilled.

Nutrition