This easy Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad is tossed with a flavorful (and speedy!) homemade dressing and is sure to vanish quickly at your next party or BBQ!
When it comes to pasta salad, the pastabilities (hah!) are endless!
It’s the unofficially official side dish of picnics and barbecues aplenty and there are easily a million ways to pasta your salad.
All you need is a tasty pasta salad dressing, a box of dried or fresh pasta, and all the veggies your heart desires!
I love using elbows, rotini, mini farfalle bowties, and (OF COURSE) tortellini!
Today’s recipe features tender tortellini, chopped pepperoni or salami, and a bevy of fresh vegetables tossed in a zippy Italian dressing that’s sure to be a hit!
Pasta Salad Veggie Options
The more veggies the merrier! Here are some of our favorite vegetables to add to tortellini salads:
- Broccoli
- Cucumber
- Sliced Sweet Mini Peppers
- Pepperoncini Peppers
- Chopped Bell Peppers
- Banana Peppers
- Tomatoes (cherry, roma, heirloom)
- Asparagus (blanched and chilled)
- Marinated Artichoke Hearts
- Avocado
- Olives
- Sweet Corn
- Red Onion
More Marvelous Mix-Ins
Get creative and make a crave-worthy pasta salad with all your favorite add-ins!
Sliced turkey, ham, salami, pepperoni, or bacon crumbles are always a hit with the T-rex crowd. You can even add shredded rotisserie chicken to the mix!
Vegetarian? you can 100% skip the pepperoni/salami here and for sure check out my post of 10 Tasty Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipes.
Fresh herbs are always a hit.
Depending on your dressing choice, fresh dill, basil, and parsley are all tasty options!
Get cheesy!
Try it with freshly grated parmesan cheese, cubed sharp cheddar, mini mozzarella balls, or crumbled feta.
What kind of tortellini should I use for pasta salad?
There are three types of tortellini you can purchase readily made: fresh, frozen, and dried.
For a fresh pasta salad like this, I find that the fresh refrigerated tortellini (usually found near the chilled sauces and cheeses in the grocery store) works best.
As for the filling/type of tortellini, anything goes! I used plain cheese but there are so many delicious filling options.
Types of Tortellini
- cheese tortellini
- spinach and ricotta tortellini
- chicken and prosciutto tortellini
- chicken and roasted garlic tortellini
- sweet Italian sausage tortellini
Pasta Salad for a Crowd
Need to make this Italian tortellini pasta salad for a group? Fantastic! The recipe below is easily doubled or tripled as needed and makes a fantastic party, potluck, or picnic dish that comes together with very little effort. It’s my go-to for Spring and Summer barbecues!
Serving Suggestions
This tasty tortellini pasta salad makes a great side dish for burgers, veggie burgers, grilled chicken or veggies, sandwiches of all shapes and sizes, and always tastes amazing nestled up to a creamy potato salad like my chipotle sweet potato salad.
Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
I’m so excited for you to try this recipe! Below you’ll find the printable recipe card and it even has print options where you can increase the amounts based on how many servings you need.
When I bring this to a gathering I typically double it and when it’s just Paul and myself, I’ll make it as written and plan for some tasty leftovers for lunch the next day!
Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 9-10 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cup diced bell pepper (any color)
- ¾ cup cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped turkey pepperoni or salami slices
- ¼ cup sliced red onion (or to taste)
- ¼ cup jarred artichoke hearts (optional)
- 2 TBSP sliced jarred banana peppers
- 2 TBSP freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus extra to taste)
ITALIAN PASTA SALAD DRESSING
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 2-3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano leaves
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- ¼ tsp sea salt (plus extra to taste)
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Cook tortellini via package instructions, approx. 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- Next make the dressing. Combine oil, vinegar, thyme, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Add 2-3 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste. Lastly, peel and smash one small-medium clove of garlic. Finely mince and add to the bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- For less bite/sharpness in your red onion (but all the tasty flavor) add your sliced red onion to the dressing bowl and allow to marinate while you prep the remaining ingredients. I love doing this!
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half and add to the pasta bowl along with diced pepperoni/salami, bell pepper, and banana pepper slices. Drain 1/4 cup jarred artichoke hearts, if using, and roughly chop before adding to the bowl.
- Whisk together dressing once more and pour over salad. Toss to combine and season with any additional spices desired, to taste, along with a fresh dusting of parmesan cheese. You can chill the salad first before diving in or dig in right away if preferred! I love it both ways. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Pretty Pasta Salads
- Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Bruschetta Pasta Salad
- Spinach Pasta Salad with Feta and Tomato
- Lemon Asparagus Pasta Salad with Banana Peppers and Feta
- POPULAR: Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Greek Orzo Salad
I’m also dying to try the Tortellini Pomodoro with Burrata from Foodie Crush!
If you get a chance to try this Italian tortellini pasta salad recipe, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
This was the perfect dish to bring to a recent cookout. I was able to throw it together so easily and quickly and it was delicious!
This is the best tortellini pasta salad. I love all of the tasty ingredients like the artichokes. I also add some olives and it’s so good.