Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad
If you’re looking for a summer dish that checks all the boxes—quick, flavorful, and totally crowd-pleasing—this tortellini pesto pasta salad is it! Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s the kind of recipe that works just as well as a light main or a standout side for BBQs, potlucks, and casual gatherings. I like to use cheese tortellini for that creamy bite, but you can absolutely mix things up depending on your favorite fillings. It’s bright, satisfying, and holds up beautifully for meal prep. Basically: easy, breezy, and bursting with summer vibes.
Ingredients
- Cheese tortellini: I use a pack of refrigerated tortellini for ease. If you like, you can use spinach or chicken stuffed tortellini instead. You can also use frozen or dried, though be mindful that these will take longer to cook than fresh.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Red onion
- Mozzarella pearls
- Arugula
- Baby spinach
- Black olives
- Basil pesto: Freshly made is always my preference, though a jarred variety will work just fine too!
- Salt and pepper
How To Make Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad
If you like to print out your recipes and keep them handy, no worries—there’s a printable recipe card waiting for you at the bottom of this post. But if you want to see the step-by-step process with photos, keep scrolling!
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to the package instructions. Once they’re done, drain and rinse under cold water to cool them down quickly. Pop the pasta into a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, mozzarella pearls, arugula, spinach, black olives, and pesto. Season with salt and pepper, then toss everything together until it’s well coated and looking fresh and glossy. Give it a taste and adjust anything you like.
- If you’ve got the time, cover it and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour—this helps all the flavors come together.
- Just give it one more quick toss before serving, and enjoy it cold straight from the fridge!
Storage Tips
Store any leftover tortellini pesto pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Just a heads up—it can start to dry out a little after sitting, so before serving again, stir in a spoonful of pesto or a drizzle of olive oil to freshen it up and bring back that glossy, just-made texture. Give it a good toss and you’re good to go.
Variations & Add-Ins
This pasta salad is super flexible—here are a few easy ways to switch it up:
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Add protein: Make it more filling with cooked and cubed chicken, steak, bacon, pepperoni, or salami. It turns into more of a meal this way.
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Switch up the tortellini: Use whatever flavor you like—cheese, spinach, even sausage-filled tortellini all work great here.
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Try different dressings: Pesto is my go-to for this one, but you can easily swap in a Greek, Italian, or balsamic vinaigrette for a totally different flavor profile.
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Mix in extras: Roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, or sun-dried tomatoes add a little something extra if you’re feeling fancy.
Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 8 ounce mozzarella pearls drained
- 1 cup arugula
- 1 cup baby spinach
- ½ cup sliced black olives drained
- 1 ¼ cup basil pesto
- Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to the package instructions. Once they’re done, drain and rinse under cold water to cool them down quickly. Pop the pasta into a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, mozzarella pearls, arugula, spinach, black olives, and pesto. Season with salt and pepper, then toss everything together until it’s well coated and looking fresh and glossy. Give it a taste and adjust anything you like.
- If you’ve got the time, cover it and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour—this helps all the flavors come together.
- Just give it one more quick toss before serving, and enjoy it cold straight from the fridge!
I really hope you love this tortellini pesto pasta salad as much as I do! If you give it a try, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a star rating and a quick comment below. Your feedback not only helps others find and trust the recipe—it also helps me keep creating more delicious ideas for you to enjoy! You can also tag me in your snaps on Instagram @slimmingviolet.
