Creamy Tortellini Salad Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis creamy tortellini pasta salad recipe is light, flavorful, and simple to make! Toss cooked tortellini with fresh chopped vegetables, and toss with an irresistibly creamy dressing.
It’s a great appetizer or side dish, and a fantastic side dish for entertaining. Plus it’s make-ahead friendly, so you can do most of the prep work the day before and just mix before serving!
Want more creamy pasta salad ideas? Try our cottage cheese pasta salad, ranch macaroni salad, or our favorite cucumber macaroni salad with dill!
What’s better than a sweet and tangy salad that goes great with anything off the BBQ? This delicious creamy deli-style tortellini salad is a super fun take on a classic summer side dish.Â
The dressing is made with a flavorful classic dressing with mayo, vinegar, sugar, and a few spices. And you can use any kind of tortellini you prefer – we used a vegetarian cheese-filled pasta, but you can use tricolored, spinach, or even meat-filled tortellini if you prefer!
This Creamy Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe Is:
- Tangy, sweet, creamy, and loaded with flavor.
- A great make-ahead recipe for entertaining.
- Easy to make – cooks of any skill level can successfully make this pasta salad.
- Versatile – add your favorite chopped vegetables in, or see our recommendations below.
- A fun summer side dish, the perfect crowd pleasing dish for your summer BBQ, potluck, or cookout
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
There are some really fantastic fresh, dried, and frozen tortellini options out there, like a cheese and spinach version. I used a fresh cheese tortellini, but a favorite of mine are Trader Joe’s dried cheese tortellini as well.
The fresh vegetables in this dish are onions, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. You can use any bell pepper color you prefer – I had a red pepper, so I used that one, but a green bell pepper would also be delicious.
One of the secrets to making a fantastic pasta salad is letting the pasta soak in the dressing before serving. I make the tortellini salad dressing with white vinegar, sugar, salt, white pepper, and olive oil.
To give this tortellini salad it’s creaminess, finish this dish with mayonnaise. Or see some great substitutions in the next section.
Additions and Substitutions
Instead of mayonnaise, you can use sour cream, Greek yogurt, or a vegan egg-free mayo. Or opt for light mayonnaise instead of regular.
Add in more vegetables if you prefer: halved cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, olives, broccoli, cauliflower, or thawed frozen peas.
Use any variety of tortellini, or any filled pasta you prefer. Ravioli would also be a great substitution if you had some on hand.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook to package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside until cooled.
Step 2: While the tortellini is cooking, chop the vegetables for the salad. Add the celery, carrots, onions, and red pepper to a bowl.
Step 3: Add the cooked and cooled tortellini into the bowl with the chopped vegetables.
Step 4: Add the dressing ingredients together, and mix well until combined. Pour the dressing over the tortellini salad and set aside.
Step 5: Mix well, and cover the tortellini salad. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to 24 hours), to allow the tortellini and vegetables to marinate in the dressing.
Step 6: Once the pasta salad has marinated, stir in the mayonnaise.
Step 7: Serve chilled, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, prepare it up to 24 hours in advance. Just store it in the fridge and add the mayonnaise right before serving.
You could add the tortellini cold into the salad – run it under cool water after cooking to quickly cool it down.
Yes, this salad is great for meal prep. Once it’s finished cooking, divide the salad into individual containers and keep it chilled until ready to eat. Give it a stir before serving.
More Pasta Salad Recipes:
- Cranberry Orzo Salad with Spinach and Feta Cheese
- Orange Sesame Noodle Salad
- California Spaghetti Salad Recipe
- Tzatziki Pasta Salad Recipe
- Spicy Soba Noodle Salad Recipe with Lime Dressing
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Creamy Tortellini Salad
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cheese tortellini
- 2 carrots shredded
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 sweet onion chopped
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook to package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside until cooled.
- While the tortellini is cooking, chop the vegetables for the salad. Add the celery, carrots, onions, and red pepper to a bowl.
- Add the cooked and cooled tortellini into the bowl with the chopped vegetables.
- Add the dressing ingredients together: white vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. Mix well until combined. Pour the dressing over the tortellini salad and set aside.
- Mix well, and cover the tortellini salad. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to 24 hours), to allow the tortellini and vegetables to marinate in the dressing.
- Once the pasta salad has marinated, stir in the mayonnaise. Serve chilled, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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