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Bowl of Tortellini Pasta Salad.
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Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe

A budget-friendly, crowd-pleasing cold pasta salad made with refrigerated cheese tortellini, hard salami, and fresh veggies tossed in zesty Italian dressing. Features a smart two-step dressing trick that keeps the noodles perfectly flavorful and never dry!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Chilling45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 559kcal
Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

  • 1 (20-oz) bag refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 1 cup Italian dressing OR 1 batch homemade Italian Dressing; divided use; plus some extra dressing or extra olive oil for serving
  • 1 (8-oz) package sliced hard salami chopped
  • 1 (8-oz) container mozzarella pearls drained
  • 1 (6-oz) can sliced black olives drained
  • 1 red bell pepper cleaned and chopped
  • 1 (10-oz) container cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¼ small red onion thinly sliced
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese plus more to serve
  • ½ cup NOT packed fresh basil leaves thinly sliced; plus more to serve

Instructions

  • Prep:
    Make sure your salad bowl is large enough so you can comfortably toss it in the dressing without ingredients spilling everywhere.
    Get your ingredients ready.
    Ingredients for Tortellini Pasta Salad on a white marble surface.
  • Cook tortellini:

    Cook tortellini according to the package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again very well.
    1 (20-oz) bag refrigerated cheese tortellini
    Cooked tortellini in pot.
  • Prep tortellini:

    Place the drained tortellini in a large salad bowl and mix with ½ cup of the dressing. Set aside.
    0.5 cup Italian dressing
    Pouring dressing over tortellini.
  • Prep remaining ingredients:

    While the tortellini sit in the dressing, prepare all remaining ingredients and add them to the bowl with the tortellini (do not mix yet).
    1 (8-oz) package sliced hard salami, 1 (8-oz) container mozzarella pearls, 1 (6-oz) can sliced black olives, 1 red bell pepper, 1 (10-oz) container cherry tomatoes, ¼ small red onion, ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, ½ cup NOT packed fresh basil leaves
    Ingredients for tortellini salad in a glass bowl.
  • Assemble salad:

    Add the remaining ½ cup of dressing. Toss well.
    0.5 cup Italian dressing
    Adding dressing to bowl with ingredients for Tortellini Pasta Salad.
  • Refrigerate and serve:

    Cover and refrigerate the salad for 30-60 minutes before serving.
    Toss again before serving, adding a little extra dressing and/or olive oil if the salad seems too dry (the pasta soaks up some of the dressing). Serve with extra basil and parmesan, if desired.
    Serving Tortellini Pasta Salad in a glass bowl.

Notes

📌 Crucial Sponge Step: You must toss the freshly rinsed, warm tortellini in the first ½ cup of dressing immediately. If you let the pasta cool completely first, the noodles seal up, the dressing will slide straight to the bottom of the bowl, and your salad will taste totally bland.
🛑 The Superglue Fix: Never skip rinsing the cooked tortellini under cold tap water. Rinsing washes away the sticky surface starches that naturally act like superglue, preventing your noodles from locking together into one giant, unappetizing clump in the fridge.
⏱️ The "Thirsty Pasta" Alert: Cold pasta is naturally thirsty and will drink up the liquid parts of the dressing while it sits in the refrigerator. If the salad looks dry right before serving, simply toss in a quick, extra splash of Italian dressing or olive oil to restore the glossy texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1854mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1053IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 3mg