Tortellini Pasta Salad With Pesto
This Tortellini Pasta Salad With Pesto is packed with Mediterranean flavor and made with gluten-free tortellini, mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and a bright basil pesto. It comes together in under 30 minutes and is perfect for picnics, BBQs, or easy lunches.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 470kcal
Equipment
- 1 Stockpot
Ingredients
- 10 ounces gluten-free cheese tortellini
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup artichoke hearts chopped, marinated or plain
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives nicoise or kalamata, halved
- ½ small red onion sliced thin
- ¾ cup mozzarella pearls ciliegine
- ½ cup pesto store-bought or homemade
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to loosen the pesto if needed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from one lemon, optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh basil chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil on the stovetop.
- Cook the tortellini according to the package directions, typically 2-3 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.10 ounces gluten-free cheese tortellini
- While the pasta cooks, slice the tomatoes, red onion, and artichokes. Halve the olives and drain the mozzarella pearls.1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup artichoke hearts, ½ cup Castelvetrano olives, ½ small red onion, ¾ cup mozzarella pearls
- In a large bowl, toss the tortellini with the pesto. Add a drizzle of olive oil if the pesto is thick to loosen the mixture.½ cup pesto, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Fold in the prepped vegetables.
- Add lemon zest if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon lemon zest, salt and pepper
- Serve immediately or chill for 30-60 minutes to let the salad flavors meld together. Garnish with the chopped basil before serving.fresh basil
Notes
Use high-quality pesto or make your own homemade pesto.
If you are vegan, try vegan mozzarella pearls and a dairy-free pesto.
This salad keeps for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give the mixture a quick stir and add more olive oil if you need to loosen the pesto.
Nutrition
Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1123mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 874IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 2mg
