The ultimate celebration of summer in a bowl!
Meet our Basil Pesto Tortellini Salad! This recipe is fresh, vibrant, and bursting with bold Mediterranean flavors. Tender cheese-filled tortellini are tossed with a luscious basil pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and a handful of briny olives or artichokes for a savory twist.
Whether you’re prepping for a picnic, potluck, or just a quick weeknight dinner, this salad is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that comes together in minutes and tastes even better the next day.
Serve it chilled or at room temperature, and let the flavors of the Mediterranean shine!
Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 20 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
- ½ cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade see below)
- 2 tbsp pepperoncini brine from a jar
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup jarred pepperoncini peppers, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp pitted Kalamata or black olives, sliced or halved (more to taste)
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bite-size pieces
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Basil Leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 20 ounces of cheese tortellini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place the tortellini in a large bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil; stir to prevent them from sticking together.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir ½ basil pesto and 2 tablespoons of the jarred pepperoncini brine. Set aside
- In the large mixing bowl with the tortellini, add the halved grape tomatoes, pepperoncini slices, halved kalamata olives, and the mozzarella cheese pieces.
- Pour the basil pesto and brine mixture over the pasta salad and gently toss to combine.
- Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, and garnish with basil leaves.
- Can be made up to 8 hours in advance.
Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 cups fresh basil
- pinch of sea salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the garlic cloves, pine nuts, and basil. Add a little of the olive oil and turn on the blender. *You may need to stop the blender and push the basil leaves toward the bottom.
- When the basil begins to blend with the garlic and pine nuts, slowly pour the remaining olive oil into the blender while it is running.
- Once it is all incorporated, add in the finely grated parmesan and blend for about 10 seconds.
Looking for another fresh recipe to try this summer? Try our Quinoa Summer Salad with Feta and Mint!
Enjoy!
Making this recipe? Be sure and share it with us on the WOT Instagram or Facebook!
All photos by Lorianne DeVita
