Why this recipe works

This Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe is the definition of ‘eating the rainbow’. There’s such a variety of colour & produce which provides an array of nutrients and flavour. I love incorporating delicious carbs such as tortellini into bright and vibrant salads to bring them to the next level. Usually tortellini recipes are delicious but quite calorific & lacking in nutrients, but when you combine the tortellini with ingredients that are packed with nutrients, fibre and volume, we reduce the calories and make the meal a lot healthier -without skipping out on the flavour of course.

Other salad recipes you should try after this recipe …

Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad

Tricolore Salad

Panzanella Salad with Halloumi

Ingredients

Tortellini

I chose spinach and ricotta tortellini for this recipe as I think the flavours really suit being served cold. Whereas a tortellini with a meat filling would be best served hot.

Cherry tomatoes

You could use regular tomatoes here but I think the cherry tomatoes have an additional sweetness that really amplifies the flavour in this recipe.

Cucumber

One of the freshest ingredients to add brightness to any salad.

Marinated artichokes

I love the texture and satiness of artichokes- they’re so versatile and have such an intense flavour.

Mixed peppers

The perfect fresh crunch for this tortellini salad. The mix of colour in the peppers offers additional nutrients on top of the array of colour that we already have with the other ingredients.

Red onion

The pungent flavour of the raw onion is the perfect contrast to all the fresh veggies and tortellini within this pasta salad.

Fresh Basil

Pasta’s best friend basil, a duo that needs no explanation.

How to make this recipe

Start by preparing all the colourful salad ingredients.

Add the prepped salad to a large mixing bowl, including the black olives,cherry tomatoes, cucumber, artichokes, mixed peppers and onion.

For the dressing, use a food processor to roughly chop a large handful of basil, lemon juice, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil.

You only need to blitz the basil, lemon juice and garlic a few times with the olive oil and then season with salt and pepper.

Then add your spinach and ricotta tortellini to salted boiling water. The pasta will only take a couple of minutes to cook, before draining and then cooling in cold water.

Add the basil dressing and stir together so all the dressing is incorporated into the salad before serving immediately. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Keep the dressing in a separate container, if you are going to keep the salad for meal prep.
Mix the basil dressing over the salad and you are ready to serve!

FAQ

How long will pasta salad last?

This pasta salad stays fresh for around 4 days in the fridge, when storing the dressing separately. This prevents the veggies from getting soggy.

Can pasta salad be made ahead of time?

Yes definitely! It’s best to serve this salad as chilled as possible for maximum freshness so making a few hours ahead of consumption can be great for this.

How much is a serving of tortellini pasta salad?

This recipe makes 4 servings, which might make you wonder about 1 packet of tortellini isn’t enough for 4 servings in usual tortellini recipes. But when you add the other elements of the recipe into the mix, 1/4 of the packet is definitely enough for each serving of tortellini pasta salad- trust me on this one!

How to meal prep this recipe

To meal prep this recipe, store the basil dressing separately to the tortellini salad. Divide the pasta salad into four separate containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. I wouldn’t freeze this recipe. Stir the dressing into the salad when you’re about to eat and season with salt and pepper.

How long will pasta salad last?

This pasta salad stays fresh for around 4 days in the fridge, when storing the dressing separately. This prevents the veggies from getting soggy.

Can pasta salad be made ahead of time?

Yes definitely! It’s best to serve this salad as chilled as possible for maximum freshness so making a few hours ahead of consumption can be great for this.

How much is a serving of tortellini pasta salad?

This recipe makes 4 servings, which might make you wonder about 1 packet of tortellini isn’t enough for 4 servings in usual tortellini recipes. But when you add the other elements of the recipe into the mix, 1/4 of the packet is definitely enough for each serving of tortellini pasta salad- trust me on this one!

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