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Pickled red onions, cheese, pepperoncini, spinach, and Italian dressing are combined with cooked tortellini to make this incredible tortellini pasta salad!
It’s great for big gatherings, like parties or potlucks, and it can feed about ten people generously!
If you love mayo-less pasta salads, this is the recipe for you! It’s light and fresh and pairs wonderfully with steak or chicken. Although I normally serve this as a side, feel free to enjoy it as a main course.
For more of my favorite tortellini recipes, check out this pesto tortellini salad and one pot tortellini.
INGREDIENT NOTES
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Tortellini Pasta – I recommend purchasing the tortellini flavor of your choice! However, I used three cheese tortellini.
- Spinach – I love spinach in this pasta salad but feel free to omit it if you’re not a fan or don’t have it on hand. If using spinach, make sure to use fresh spinach and not frozen.
- Pickled Red Onions – They add such good flavor! I used store-bought pickled red onions but feel free to use homemade.
- Pepperoncini – I prefer to use whole pepperoncinis but sliced pepperoncini works perfectly!
- Dressing – Feel free to use balsamic vinaigrette, Italian vinaigrette, or the vinaigrette of your choice.
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Cook the tortellini pasta in boiling salted water according to packaging instructions. Drain and place it in a large bowl.
- Add ½ cup of the Italian vinaigrette dressing to the hot tortellini pasta and stir until well combined. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Once the 10 minutes are up, add the remaining dressing and remaining ingredients. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Mine didn’t need any.
- Let the pasta salad cool completely at room temperature, then cover, and refrigerate. Enjoy cold or at room temperature.
TOP TIPS
- Make sure not to overcook the tortellini pasta! Overcooked tortellini will fall apart once you start mixing it.
- Want to add more protein? Feel free to add pepperoni, salami, or any other ingredients of your choice.
CAN I MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, of course! In fact, I highly recommend it because it will taste even better the following day! Make sure to add some more dressing right before serving, for best results.
STORAGE
Allow the pasta salad to cool completely at room temperature then transfer it to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Don’t forget to stir in some extra dressing right before serving!
Tried this tortellini pasta salad? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 24 ounces tortellini, cooked until al dente
- 2 cups spinach , fresh
- 2 cups mozzarella pearls
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 cups pepperoncini peppers , The ones that come in a jar
- ¾ cup pickled red onions , store-bought or homemade
- 1 cup Italian vinaigrette
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini pasta in boiling salted water according to packaging instructions. Drain and place it in a large bowl.
- Add ½ cup of the Italian vinaigrette dressing to the hot tortellini pasta and stir until well combined. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Once the 10 minutes are up, add the remaining dressing and remaining ingredients. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Mine didn't need any.
- Let the pasta salad cool completely at room temperature, then cover, and refrigerate. Enjoy cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make sure not to overcook the tortellini pasta! Overcooked tortellini will fall apart once you start mixing it.
- Want to add more protein? Feel free to add pepperoni, salami, or any other ingredients of your choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
