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    Home » Salads

    Pasta Salad with Tortellini

    Published: Oct 13, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    close-up of tortellini pasta salad in black bowl.

    Enjoy a quick and delicious Pasta Salad with Tortellini, full of fresh veggies and a vibrant dressing. It’s perfect as a packable lunch, a fast main dish, or an easy side.

    Tortellini Pasta Salad is a pretty hearty, one-dish dinner, however, it’s a fun side dish to Grilled Dijon Basil Chicken or a delicious companion to other salads such as Cabbage Slaw with Apples and Almonds and Caesar Salad.

    pasta salad with tortellini in black plate on a white napkin with a fork. this …

    When you’re looking for an easy, make-ahead meal, you can’t go wrong with a pasta salad. And if you choose tortellini for your featured pasta, you’re bound to enjoy a dish that is flavorful as well as filling.

    This pasta salad with cheese tortellini is accented by crunchy carrots, sweet tomatoes, tender spinach, hearty chick peas, and a homemade dressing. It’s the perfect weeknight supper!

    Why Make This

    It’s quick and easy. Prepping this salad takes less than 30 minutes and comes together with very little prep work. Just chop some carrots, mix up the dressing, and cook the pasta!

    It’s great for meal prep. Pasta salads are a great dish to pack for work or school lunches. This one promises to keep you satisfied until dinnertime.

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to make this easy tortellini pasta salad:

    ingredients for pasta salad with tortellini laid out on black table top.

    tortellini – Tortellini is a twisted, ring-shaped pasta, filled with cheese or another mixture like squash, meat, or mushrooms. It wouldn’t be pasta salad with tortellini without this pasta, but if you’re in a pinch you can use another shaped pasta.

    garbanzo beans – I love chick peas or garbanzo beans in this salad, but if you want another option, cannellini beans are a great choice.

    baby spinach or kale – The addition of greens adds color and nutrients to this salad, but keep in mind that dressed spinach will be very wilty after a day or two. If you want a longterm meal prep, use kale or add the greens just before serving.

    grape tomatoes – I like grape tomatoes because they are typically decent all year-round and they hold up well in salads. You can use chopped fresh tomatoes or even sundried tomatoes if you like.

    carrots – Sliced or shredded carrots add great texture and color to this pasta salad.

    red wine vinegar – You’ll need an acid for the homemade dressing. I like to use red wine vinegar, but you can use your favorite vinegar or even lemon juice as a replacement.

    Italian Seasoning Mix – Making your Italian herbs mix is easy and affordable, but you can use the commercial blend or substitute another favorite spice mix.

    fresh garlic – Fresh garlic really complements the tortellini. Try not to skip it.

    sugar – Just a pinch of sugar is all you need to offset the acid in the dressing.

    olive oil – Olive oil adds great flavor to homemade dressings, but you can use another oil if you prefer.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Here’s how to make this easy pasta salad with tortellini:

    • boiling tortellini in large pot of hot water.
    • whisking together the dressing ingredients in a large salad bowl.
    • adding the salad ingredients to the dressing in the bowl.
    • pasta salad with tortellini stirred together in serving bowl with teal spatula.
    1. Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
    2. In a serving bowl, whisk together the vinegar, Italian seasoning mix, garlic, and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil.
    3. Add the tortellini, garbanzo beans, spinach, tomatoes, and carrot to the dressing and toss gently to combine.
    4. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

    Make-ahead tip: The pasta salad should be good for several days refrigerated. However, the salad will last longer if you add the spinach right before serving.

    FAQs

    What is tortellini pasta salad?

    Pasta salads are usually served cold with a dressing such as a vinaigrette. You can use any pasta you like. A tortellini pasta salad, of course, features tortellini as the pasta.

    Can you freeze tortellini pasta salad?

    You can freeze fresh tortellini but best not to freeze it after it’s been made into a pasta salad. Better to cook it and prepare the salad after freezing.

    What to serve with pasta salad with tortellini?

    Pasta salad is often considered a one-dish dinner. It doesn’t really need an accompaniment. If you like, you can serve it as a side dish to grilled or cooked meats or with an array of salads.

    Recipe Costs

    Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

    • tortellini – $6.42
    • garbanzo beans – $0.62
    • baby spinach or kale – $0.30
    • grape tomatoes – $2.00
    • carrots – $0.60
    • homemade dressings – $0.99

    Your costs may vary, depending on how and where you shop, but you can expect to spend about $10.93 or $1.37/serving.

    How to save even more

    Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:

    • Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. Tortellini are the high ticket item here. Buy them when you find them on sale. I prefer fresh tortellini; the dry variety just doesn’t taste as good.
    • Make your own dressings. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of pasta salad recipes that call for bottled dressing. Those bottles are either way too expensive or full of junk. Make your own and save money.
    tortellini pasta salad in meal prep boxes.

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    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    close up of pasta salad with tortellini in black bowl.
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    5 from 1 vote

    Pasta Salad with Tortellini

    Enjoy a quick and delicious Tortellini Pasta Salad full of fresh veggies and a vibrant dressing. It’s perfect as a packable lunch, a fast main dish, or an easy side.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 367kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • cutting board
    • chef's knife
    • large mixing bowl
    • wire whisk
    • colander
    • heavy stockpot
    • large airtight container

    Ingredients

    • 20 oz fresh cheese tortellini
    • 1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
    • 3 oz baby spinach or kale for longer storage
    • 1 10-ounce box grape tomatoes
    • 1 cup carrots peeled and thinly sliced
    • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning Mix
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • pinch sugar
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
    • In a serving bowl, whisk together the vinegar, Italian seasoning mix, garlic, and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil.
    • Add the tortellini, garbanzo beans, spinach, tomatoes, and carrot to the dressing and toss gently to combine.
    • Serve chilled or at room temperature.

    Notes

    Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
    Nutritional values are approximate and based on ⅛ the recipe.
    If you plan to make this salad for longer than a day or two, use kale instead of spinach as it’s longer lasting. Alternatively, you can add the spinach right before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 490mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3571IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    This post was originally published February 29, 2012. It has been updated for content and clarity.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mae

      June 24, 2016 at 4:20 pm

      What can we substitute the cheese tortellini with if our guests are lactose intolerant?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        June 25, 2016 at 7:35 am

        You could use your favorite pasta.

        Reply
    2. Sarah

      January 17, 2016 at 3:03 pm

      Fyi: As written, for 4 servings this is about 670 call per serving. Thought I’d save anyone else looking the trouble of calculating it. 🙂
      And it’s delicious by the way!!

      Reply
    3. Kristi

      July 28, 2014 at 7:08 pm

      I made this salad tonight as part of one of the $70 meal plans. It is amazing! Even my husband, who is not the pasta fan that I am, loved it. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        August 09, 2014 at 7:16 am

        I love it when husbands give good reviews. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Ellen

      March 08, 2012 at 11:22 am

      I’ve made this tortellini salad twice this week. I made it once to feed a family that had a new baby, and I made it again to feed a couple of gals at a playdate. It’s sooo good. Have I mentioned that your blog is my favorite one right now for recipes and cooking advice? We’ve loved just about everything I’ve tried from it, people give me more credit than I deserve for being a good cook, and it works for my crazy kidlet lifestyle. Thank you. I almost never buy cookbooks, but I will be buying yours when it comes out.

      P.S. If you don’t like garbanzo beans, great northern beans work just as well, and I threw a handful of sharp cheddar in there, too. Delish.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        March 08, 2012 at 11:23 am

        @Ellen, oh! This made my day! Thank you!

        Reply
    5. Liz Slater

      February 29, 2012 at 12:16 pm

      My favorite would be Caprese salad or pasta or pretty much anything with Brie.

      Reply
    6. Bibi @ Frugal Wannabe Cooks

      February 29, 2012 at 9:48 am

      Very interesting fact….I didn’t know that about Leap Day. My favorite chick food is baked brie with honey and nuts with little baquette pieces or nice fruit plate with yogurt dip.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        February 29, 2012 at 9:57 am

        Sounds fab!

        Reply
    7. Ellen

      February 29, 2012 at 5:46 am

      What kind of tortellini is it? Boxed, frozen, or fresh?

      Reply
      • Jessica

        February 29, 2012 at 7:23 am

        @Ellen, mine is Trader Joe’s dry. But, any kind would work.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter their budget.

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