Well its about time that I share my most requested recipe from my family and friends. This greek tortellini pasta salad is so full of flavor and is so easy to make. It is full of fresh veggies and topped with an amazing greek vinaigrette. Let’s chat about how to make this pasta salad the hit at any party. It is the perfect side dish for your next barbecue or summer picnic!
We are all huge fans of greek inspired food at our house. I am obviously not greek, but I love the flavors they combine in their food and I try to create meals using those flavors. We love making Chicken Souvlaki gyros and homemade flatbread. We also love to top them off with homemade Tzatziki sauce. You can see all these recipes on the blog.
This greek tortellini pasta salad is full of amazing veggies and flavors including artichoke hearts, cucumbers, red onion, fresh basil, juicy cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. The combination of these veggies is magical in the mouth! When you combine the veggies with the creamy cheese tortellini pasta, you are guaranteed to love this.
So let’s talk about how to make this easy pasta salad:
First, you want to cook the pasta according to the directions. Heat up a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Boil the pasta according the package instructions. I like to cook some fresh cheese tortellini and also add a half of a package of cooked bowtie pasta to balance the cheesy tortellini pasta. I like using fresh pasta but you can use dried or frozen as well. The fresh tortellini can be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
Once the pasta is cooked, rinise it and let it cool down. If you are in a time crunch, let the cold water run on the pasta for just a couple of minutes stirring it with a spoon to make sure to get all the pasta cooled down. You can also put the pasta in the fridge to cool down. You can make it ahead of time and and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it!
Now lets prep the veggies. Grab a large bowl, and set it aside. Drain two cans of artichoke hearts and chop each piece in half and put the in the large bowl. Cut up your cucumber ( I like to quarter mine) and put them in the bowl. Thinly slice a purple onion and add it to the bowl and do the same to your fresh basil. Last, take grape tomatoes and cut them in half and add them to the bowl.
Add your pasta to the big bowl and get ready to make the greek vinaigrette. In a medium bowl, add red wine vinegar, olive oil, fresh minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, dijon mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Use a whisk to emulsify this vinaigrette. Give it a taste and adjust it accordingly. Sometimes I like to add just a bit more sugar to the mix to balance the dressing. I think this homemade dressing is the star of the salad.
Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta salad and mix. Last, you want to add the crumbled feta cheese and give it another quick toss. I like to add it last so that it doesn’t get broken down too much.
You can store this in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
TIP:
The recipe calls for just tortellini pasta, but if you decided to add some other pasta to it, you can simply double the vinaigrette recipe so that you have enough for the larger size salad. If you choose to just use tortellini pasta, you do not need to double the dressing recipe.
Get the full recipe below….
Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
This greek tortellini pasta salad is full of amazing veggies and flavors including artichoke hearts, cucumbers, red onion, fresh basil, juicy cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. The combination of these veggies is magical in the mouth! When you combine the veggies with the creamy cheese tortellini pasta, you are guaranteed to love this.
Ingredients
- 12-19 oz bag Cheese Tortellini
- 1 English Cucumber
- 2 14oz cans Quartered Artichoke Hearts
- 1 pkg Grape Tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 2 tbsp Fresh Basil chopped
Greek Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1-2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Prepare the ingredients for the pasta salad but cooking the pasta and then chilling it in the fridge.
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Chop your cucumber, onion, basil, and tomatoes
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Add them to your pasta in a large bowl.
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Mix the dressing ingredients together with a wire wisk and pour it over the pasta. Mix the pasta salad and then top with the feta cheese. Give it a quick toss and you are ready to eat it!
Get all the ingredients for this tortellini pasta salad here:
This tortellini salad recipe is so easy to make and it is such hit! I love making this as it is quick to assemble and stays incredibly well in the fridge.
TIP:
If you make this ahead of time do not put the dressing on until you are ready to serve it. If you decided to put the dressing on prior to refrigerating, make sure to reserve about half of the dressing and add it to the bowl of pasta salad right before serving. I find this is a great option because the pasta will absorb a lot of the dressing.
Ways to Customize this delicious side dish:
- Add grilled chicken to the salad to give you protein. This becomes a full meal when the protein is added.
- Add kalamata olives
- If you do not like feta cheese you could swap it out for fresh mozzarella balls.
- You can also use fresh basil paste(found in the veggie section of your grocery store. If you do not have access to fresh basil this is an amazing thing to have on hand.
- Try fresh herbs instead of dried if you can find them
- Try spinach tortellini for a different take on flavor
I love this tortellini pasta salad. The fresh ingredients combined with the creamy pasta makes for a killer as well as easy side dish. The dressing is one that I love to use on regular salads as well. This is a cold pasta salad, full of delicious flavor. It is a great side dish for hamburgers, grilled chicken and more. Its one of the best things I make! The whole family loves it. Make it today!
Get more easy recipes here:
Amazing Creamy Garbanzo Bean Salad
How to Make a Healthy Chicken Salad That is Full of Flavor
Easy Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Salad
Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad With Homemade Balsamic Dressing
Colorful Wild Rice, Kale, and Pomegranate Salad
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