Tortellini Pasta Salad (with Pesto)

Fresh basil leaves on top of cooked tortellini, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach, and pesto in a bowl.

Tortellini Pasta Salad (with Pesto)

This pesto tortellini pasta salad with spinach, cherry tomatoes, and a lemony pesto vinaigrette comes together in 25 minutes. Great for potlucks and meal prep.

Course Appetizer, dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Keyword healthy, meal prep, pasta salad, pesto pasta salad, potluck, quick

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 399

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Large Bowl

Ingredients

For the Pesto Dressing

½ cup basil pesto
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Tortellini Salad

1 (20 ounce) package of refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 heaping cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn

Instructions

Make the Pesto Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the pesto, lemon juice, olive oil and salt until smooth.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
Cook the Tortellini: Add the refrigerated cheese tortellini and cook according to package instructions until just cooked, usually about 2-3 minutes.
Combine: Drain the tortellini well and add to a large bowl. Immediately–while the tortellini is still warm–pour over ⅓ cup of the pesto dressing. Allow the tortellini to sit, cool, and absorb the dressing, about 10 minutes.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the tomatoes, spinach, and remaining dressing, tossing to combine. Add the basil, and toss again.

Notes

Tortellini: I’ve found that most storebought tortellini come in a 9 ounce or 20 ounce package, so if you can only find 9 ounce packages, just get two of those.
Basil: Wait for the pasta to cool a bit before adding the fresh basil. In testing the basil turned brown when added too soon, so be sure to wait a bit.
Cheese: I thought adding fresh mozzarella made this a little too cheesy for my preference, but if you’re a cheese-fanatic, feel free to throw in some mozzarella balls, burrata or feta!

Nutrition