illows of cheesy pasta make this tortellini pasta salad with diced salami, mozzarella balls, and plenty of veggies a potluck favorite. It’s dressed with a perfectly balanced, simple Italian vinaigrette to make a fresh-tasting side dish that’s filling and feeds a lot!
Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad is the Potluck Upgrade That Always Disappears First
In the words of my mother, “This tortellini pasta salad could feed an army!” Translation: It’s the perfect side dish for any potluck, BBQ, or gathering with friends or family, no matter the season. And the best part? It’s frigging delicious!
Plump cheese tortellini brings the heft and bulk to this cold pasta salad without making it feel heavy. Chunks of salty salami become the perfect partner for soft, springy bites of fresh mozzarella cheese balls, with artichoke hearts and mellow black olives adding extra Italian flair. Fresh flavors enter the chat with sweet cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onion, and aromatic basil leaves, sending out bright bursts in every forkful.
It all comes together with a super simple, zesty olive oil and red wine vinaigrette, brightened with Italian seasoning and a hint of garlic. Just before serving, I like to toss in extra slivers of fresh basil—for a boost of herbaceous flavor and, honestly, because they look downright pretty.
Enjoy! Heidi
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Rule number one: Don’t overcook your tortellini! Fresh pasta can go from almost-done to mushy and falling apart in a mere minute. I always taste-test one or more noodles to make sure they’re tender and the cheese is warmed through before draining and rinsing to stop the cooking process.
Instead of using marinated artichoke hearts in this tortellini salad, I prefer artichoke hearts canned in water. That way, the chokes absorb my homemade Italian dressing’s zesty tang instead of the jarred oil which depending on the brand, can have a weird aftertaste.
If I make this salad a few hours ahead of serving or if I know I’ll have leftovers, I’ll double the amount of dressing and save half to freshen the pasta salad later if it seems dry.
What’s in This Recipe
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cheese tortellini — look for fresh tortellini in your grocery store refrigerator section or frozen tortellini in the freezer section. Both boil up plumper than dried tortellini and have a creamier cheese taste.
- Fresh mozzarella balls — I halve ciliegine or bocconcini mozzarella balls to make their soft, milky cheese flavor go even further.
- Artichoke hearts — Before quartering your chokes, gently squeeze them to rid them of any extra water.
- Salami — check in with the deli counter and ask for chunks of Genoa salami you can dice yourself for more flavor than the pre-sliced type.
- Sliced black olives — mellow and savory with just enough tang.
- Persian cucumbers — crisp and clean, there’s no need to peel them thanks to their tender skin and few seeds.
- Cherry tomatoes — my favorite tomato for salads because they’re almost always sweet and bursting with flavor.
- Red onion — delivers contrasting bites of spicy heat.
- Fresh basil — fresh, aromatic, and brings this salad’s herby lift.
- Extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, fresh garlic, and s&p — a classic Italian dressing that perfectly seasons the cheesy pasta and veg.
Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions
- Choose spinach and cheese tortellini or a mix of your favorite multi-color tortellini.
- Use diced or cubed fresh mozzarella, tiny mozzarella pearls, or try a combination!
- Frozen artichoke hearts work too. (Be sure to thaw them first!)
- Hothouse or English cucumbers work similarly well as Persian cucumbers. Or, if using regular garden cucumbers, peel and seed before slicing.
- Add diced or for added protein.
- Try a white balsamic vinegar instead of the red wine vinegar for a sweeter taste. I’d avoid using regular balsamic as it will give the salad a darker, muddier color.
How to Make Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Prep the mozzarella, salami, and veggies. This is the only part of the recipe that takes any time to do, and it moves quickly once you drain and slice.
- Cook your tortellini—but don’t overcook! Fresh tortellini should be slightly undercooked so it doesn’t fall apart when mixed with the other ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook for just 2-3 minutes as it floats to the top and expands.
- Rinse the tortellini under cold water. This helps keep the pasta from sticking to one another.
- Transfer the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Choose a bowl bigger than you think for plenty of room to toss :).
- Prepare the Italian dressing. I like adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Dress the salad, and mix! I use my hands or a big wooden spoon to gently fold all of the ingredients so the tortellini doesn’t break apart.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think
