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This Pesto Tortellini Salad recipe is perfect for parties, potlucks, BBQ or weeknight dinners! It’s full of flavor from basil pesto along with peas and sun-dried tomatoes. Plus, it’s made with cheese tortellini! This pasta salad keeps well for up to three days and is delicious for dinner or as a side dish.
I think I could live on tortellini…especially with my homemade pesto!
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This is the Easiest Pasta Salad Recipe!
This is a tortellini pasta salad that’s loaded with fresh flavors from pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and green peas. And wait until you see how easy it is to make – you’ll want to make it for all the summer potlucks and BBQs.
In the time it takes to cook the tortellini you can have the entire pasta salad ready to serve. It’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
I love to use tortellini in pasta salads. It adds texture, flavor and if you use cheese tortellini it makes this dish a great vegetarian side dish for parties. In fact, if I had to choose, I think I could go without all other pasta and just live on tortellini!
But I digress… let me show you how to make this easy pasta salad with tortellini. I think you’re going to love it.
Ingredients for Tortellini Pesto Salad
- Frozen cheese tortellini: Or use your favorite flavor and brand.
- Thawed frozen peas: I love the addition of green the peas bring to the salad.
- Prepared pesto: Or use my homemade recipe!
- Jarred julienned sun-dried tomatoes: Use the ones packed in oil. Be sure to drain them – you can also buy whole ones in the jar and slice.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese: Shred your own or use pre-shredded – not the green can but the actual cheese.
- Pine nuts: Can omit – they’re expensive – but I love the crunch!
Perfect Basil Pesto
This easy homemade basil pesto sauce is the perfect from scratch recipe! My ultimate pesto recipe is so easy to make and adds so much flavor to so many recipes. If food could be a perfume, I’d want this one. Best Recipe for Basil Pesto Classic Pesto Sauce is a game changer: it’s one of…
How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad
Are you ready for this? I wasn’t kidding when I said it was easy…
- Boil the tortellini according to package directions. In the last two minutes of the cooking time, add the peas to warm them up. Drain the pasta and peas.
- Place the tortellini in a large bowl and toss it with the pesto. Leave it to sit for a minute or so until the pasta cools off.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, and pine nuts. Give it a good toss and that’s it!
Make this pesto tortellini salad for dinner or make it for your next potluck. Either way, I’m sure you will make everyone very happy if you do!
Other recipes to try:
Pesto Pasta Salad with Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1 19 ounce bag frozen cheese tortellini
- 2 cups frozen peas thawed
- ½ cup prepared pesto see note
- 1 8 ounce jar julienned sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pine nuts
Instructions
- Cook tortellini according to package directions. During the last 2 minutes of cooking time add the frozen peas to heat them up. Drain well.
- Toss with pesto. Let the past cool.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and pine nuts. Toss and serve cold.
- Store in refrigerator. Good for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
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We love Pesto Pasta Salad with tortellini all year long! This easy recipe with peas and sundried tomatoes is a cold pasta salad with basil pesto. Add chicken for a well rounded meal!
Last Updated on June 24, 2022
Hi, I’m wondering what a reasonable substitute for the pine nuts might be? Thanks.
I’ve used walnuts in pesto!
I love that this is a last minute recipe! I feel like so many need time for the flavors to meld, so I like that this is boil and go!
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