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Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad is the perfect simple dinner or potluck dish! It’s like a pasta salad but made with cheese tortellini, basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts! It’s a hearty pesto pasta salad that I can never stop eating.

A bowl of tortellini pasta mixed with pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. The dish is garnished with grated cheese. In the background, there are wooden serving utensils and small bowls containing grated cheese and pesto.

I think I could live on tortellini…especially with my homemade pesto! Making a Tortellini Salad with pesto is SO simple – it’s done in less than 30 minutes. I make this every time I have a party and sometimes I just keep it in the fridge for quick lunches or dinners all summer long.

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!

Top view of ingredients for a pasta dish on a gray surface. Includes a Buitoni Three Cheese Tortellini package, grated cheese in a bowl, sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl, pesto in a bowl, peas, and pine nuts. Labels identify each item.

Ingredient Notes

  • Tortellini – Use your favorite brand, fresh tortellini or frozen. I’ll usually use whatever is on sale. The only difference between fresh and frozen tortellini is the cook time.
  • Toppings – I add chopped sun-dried tomatoes (drain the oil), pine nuts, and sometimes I’ll add thawed frozen peas. You could also add rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken breasts) to give it more protein. Add artichoke hearts or anything else you love!
  • You’ll need Pesto, of course. Use a jar or make my homemade pesto recipe.
A glass bowl filled with ingredients: sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, pesto, and grated cheese. The ingredients are arranged in separate sections, creating a colorful and textured display. The background is a gray surface.

Tortellini Salad with Pesto Tips

  1. Follow the package directions when cooking the pasta (every brand is different).
  2. Let the tortellini cool before making the salad. I’ll often add it to a bowl of ice water or run cold water on it to stop it from cooking after it’s done.
  3. I always add freshly grated parmesan to the salad. You can use pre-shredded, but don’t use the grated kind from the can.
  4. Add all the ingredients and toss to combine. That’s it!

How long does this salad last?

I like a cold pesto pasta salad, so I usually make it at least an hour in advance before serving it. Once I pull it out of the fridge, I just give it a few tosses and then it’s ready to serve.

I think it tastes better when it’s had a chance to sit in the fridge. It allows all of the flavors to develop. You can make it up to a day in advance and the leftovers will keep well for two to three days. If it dries out you can always add a little more pesto before you serve it.

A bowl of tortellini pasta mixed with pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. The dish is garnished with grated cheese. In the background, there are wooden serving utensils and small bowls containing grated cheese and pesto.

Pesto Pasta Salad with Tortellini

5 from 9 votes
Pesto Tortellini Salad is the perfect pasta salad! Filled with cheese tortellini and peas it’s coated with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes! Everyone always raves about this recipe!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Yield 8 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 19 ounce bag frozen cheese tortellini
  • 2 cups thawed frozen peas (optional; not pictured but delicious)
  • 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.
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Recipe Notes

Use more pesto (or less) for a stronger or milder flavor.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 9 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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5 Comments

  1. All the things I love, perfect pasta salad for the summer months ahead!! Thank you for the recipe!!

    Reply

  4. 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!

    Reply