Description
A vibrant and comforting pasta salad featuring tortellini, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, and a tangy dressing, perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb. refrigerated tortellini (any flavor)
- 8 oz. mozzarella (cubed)
- 4 oz. mini pepperoni
- 4 oz. sliced black olives
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 2 jarred roasted red peppers (diced; reserve the oil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil (for garnish)
- 3 tbsp. of the roasted red pepper oil
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Mix the fixings: In a medium-sized bowl, combine pepperoni, black olives, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and diced roasted red peppers. Gently fold in the cooled pasta.
- Prepare the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the reserved roasted red pepper oil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and grated Parmesan until combined. Adjust the flavors to your liking.
- Bring it all together: Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and stir gently to coat evenly.
- Chill and serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with torn basil leaves before serving.
Notes
For a vegan option, substitute tortellini with a plant-based version and skip the cheese. This salad tastes better the next day as flavors meld.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: pasta salad, tortellini salad, summer recipe, vegetarian salad