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Home » Blog » Side Dish Recipes » Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

Cathy Roma Published: Sep 9, 2020

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Pesto tortellini pasta salad is a quick and easy side dish that whips up in minutes making it ideal for potlucks or weeknight meals.
Overhead shot of Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad all ready to be served.

Sure, the unofficial fall season is upon us, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up our easy pasta salads like this pesto tortellini pasta salad just yet. I mean, with back to school and back to work in full force, isn’t this the best time to make quick, easy, and tasty dishes the focus of our menus?

Well this pasta salad is just that.

Quick…15 minutes start to finish. For real.

Easy…under 10 ingredients and nothing that’s hard to find.

Tasty…well obviously! Freshly cooked pasta, veggies at their peak, and a creamy pesto dressing that is tangy and well seasoned.

Creamy pesto yogurt dressing is tossed with tortellini in this pasta salad.

Honestly, the most laborious thing about this recipe is cooking and draining the tortellini. I even use store-bought pesto to make it super easy. I love the vibrant green from the pesto and the peas in contrast to the juicy red tomatoes.

The dressing is creamy and tangy, without feeling heavy. This is because I use plain yogurt with just a little mayo, but sour cream can be substituted in a pinch.

Close up of Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad with tomatoes and peas.

I’m hanging on to my summery sides for a little longer and I’ll be sure to keep this recipe in my repertoire straight through the fall. Pumpkins can wait!

Let’s make pesto tortellini pasta salad

Step by step photos showing how to make Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad. Gather salad ingredients in a bowl (1), gather dressing ingredients in a bowl (2), whip up the dressing (3), toss everything together and serve (4).
  1. Combine the cooked tortellini, chopped tomatoes and peas in a large bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, mayo, pesto, parmesan and sprinkle of salt and pepper.
  3. Whisk the dressing well to combine and adjust the seasoning.
  4. Add the yogurt dressing to the tortellini mixture and toss well. Serve.

Tips for success

  • Use tortellini that is still a little warm (cooled only slightly after draining) so it can  better absorb the dressing.
  • Either fresh or frozen peas work well in this recipe. No need to cook them first, just toss them in with the tortellini.
  • Greek yogurt makes this pasta salad super creamy and tangy, without being overly mayonnaise-y.
  • Store-bought pesto dressing is readily available, but if you have an abundance of basil in your garden make your own. Simply blend a bunch of fresh basil with a handful of pine nuts, a couple cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and a glug (about 1/4 cup) of olive oil.
Dig into this Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad garnished with fresh basil and tomatoes.

More tasty side dish salads

  • Shrimp Salad
  • Tex-Mex Pasta Salad
  • Classic Macaroni Salad
  • Italian Pasta Salad
  • Greek Farro Salad
5 from 1 vote
Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad on a large oval wood platter garnished with fresh basil.
Print
Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Pesto tortellini pasta salad is a quick and easy side dish that whips up in minutes making it ideal for potlucks or weeknight meals.

Course: Side Dish/Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pasta salad, pesto tortellini
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 448 kcal
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For…
Ingredients
  • 2 10 oz packages cheese tortellini, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup pesto, store-bought or homeamde
  • 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
  • kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. After cooking the tortellini according to the package directions, drain and allow to cool slightly. Combine with the tomatoes and peas.

    Tomatoes, peas and tortellini in a bowl to make Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients for the dressing.

    Yogurt dressing ingredients in a bowl to make Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad.
  3. Whisk the dressing together well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Pesto dressing whipped up for Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
  4. Add the dressing to the tortellini mixture and toss well to combine.

    Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad on a large oval wood platter garnished with fresh basil.
Recipe Notes
  • Use tortellini that is still a little warm (cooled only slightly after draining) so it can  better absorb the dressing.
  • Either fresh or frozen peas work well in this recipe. No need to cook them first, just toss them in with the tortellini.
  • Greek yogurt makes this pasta salad super creamy and tangy, without being overly mayonnaise-y.
  • Store-bought pesto dressing is readily available, but if you have an abundance of basil in your garden make your own. Simply blend a bunch of fresh basil with a handful of pine nuts, a couple cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and a glug (about 1/4 cup) of olive oil.
Nutrition Facts
Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 448 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 42mg14%
Sodium 667mg29%
Potassium 171mg5%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 926IU19%
Vitamin C 15mg18%
Calcium 214mg21%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
12

Recipe, Salad Recipes, Side Dish Recipes pesto dressing, tortellini pasta salad, pasta, pesto pasta, pesto, yogurt dressing., salad, yogurt pesto, side dish, summer, tortellini, pasta salad, summer side

About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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Comments

  1. Jessamyn says

    July 22, 2022 at 6:04 am

    5 stars
    I put sour cream and a bit of oat milk in instead of yogurt. It was so good I haven’t tried the yogurt yet but I’m sure that is so good too. Or mabey better well will see☺️ I also added big grated parmesan and fresh matzarella cheese chunks. It was so yummy. Thank you for this delish resapie.

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HEY THERE, I’M CATHY.

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

Learn More about Cathy

Subscribe now to receive my exclusive guide of How to Stock a Pantry delivered straight to your inbox!

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