This pasta salad is packed with cheesy tortellini, salami, fresh vegetables, and fresh mozzarella. It’s all topped off with our delicious homemade Italian dressing that’s so easy to put together, that you’ll wonder why you’ve ever used store-bought!

For a different take on the same flavors, try our Orzo Italian Pasta Salad.

Why Our Recipe

  • Filling enough to be the main dish, or served up as a side dish.
  • Homemade Italian dressing that’s quick and easy to make, and oh-so delicious.
  • Keeps well which is great for leftovers, make-ahead options, and meal prep.
A large bowl of pasta salad showing its delicious combination of ingredients.

The dressing is what really takes this cold tortellini pasta salad up a notch. You can, of course, use store-bought if you’d like, but our dressing recipe is oh-so-easy to pull together — and it’s full of freshness! This pasta salad is so filling that it can be served as a meal on its own. It also makes a great barbecue or potluck dish.

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients for tortellini pasta salad are laid out on a table.
  • Cheese Tortellini: You can use the fresh, refrigerated kind, the frozen variety, or the dried option in boxes found with the other pasta. Follow the directions on the package to determine the cooking time.
  • Fresh Mini Mozzarella Balls: The item you are looking for may be called mini mozzarella balls, bocconcini, or mozzarella pearls. Other great cheeses are diced block mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and cheddar.
  • Olives: the sliced black olives in a can are a great option, or you could go green.
  • Salami: You can also mix and match your proteins in our cold tortellini pasta salad recipe. Here are a few ideas to inspire you: Grilled chicken, Steak, Chickpeas, Tuna.
  • Vegetables: We prefer our Italian-style variety, but you can get creative with different vegetables. Try cucumber, red or yellow bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or asparagus. 
  • Red Onion: Can use sliced green onions if red is still too strong.
  • Pepperoncinis: You could also substitute with banana peppers.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes also work and you can use red or yellow.
  • Salad Dressing: You can make your dressing with fresh herbs over dried. You’ll want to use one tablespoon of finely minced fresh herbs for every teaspoon of dried herbs the recipe calls for.

Tortellini Options

When it comes to making that shopping list or grocery order, you might notice that there are three options to choose from when it comes to tortellini. In addition, you start to see some flavor options too.

Fresh Tortellini: These are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store in a plastic container rather than a bag. They are typically sold in quantities of 9 ounces and 20 ounces. This recipe calls for 20 ounces, but 18 ounces would be sufficient These end up having the best texture of all your options, but they are also the most expensive. Follow the package directions for cooking times, typically a few minutes in boiling water.

Frozen Tortellini: These tend to be more affordable than fresh and are typically sold in bags of 19 ounces, or up to 3 pounds. While this recipe calls for 20 ounces, 19 ounces would be sufficient. These tend to end up mushier than fresh or dried, so be sure not to overcook and follow the package directions for al dente.

Dried Tortellini: These are found in the pasta aisle and are the most affordable of all of the options. It’s a bit more shelf-stable and can be a lifesaver for impromptu dinners. Cooking times are usually a bit longer than fresh or frozen, so follow the instructions on the box to ensure your tortellini is perfectly al dente.

Flavors and Colors: Within all of these options you’ll also find various flavors of tortellini—cheese, spinach and cheese, cheese and tomato, etc—as well as colors of pasta, particularly green and tri-color. Any and all of these can be used.

A small bowl of tortellini pasta salad.

Pasta Tip: Preventing Clumping

There are two things that you can do to prevent your pasta from sticking together. First, remember to rinse your tortellini with cold water as soon as you remove it from the boiling water. Next, before you start adding the other ingredients, pour half of the dressing into a bowl with the pasta and mix. Only then should you start adding in the cheese, salami, and veggies. The added moisture from the oil in the dressing will prevent it from sticking!

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can make this cold tortellini pasta salad up to one day in advance. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and store in the refrigerator The salad will absorb more flavor from your dressing if you let the pasta sit for at least an hour before serving.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate tortellini pasta salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. After three days the vegetables will not have the same crisp texture.

More delicious pasta salads…