Tortellini Salad with Cheddar, Mozzarella, Pepperoni, and Fresh Vegetables Recipe
This vibrant and flavorful Tortellini Salad combines tender cheese-filled pasta with colorful bell peppers, juicy cherry tomatoes, savory pepperoni, and fresh basil, all tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for a quick lunch, potluck, or picnic, it can be served immediately or chilled for a refreshing, make-ahead meal.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese
- 16 oz tortellini
- 4 oz cheddar cheese, cubed
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
Vegetables
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Meat and Dressing
- 8 oz pepperoni slices
- 1 cup Italian dressing
Instructions
- Cook the Tortellini: Prepare the tortellini according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to cool the pasta and stop the cooking process. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Prep and Combine Ingredients: While the pasta cooks, dice the green and red bell peppers, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely dice the red onion, cube the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, and chop the fresh basil. Add all these ingredients along with the pepperoni slices to the bowl with the tortellini.
- Add Dressing and Toss: Pour the Italian dressing over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly to evenly coat all ingredients in the dressing.
- Serve or Chill: The salad can be served immediately for a fresh, room temperature dish or chilled in the refrigerator before serving for a cool, refreshing salad. Toss again before serving to redistribute the dressing. Enjoy your delicious Tortellini Salad!
Notes
- Use your favorite Italian dressing or make your own for a personalized flavor.
- The salad can be made a few hours ahead and chilled to enhance flavors.
- Add olives or cucumbers for extra crunch and taste variations.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the pepperoni or substitute with vegetarian pepperoni slices.
- Ensure tortellini is well chilled before adding dressing to prevent wilting of fresh vegetables.
Keywords: tortellini salad, Italian pasta salad, easy salad recipe, make ahead salad, cheese tortellini, summer salad
