Tortellini Caprese Salad

Name: Tortellini Caprese Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 22 oz tortellini; 1 cup colorful grape tomatoes, halved; 1 bunch asparagus; 8 oz mozzarella cheese, chopped; 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped; 3 tbsp olive oil (separated); 2 tbsp balsamic glaze; 1 tsp Italian seasoning; salt; pepper

by Kayla Berman on Mar 8, 2022 (updated May 3, 2022) 0 comments

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Tortellini Caprese Salad is the perfect summer side dish for your next picnic, potluck, or party! Made with cheese stuffed tortellini, fresh mozzarella, colorful tomatoes, asparagus, and balsamic glaze … this cold pasta salad can be tossed together in about 30 minutes. It’s quick, easy, and can be enjoyed as a full meal too!

Looking for more caprese recipes? Check out my Chicken Caprese Pasta, Caprese Burrata, and Hasselback Caprese Salad.

Ingredients needed…

Tortellini Caprese Salad calls for simple, fresh, and delicious ingredients. Your caprese classics, cheese stuffed tortellini, and asparagus too!

Tortellini: Tortellini is the perfect base for all the other ingredients here! You’ll need 22 oz of this delicious cheese stuffed pasta.
Mozzarella: Add 8 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese to this recipe. So yummy!
Asparagus: Asparagus is a great vegetable addition to this pasta salad. 1 bunch is all you need.
Tomatoes: Colorful grape tomatoes add a delicious taste, crunchy texture, and beautiful look to Tortellini Caprese Salad. You’ll need 1 cup!
Fresh Basil: My favorite addition here is fresh basil. The use of fresh herbs simply elevates any dish to a whole new level. Add 2 tbsp!
Olive Oil: You will need a total of 3 tbsp olive oil in this recipe. 1 tbsp is used to sauté the asparagus and 2 tbsp are used to dress the salad!
Balsamic Glaze: 2 tbsp of balsamic glaze is also used to dress the salad. It’s sweet, flavorful, and tasy!
Italian Seasoning: For extra flavor, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning!
Salt & Pepper: Lastly, add salt and pepper to taste.

How to make Tortellini Caprese Salad…

Pasta salads are one of my favorite recipes to make because they are just so dang easy! You simply prepare your ingredients, add a dressing of sorts, and toss together. And this one is no different!

You can throw this recipe together in less than 30 minutes as the perfect side for your next picnic or potluck. It’s the best!

Start by sautéing the asparagus on the stove in a large pan with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes. Then chop into bite sized chunks.
Next boil the tortellini according to the package instructions.
Then allow the tortellini and asparagus to cool.
Add the cooled tortellini and asparagus to a large mixing bowl with the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, olive oil (2 tbsp), balsamic glaze, and Italian seasoning. Toss to combine and add salt & pepper to taste.
Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Enjoy!

Tortellini Pasta Salad tips…

Follow the tips below for the perfect Summer Tortellini Pasta Salad each and every time:

Let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving – It lets all the delicious flavors develop!
Season to your liking – Add however much salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and balsamic glaze tastes good to you.
Start with cooking the tortellini and asparagus – So they’ll be fully cooled when combined with the other ingredients!
Add more balsamic & olive oil as needed after sitting in the fridge

Swaps or Customizations to this recipe…

Another reason why I love pasta salads, besides being so easy, is how customizable they are! You can pretty much add or takeaway any ingredients you like or dislike. Here are some of my ideas on how to customize this tortellini salad!

More veggies – Feel free to toss in extra vegetables to this salad. Broccoli or peppers would be great choices!
Add a protein source – Like grilled chicken or chickpeas if you’re vegetarian.
Use a different pasta – Of course this is a tortellini salad recipe, but you could alternatively use any regular pasta shape you’d like.
Balsamic vinaigrette – You could swap the olive oil and balsamic glaze in this recipe for a store bought balsamic vinaigrette. It makes this salad even simpler than it already is!

Serving Summer Tortellini Salad…

Tortellini Caprese Salad is the perfect summer side dish to serve at a picnic, potluck, or party! This recipe makes quite a large amount, so it is great for a crowd. It’s sure to impress too!

This tortellini salad is best served the day of, but you could also meal prep it and enjoy throughout the week as an easy lunch or weeknight dinner side.

How to store Tortellini Caprese Salad…

Store Tortellini Caprese Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay most fresh and delicious for 5 days!

Love this recipe? Check out more delicious pasta salads below…

Connect with me!

If you make Tortellini Caprese Salad or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

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