Tortellini Salad

this …

I'm a fan of Tortellini, the filled pasta 'bundles' that you find in the chilled section of the supermarket. They usually have a pretty long shelf life and will sit, without drama, in the fridge for quite some time, ready to be put to use as a delicious and easy dinner solution.

I love this Big Hearty Pasta Soup which always delivers comfort and gorgeousness in spades. And this Harissa Ravioli (despite its confusing recipe name because these days, I almost always use Tortellini!) is as easy as it is stylish and delicious.

But how about a Tortellini dish especially for the summer months? I came across this delicious Tortellini Salad on the Love and Lemons blog and have tweaked it for your delectation. The tortellini is combined with juicy tomatoes, white beans and artichoke hearts and tossed with a light vinaigrette dressing. A garnish of basil and Parmesan is the final flourish. It's ideal for a prepare-ahead lunch, a picnic, a lunchbox or a light, easy dinner on a warm day ♡

What do you need to make this gorgeous summer salad?

• Tortellini - you'll find it in the chilled section at the supermarket. Choose the flavour that you like - I went for Pesto but there are also varieties that are cheese heavy or ones that contain meat. I believe that you can also find vegan tortellini which may be helpful.
• Vinaigrette dressing - it's easy to make your own and tastes lighter and fresher but for ease and speed, you could replace the dressing with something shop-bought.

• Cherry tomatoes - I think this salad is particularly pretty made with a variety of tomato colours, but it definitely isn't essential
• Artichoke hearts - from a can or jar, drained and roughly chopped
• Red onion - either fresh and sliced or use a few slices from a jar of Lime Pickled Red Onions
• Baby spinach - or you could use some fresh rocket or even a bag of mixed salad leaves
• White beans - from a can. I used cannellini but butter beans would also work.
• Fresh basil - a few torn leaves to garnish

• Parmesan - sometimes I shave a little Parmesan over the salad.
• Chilli flakes - if you like a little heat, a sprinkle of chill flakes at the end is a great final flourish.

How to make this Tortellini Salad

1. Cook the Tortellini. Mine had a cooking time of 2 minutes (hallelujah) but I took it out a little earlier so that it wasn't at all mushy. I also chilled it quickly under the cold tap so that it didn't carry on cooking.
2. Next, make the vinaigrette dressing - combine everything in a lidded jar and shake it up. Taste for balance and seasoning and then it's ready to go.
3. Prepare the vegetables - slice the tomatoes, cut up the artichokes, slice up the red onion (or check in the fridge that you have some Lime Pickled Red Onions ready to use), grab a couple of handfuls of fresh baby spinach or rocket, open a can of white beans and drain and rinse them.
4. Now when you're ready to put everything together, mix the tortellini and the vegetables in a large bowl and toss through some of the dressing.
5. Garnish with some torn basil, a few shavings of Parmesan and a few chilli flakes (if you like it spicy)

What you'll love about this Tortellini Salad

• This is a light and tasty salad. You could serve it with some good bread to stretch it a little further if necessary.
• With the exception of the 2-minute boil for the tortellini, this salad is construction more than cooking.
• It's great for preparing ahead of time. I like to get all the parts ready and combine just before serving.
• Served on a large platter this looks impressive enough for guests.
• Leftovers fare well the next day, but I usually replace the salad leaves which may have gone a little limp under the influence of the dressing.

This Tortellini Salad really does give me 100% summer vibes. Just add something cool and/or sparkling to drink and some lovely people with whom to eat ♡

Print