June 2025
This fast and easy summer tortellini salad is a recipe you’ll want to have on repeat all summer. Made with fresh cheese tortellini; crisp, colorful, seasonal vegetables; and a simple pesto vinaigrette dressing, it’s a light, vegetarian dinner or a satisfying side salad to share at a cookout. Serve this warm or cold or personalize it with other vegetables from your garden.
Ingredients
- 20-ounce package of fresh cheese tortellini (from the refrigerated pasta section)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups broccoli florets (small, bite-sized pieces)
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Tools
- A large saucepan to cook the tortellini
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Chef’s knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
Instructions
1. Fill a large saucepan with three quarts of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water.
2. Add the tortellini to the boiling water and cook for three to four minutes or until it floats to the top and is tender. Add the broccoli florets and let them cook with the pasta for about 30 seconds. The broccoli should still be bright green and fairly crisp.
3. Drain the tortellini and broccoli in a colander and rinse them with cold water. Place them in a large mixing bowl and set them aside to cool.
4. Dice the raw zucchini into small, bite-sized pieces, about 1/2-inch square. You don’t have to peel it. Add the diced zucchini to the bowl with the tortellini and broccoli.
5. Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size. Add these to the bowl.
6. Add the minced red onion and sliced olives to the bowl.
7. In a small mixing bowl, combine the pesto, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Stir it well and pour the dressing over the salad.
8. Gently toss everything to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate the salad until ready to serve.
Kids Can!
- Measure the ingredients
- Stir the dressing
- Toss the salad
