This Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad is a vibrant, flavor-packed twist on a classic side dish. With cheesy tortellini, fresh vegetables, olives, and crumbled feta tossed in a zesty homemade vinaigrette, it’s a perfect dish for cookouts, lunches, or to serve as an easy summer dinner.
Pasta Salad is like a go-to for me when I’m making something to take to parties. This pasta salad is great to add to your pasta salad rotation along with the classics like Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad and Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad.
Why You Need This Pasta Salad
This easy Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe is refreshing with the homemade zesty Italian dressing and filling with the cheese-filled tortellini. It’s simple to toss together with only 20 minutes of prep and is packed full of fresh veggies. This salad is a great side dish for summer barbecues or potlucks, like my Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad.
Let’s Gather The Ingredients
- Tortellini pasta: Fresh or frozen will work.
- Veggies: cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, chopped canned artichoke hearts, sliced olives, and sliced red onion.
- Feta cheese: You can also use shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Herbs: fresh chopped dill, fresh ground black pepper, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, and salt. You could add a pinch of optional red pepper flakes
- Lemon juice
- Condiments: Olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard
- Sugar: Tones down the acidity.
How To Make Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Step 1: Bring water to a rolling boil in a large pot and cook tortellini according to the directions on the package. Set aside. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to mix.
- Step 2: Combine tortellini, tomatoes, cucumbers, artichokes, olives, onion, and half of the feta cheese in a large bowl. Pour the homemade dressing mixture from the small bowl over the ingredients in the large bowl.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to let the tortellini cool completely before adding it so it doesn’t wilt the vegetables or melt the cheese.
- For best results and best flavor, store in a large bowl in the fridge for a minimum of two hours before serving.
- Add more seasonal vegetables like bell peppers, spinach, fire-roasted red peppers, or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add some more texture and top with toasted pine nuts or other nuts before serving.
\Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
- 20 ounce package fresh cheese tortellini pasta found in deli section
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 1/2 cups cucumbers chopped
- 1 cup canned artichokes hearts chopped
- 1 15 oz can olives sliced in half
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- Fresh ground pepper
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 3-4 tablespoons white sugar or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- juice on 1 lemon
- Pinch of red pepper optional
Instructions
-
Cook tortellini according to package directions and set aside
-
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
-
In a large bowl combine tortellini, tomatoes, cucumbers, artichokes, olives, onion, and 1/2 of the feta cheese. Pour dressing over the top and mix until combined. Sprinkle with remaining feta cheese and chopped dill.
-
Chill until ready to use, I recommend about 2 hours!
