Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad is light, refreshing and so quick to put together it is the perfect side dish to bring to any of your summer backyard parties. Creamy, tangy with a bit of pine nut crunch, this Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad will be your favorite cold pasta salad to share with family and friends.
Are you ready to knock your friends and family off their feet? This Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad is so ridiculously delicious that you will send shock waves around the world when you serve this up at your next summer party!!!!!! Okay, that part may be a bit of an exaggeration (not really) but I promise everyone will be begging you for this recipe!
If there is one food that that is my guilty pleasure it is cheese. And if you hop-scotch down the road from that and combine it with my second favorite food on this planet, which is pasta, you have cheese tortellini which I absolutely love and if I could legitimately put it in EVERYTHING, including my cereal, I probably would. Those tender pasta pillows of cheesy goodness just make This Girl ..happy ..happy ..happy.
So why not use cheese tortellini with something more than just marinara sauce? Everyone knows that summertime is the time for outside grilling, pool parties and backyard barbecues. Why not bring a summer pasta salad to your next party that is fresh and exciting and a little bit different than the normal fare like this super easy, super tasty Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad. Don’t get me wrong, I love all foods that are summer! It’s safe to say that for most parties, I’m usually just there for the food.
Just kidding. Maybe.
DO YOU COOK THE TORTELLINI FOR THE GREEK TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD?
Yes, you want to cook the tortellini for your Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad. Your salad will have a light vinaigrette dressing so you want to make sure to only cook your tortellini to al dente or so that it has a slight chew to it. You don’t want to overcook your tortellini so that it doesn’t get mushy.
DO YOU RINSE PASTA FOR COLD PASTA SALAD?
When pasta is being used for a cold salad, pasta should always be rinsed after cooking. By rinsing your pasta in cold water, it brings the temperature of the pasta down and will stop the cooking process. This is not favorable when using pasta for a hot dish but is ideal for using pasta in cold pasta salads.
HOW DO YOU MAKE GREEK TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD?
Easy! To make your Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad, start by bringing large pot of salted water to boil and cooking tortellini per manufacturers instructions. Drain pasta when cooked and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a large serving / mixing bowl. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, lightly toast pine nuts until lightly browned, tossing and stirring constantly, then remove from heat and set aside. Then in a small bowl, add lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and salt and whisk together. Add in remaining ingredients for Lemon Vinaigrette and whisk until all have been incorporated. Pour vinaigrette over pasta along with spinach, Parmesan, feta cheese, halved tomatoes and the toasted pine nuts. Check to see if you wish to add more salt and pepper. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. When ready to serve, squeeze a bit of extra lemon on top and serve immediately.
Seriously, this Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad is so fun, so pretty, so delicious! But I have to confess, I wrestled back and forth on whether this recipe idea should be a quick weeknight dinner or a cold summer salad and ultimately the summer salad won. That doesn’t mean that this Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad couldn’t also double for that mid-week dinner or be perfect for Meatless Monday.. give it a try. Cold or hot, this Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad is light, refreshing and so quick to put together, you will be the King / Queen of Summertime with no effort at all.
As if it could be any other way!
Looking for more summer favorites? Don’t forget to try my Loaded Potato Salad, my Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni or my BBQ Spicy Orange Chicken.. they are all perfect for summer!
ENJOY!!
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Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 38 oz frozen cheese tortellini
- 3 - 4 cup fresh spinach leaves torn or chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 5 oz pine nuts toasted
- salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Vinaigrette
- zest of one lemon
- 3 tbl lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 tbl olive oil
- 2 tbl vinegar
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Start by bringing large pot of salted water to boil and cooking tortellini per manufacturers instructions
- Drain pasta when cooked and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a large serving / mixing bowl
- In a small saucepan over medium high heat, lightly toast pine nuts until lightly browned, tossing and stirring constantly, then remove from heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and salt and whisk together. Add in remaining ingredients for Lemon Vinaigrette and whisk until all have been incorporated.
- Pour vinaigrette over pasta along with spinach, Parmesan, feta cheese, halved tomatoes and the toasted pine nuts. Check to see if you wish to add more salt / pepper.
- Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- When ready to serve, squeeze a bit of extra lemon on top and serve immediately.
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