Tortellini Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Homemade Italian Dressing

• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Garlic Clove, grated or finely minced
• ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
• ¼ teaspoon Salt – we use kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
• Pinch Crushed Red Pepper, optional

Tortellini Salad

• 18 ounces Tortellini, we used a combination three cheese refrigerated tortellini
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 8 ounces Grape or Cherry tomatoes cut into halves or quarters depending on how large they are – or use one or two large tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, cut into small cubes
• 3 ounces Salami, sliced into thin strips
• 4 ounces Black Olives, pitted and sliced into rounds
• 2-3 tablespoons Sliced Onions, slice them as thin as possible – we used yellow onion

Instructions

Make the dressing first so the flavors have a chance to come together. Use a small canning jar, or other container with a tight fitting lid to mix the dressing. They are great for dressings and sauces like this stir fry sauce and chimichurri sauce.

Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to a small jar or container. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to mix. Refrigerate until ready to use. Give it a good shake right before using.

Cook the tortellini to package directions. Take care not to overcook them so they don’t get mushy. Drain completely and place them in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and use a silicone spatula to toss gently.

Give the tortellini a stir once in a while to let the steam escape; this will speed up the cooling process. Refrigerate it to cool completely.

Build the salad

When the pasta is cold, add the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, salami, black olives, onions and the dressing and toss together until completely coated.

Add as little or as much of the dressing as you’d like. Toss gently to prevent tearing the tortellini.

Make ahead and storing

You can put the salad together and cover it with a lid or plastic wrap. Make the dressing and store it in a jar or bowl with a tight fitting lid.

Don’t dress the salad until ready to serve and stir the dressing right before adding it in. It will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days. I don’t recommend freezing it. The tortellini, cheese and tomatoes won’t hold up well.