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zesty italian tortellini pasta salad in a glass bowl with serving spoon.

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5 from 3 reviews

Zesty Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad

Recipe by Danielle

This Zesty Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad is packed with bell peppers, cucumber, pepperoncinis, and cheese tortellini tossed in a simple lemon Italian dressing. Everyone will enjoy this vegetarian make-ahead friendly cold pasta salad!

  • Total Time25 minutes
  • Yield6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (9-10 ounce) package cheese tortellini
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (approx. 1/2 lemon)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 medium cucumber, stripe peeled & cut into quarter rounds
  • 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 yellow or red bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup jarred pepperoncini peppers, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 red onion, diced

Instructions

  1. Cook the tortellini: Heat 4 quarts of water in a large pot over high heat. Cook the tortellini (9-10 ounce package) based on package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and bring to room temperature. Set aside to cool while you prep the remaining ingredients.
  2. Make the dressing: In a mason jar with lid or small bowl, combine the olive oil (1/4 cup), lemon juice (2 tablespoons), red wine vinegar (1 tablespoon), Italian seasoning (1 1/2 teaspoons), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Put the lid on and shake it up or whisk until combined.
  3. Assemble salad: To a large bowl, add the cucumbers (1, stripe peeled & cut into quarter rounds), bell peppers (2, deseeded and roughly chopped), pepperoncini peppers (1/4 cup, roughly chopped), red onion (1/4, diced), and cooked tortellini. Pour the dressing over the veggies and tortellini, then gently toss to combine. Top with additional fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste, plus additional lemon juice if you prefer.
  4. Serve and store: Serve immediately or chill for at least 2 hours for a cold pasta salad. This is a great side dish or cold lunch to make ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Briefly stir before enjoying from the fridge to remix any dressing that has settled at the bottom of the bowl.

Equipment

(affiliate link!)

Notes

Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.

  • Prep Time: 18 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Category: Sides
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 heaping cup
  • Calories: 226
  • Fat: 13g
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Protein: 7g

Find it online: https://staging.projectmealplan.com/zesty-italian-tortellini-pasta-salad/