How to Make the Best Pesto Pasta Salad with Cheese Tortellini

If you’re looking for an easy and flavorful dish to serve at a party or a family dinner, this Pesto Pasta Salad with Tortellini is the perfect choice! It’s a great side dish for any occasion, whether it’s a summer BBQ, potluck, or weeknight meal. This simple pasta salad is packed with fresh basil pesto, cheese tortellini, sun-dried tomatoes, and green peas. Best of all, it’s quick to prepare and can be made in under 30 minutes!

In this article, we’ll walk you through the ingredients and steps to make this easy pesto pasta salad. You’ll also learn how long the salad lasts and why it’s such a hit among family and friends. Let’s dive into the recipe!

The Easiest Pesto Pasta Salad

This pesto pasta salad is perfect for summer parties, BBQs, or casual dinners. The tortellini adds a delicious texture, while the pesto gives the dish a rich, fresh flavor. You’ll love how quickly this salad comes together – it’s ready to serve in less than 30 minutes!

Using cheese tortellini makes this pasta salad a great vegetarian option, and the addition of peas and sun-dried tomatoes adds color and a burst of flavor. Plus, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a couple of days, so it’s great for meal prep too!

Ingredients for Pesto Tortellini Salad

Here’s what you’ll need to make this quick and tasty pesto pasta salad:

• Frozen cheese tortellini: You can use your favorite brand and flavor. Cheese tortellini works best in this recipe, but feel free to get creative with other flavors if you like.
• Thawed frozen peas: These green peas add a pop of color and freshness to the dish.
• Prepared pesto: Use store-bought pesto, or make your own homemade basil pesto for an extra burst of flavor.
• Jarred sun-dried tomatoes: These tomatoes, packed in oil, bring a tangy, rich flavor to the salad. Be sure to drain them before using.
• Shredded Parmesan cheese: For that cheesy goodness! Freshly shredded cheese is always best, but pre-shredded works too.
• Pine nuts: While these are optional due to their high cost, they add a nice crunch to the salad.

How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad

This pesto tortellini pasta salad is incredibly easy to make! Here’s how you can prepare it in just a few simple steps:

1. Cook the tortellini: Start by boiling the tortellini according to the package directions. In the last two minutes of the cooking time, add the peas to warm them up.
2. Drain and cool: Once the tortellini and peas are cooked, drain them and let them cool for a minute or two. This will prevent the pesto from wilting when mixed in.
3. Mix with pesto: In a large bowl, toss the cooled tortellini with pesto. Let it sit for a minute to absorb all that flavor.
4. Add the toppings: Now, add the sun-dried tomatoes, shredded Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts. Toss everything together until well combined.
5. Chill and serve: For best results, chill the salad in the fridge for about an hour before serving. The flavors will develop even more as it sits. You can also prepare the salad up to a day in advance.

How Long Does This Salad Last?

If you’re planning to make this pesto tortellini salad ahead of time, you’ll be happy to know it keeps well in the fridge for up to three days. I recommend making it at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. If the pasta salad dries out a little after sitting in the fridge, just toss it with a little more pesto to bring it back to life.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This pesto tortellini salad is a fan favorite because it’s so easy to make, tastes amazing, and can be served as a side dish or main course. It’s perfect for vegetarians, and the combination of creamy pesto, chewy tortellini, and tangy sun-dried tomatoes will have everyone asking for the recipe. You can make it ahead of time and even store it in the fridge for a few days, making it great for meal prep.

Whether you’re having a BBQ, potluck, or just a casual family dinner, this pesto tortellini salad will be a hit. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to make it again and again!

Purple Basil LLC

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