Tortellini Pasta Salad
Pasta salads are my love language, especially during the summer months. They’re the ideal dish to meal prep for a busy week, and can be made in endless ways.
Tortellini pasta salad is a fun way to switch up your usual pasta, and adds the perfect heartiness to this meal. Cooked tortellini gets tossed with a mediterranean inspired salad and mixed together with a lemon za’atar dressing. The zesty dressing pairs so well with the salad ingredients and makes for a flavorful weekday meal.
We’ve been enjoying this dish all week for lunch and it gets better with each day, which is one of the reasons I love this recipe. The longer it sits, the more flavor is absorbed.
I love to top my bowl off with feta cheese, or serve it with baked salmon for a well-rounded dinner.
What you’ll need for tortellini pasta salad
- Tortellini– I love the addition of tortellini in this recipe, but you can substitute your favorite pasta variety
- Veggies: cucumbers, bell pepper and red onion
- Chickpeas, for a boost of protein and fiber
- Olives, for added flavor
- Homemade lemon za’atar dressing– made with olive oil, za’atar, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and some spices
Simply cook the pasta as instructed on the package, combine it with the diced veggies and herbs, then toss everything in your homemade dressing.
Storing and serving leftovers
This salad will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s a great make-ahead option for meal prep or gatherings.
To serve, you can eat it cold straight from the fridge, or let it sit out for 30 minutes before serving to reach room temperature.
This 30-minute recipe is so easy to make and loaded with flavor. You can customize it to your liking and serve it with your favorite side of protein. Check out some suggestions below.
What to serve with your tortellini pasta salad:
Lemon Herb Salmon Skewers
Falafel Veggie Burgers
Lemon Pesto Baked Cod
Tortellini Pasta Salad with Za’atar Dressing
Ingredients
- 10 oz tortellini, I used spinach tortellini
- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz), drained and rinsed
- 2 persian cucumbers
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/4 red onion
- 1/3 cup pitted olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Lemon Za’atar Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp za’atar
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
Directions
- Cook the tortellini as instructed on package. Drain and set aside.
- Dice the cucumbers, peppers and red onion and add them to a large salad bowl with the tortellini, chickpeas, sliced olives and parsley.
- Prepare the lemon za’atar dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar, and whisk or shake together until evenly incorporated.
- Pour the dressing over the tortellini salad and toss to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
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