Name: Summer Tortellini Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 20 oz. cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons; salt; black pepper; parmesan cheese, shaved (optional); fresh basil, roughly chopped (optional); 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted; 1/3 cup parmesan, shaved or grated; 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped; 3 cups basil leaves; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 tsp salt

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As the days get warmer, I leave my oven off as much as possible. I don’t want to heat up my kitchen if I don’t have to! I try to stick to stove top cooking, which includes a variety of pasta dishes. And one of my favorite summer pasta dishes is this tasty summer tortellini salad.

This recipe incorporates so many of my favorite summer ingredients, including tomatoes, zucchini, and fresh pesto. It’s bright, slightly spicy from the garlicky pesto, and loaded with hearty cheese tortellini. And the best part is that it comes together in less than 30 minutes!

close up of summer tortellini salad in white bowl

Because this is a summer pasta salad, feel free to substitute the tomatoes and zucchini with whatever summer produce is in your CSA box. Red peppers would be delicious here, as would green onions. Since we are on the topic of pasta, if you missed this article on The Bucatini Shortage of 2021, it’s a fascinating read!

Ingredients

20 oz. cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
salt
black pepper
parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)
fresh basil, roughly chopped (optional)

For the Walnut Pesto

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup parmesan, shaved or grated
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
3 cups basil leaves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

walnut pesto ingredients in food processor

Instructions for Summer Tortellini Salad

Cook the tortellini according to instructions on package. Drain well.
While tortellini is cooking, make the walnut pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, add walnuts, parmesan, and garlic, and pulse until finely ground. Scrape down sides of bowl, and add basil leaves. Mix for an additional minute. With motor on, slowly add olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and set aside.
Place cooked tortellini in a large bowl, and add tomatoes and zucchini.
Add pesto to bowl and mix until ingredients are well coated.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. If using shaved parmesan and fresh basil, add to bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. Transfer leftovers to an air-tight container and store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.

summer tortellini salad in a white bowl with red dish cloth next to bowl

Recipe Tips

Although this recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes, you can make the pesto ahead of time. Just store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For maximum flavor and texture, serve this pasta salad warm or at room temperature. It CAN be served cold, but the cheese tortellini becomes a bit too chewy and the flavor is muted by the cold temperature.
If freezing leftovers, place in a freezer-safe container and store for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw in refrigerator and use microwave to reheat.

white bowl with pasta salad with cherry tomatoes in background

More Pasta Recipe Ideas!

Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.