Pesto Tortellini Salad Recipe
This pesto tortellini salad is a bright, cheesy vegetarian pasta salad made with cheese tortellini, juicy tomatoes, zucchini, and homemade walnut pesto. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for an easy potluck, picnic, BBQ, or make-ahead lunch.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 457kcal
Ingredients
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- salt and black pepper
- parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)
- fresh basil, roughly chopped (optional)
For the Walnut Pesto
- ¼ cup walnuts, toasted
- ⅓ cup Parmesan, shaved or grated
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 3 cups basil leaves
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini according to al dente instructions on package. Cook it just until tender, or even 1 minute less than the package suggests, so it doesn’t become mushy once tossed with pesto. Drain well and rinse under cold water immediately.
- 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 chilled or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: You can make the tortellini and pesto up to 24 hours ahead of time. Just store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Don’t overcook the tortellini. Cook it just until tender, or even 1 minute less than the package suggests, so it doesn’t become mushy once tossed with pesto.
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Nutrition
Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 705mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1128IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 4mg
