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A bowl of pesto with tortellini.
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Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto

Cheese-y tortellini tossed with tomatoes, basil, arugula, pine nuts, mozarella pearls and covered in pesto sauce. Plus, you can make it in 20 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Entree, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: pasta recipe, pasta salad, pesto recipes
Servings: 6
Calories: 273kcal
Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

  • stockpot
  • mesh strainer
  • large serving bowl

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces cheese tortellini fresh or frozen
  • 1 ½ cups arugula
  • ½ pint cherry tomatoes halved, about 1 cup
  • 8 ounces mozzarella pearls drained *see Notes
  • ¾ cup pesto sauce store bought or see notes for home-made recipe
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

optional

  • fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

  • Cook the cheese pasta according to the package directions. Cooking times will vary.
  • Drain the tortellini and run it under cold water until it is no longer warm to the touch – about 30 seconds.
  • Add the pasta to a large serving bowl. Pour on the pesto and stir gently to coat the pasta.
  • Add the arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella and pine nuts. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • This pasta salad is equally delicious at room temperature as it is chilled.

Notes

  • Place your serving dish inside of a slightly larger dish filled with water, then place it in the freezer.
  • This will create a form-fitted sheet of ice around the serving dish. Serve the pesto tortellini salad in that serving dish. This guarantees that your tortellini with pesto will stay cold for a lot longer!
Recipe Variations:
  • Include some protein - Pesto with tortellini is a nice light meal as-is, especially during the summertime. 
  • For a lighter take without the pasta, our caprese pizza flatbread is a great choice — and it has a drizzle of balsamic glaze! Actually balsamic vinegar is a great way to introduce a bit of sweetness to tortellini pasta salad as well.
Home made pesto sauce ingredients: 
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice or ½ lemon
2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
2 ounces parmesean cheese, grated
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 
To the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender, add the pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice. Pulse about 10 times, until they are broken up.
Next, add the basil and parmesan to the processor bowl and pulse 10 times again, until the basil is broken into small pieces.
With the food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle in ⅓ cup olive oil. Taste the pesto and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Storing Instructions:
  • Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
  • This pasta salad is equally delicious at room temperature as it is chilled.