Description
A flavorful and hearty pasta salad with cheese‑filled tortellini, Tuscan ingredients like sun‑dried tomatoes, olives, salami, fresh basil, and a sweet balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 20 oz cheese‑filled tortellini
- 2 generous handfuls baby spinach
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomato halves
- 6‑8 oz Tuscan hard salami, thinly sliced
- 8 oz mozzarella pearls (or diced fresh mozzarella)
- 5‑6 oz Italian olive blend, pitted and halved
- 1/3 cup sun‑dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced
- ¾ cup Tuscan 3‑cheese blend (e.g. Parmesan, Asiago, Romano)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- Dressing: ½ cup olive oil; 1/3 cup balsamic glaze; 1‑2 cloves garlic, grated; 1½ tsp Italian seasoning; ½ tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ¼‑½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, drain well.
- While tortellini cooks, prepare the dressing: in a jar or bowl combine olive oil, balsamic glaze, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Shake or whisk well.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled tortellini. Pour about half of the dressing over the tortellini and toss to coat.
- Add baby spinach, tomato halves, salami slices, mozzarella pearls, olives, sun‑dried tomatoes, cheese blend, and basil leaves. Gently toss everything together, adding more dressing if needed.
- Adjust seasoning to taste (salt, pepper). Garnish with extra basil, if desired.
- Serve immediately, or chill in refrigerator for a few hours to let flavors meld. Before serving, toss again and optionally drizzle a bit more dressing.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh mozzarella cubes if pearls are not available.
- If sun‑dried tomatoes come dry, soak briefly in hot water or oil to soften.
- For a lighter version, omit or reduce the salami and use low‑fat cheese.
- The salad is best if made a few hours ahead, but spinach may wilt if stored too long; add fresh basil just before serving.
- You can vary the olives to your taste (black, green, kalamata, etc.).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¾ cup
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 772 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg
