Easy Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe with Pesto and Arugula

Step up your summer pasta salad game with this easy Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto and Arugula. Grab your favourite store-bought fresh tortellini, peppery arugula, sweet cherry tomatoes, and creamy bocconcini cheese, and toss all of this together in an easy pesto dressing. This is a full-flavour salad that takes barely any effort. Make it a few hours ahead and let those flavours mingle—perfect for picnics, BBQs, or just an easy dinner on the patio.

If you are looking for more fresh, side dish style summer salads, you might also like this Grilled Potato Salad or this Cilantro and Orange Cabbage Slaw.

If you are a fan of pasta salads and filled pasta, like me! This is your new favourite summer salad. I confess that I love any kind of stuffed pasta. I also love pasta salad. Pasta in general makes me happy. So this salad makes me happy.

This tortellini pasta salad hits all the right notes. It's quick to make, full of flavour - pesto, arugula, pine nuts, and that yummy filled pasta. Perfect as a side dish to feed a crowd, perfect for summer gatherings.

How to make this salad

Cook your tortellini according to package directions. Don't overcook. Keep the tortellini al dente. I used fresh tortellini and it only takes a few minutes to cook to al dente - so check your package to be sure!

The pasta should be completely cooled and dry before tossing it with the other salad ingredients.

To dry the pasta, drain it in a colander, then gently transfer the pasta from the colander to a large bowl lined with paper towels. The paper towels will absorb the rest of the moisture while the pasta cools and you prepare the remaining ingredients. Toss the pasta around occasionally as it cools to knock off the excess water.

Chop some cherry tomatoes -- the sweeter the better!

Drain a container of bocconcini cheese balls and slice them in half.

Toss all of this with about ⅔ cup to a full cup of your favourite pesto. Squeeze some lemon, add toasted pine nuts, and a small box of arugula, maybe a little bit of fresh basil to highlight the basil in the pesto.

That is it! You are good to go.

Ingredients

Cheese-filled pasta. Use your favourite flavour and brand. For this pasta salad, with these flavours, stick to simple cheese-filled, perhaps cheese and spinach-filled, but keep it simple. Tortellini-shaped pasta is best as it is sturdy enough to hold up with being tossed with the other salad ingredients. I used a 600g package of fresh multi-coloured tortellini for this salad. If you use a slightly larger package of pasta, you will need a bit more pesto to cover all the ingredients adequately.

Bocconcini cheese balls. I love these little bite-sized chunks of soft mozzarella. For this salad, I like the mini bocconcini. Cut each bocconcini in half. You could also substitute your favourite mozzarella and dice it into bite-sized pieces. You will need about 1 cup.

Arugula. Arugula is my green of choice here. It is a bit bitter, and the leaves don't mind sitting in the dressing for a bit. The arugula will wilt the longer this salad sits, which is perfection the day it is made. After that, the salad gets a little too wilted for some. I don't mind this, and I am very happy to have leftover salad for my lunch the next day. But this is me! You will need a small box or a 142g package.

Pesto. Keep this pasta salad recipe as easy as possible, and grab your favourite brand. This is the main flavour, so make sure you love the pesto you choose. (My favourite is the PC Splendio brand, no kidding, I find it to be the best). You will need about ¾ cups, or just shy of the whole jar.

Lemon juice. A little extra acid to brighten the flavours. Squeezed on top with the final toss.

Cherry Tomatoes. Adds colour and some fresh flavour. Also, cut in half—about 1 pint.

Pine Nuts. What is pesto without pine nuts? A few toasted pine nuts add some crunch.

Fresh Basil. Thinly slice a handful of fresh basil leaves and toss to bring out the basil in the pesto.

Serving ideas

This is a perfect summer salad. Serve alongside burgers with all the fixings. Bring to your next potluck or summer BBQ. This is a filling salad; a little goes a long way. Perfect for crowds.

Make ahead

This salad is best served the day it is made. While leftovers will make a decent packed lunch the next day, if serving for a meal or a get-together, plan to serve the day it is made. I like it best tossed and chilled 2-3 hours ahead of time.

Keep tossed salad chilled or refrigerated before serving.

Any leftovers should also be refrigerated.

Tips

• Do not overcook the pasta. Follow package instructions and make sure you keep the pasta al dente.
• Pat the pasta dry with paper towels before tossing with the salad ingredients to remove excess moisture. This ensures the dressing sticks to the pasta.
• If you make the pasta salad more than a few hours before serving, bring ¼ cup or so of extra pesto with you and add this to the pasta salad just before serving to freshen it up a little.
• A little squeeze of lemon juice is essential to brighten everything up.

📖 Recipe