Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto

Name: Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 19 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 5 quarts (4730 ml) water, for boiling; 2 tablespoons (18 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for the pasta water (use 1 tablespoon if using Morton); 18 ounces (510 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini, straight from the package; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¾ cup (180 g) basil pesto, store-bought or homemade, stirred well; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon, plus a little extra for finishing; 3 tablespoons (42 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated or minced (optional); ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste, start with ¼ teaspoon; ⅓ cup (80 g) basil pesto, reserved to refresh the salad before serving; 12 ounces (340 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; 8 ounces (225 g) mozzarella pearls, drained and patted dry; ¾ cup (110 g) pitted Kalamata olives, drained, patted dry and halved; 2 cups (40 g) baby arugula, loosely packed; ½ cup (12 g) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, torn just before serving; ½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; ¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts, raw, to be toasted (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Plump cheese tortellini tossed in a bright basil pesto dressing with sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella pearls, briny olives and peppery arugula. It's served chilled, travels well and feeds a crowd.

Prep: 22 min
Cook: 19 min
Wait: 1 hr 2 min
Total: 1 hr 43 min
Makes: About 9 cups (8 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the pasta
5 quarts (4730 ml) water, for boiling
2 tablespoons (18 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for the pasta water (use 1 tablespoon if using Morton)
18 ounces (510 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini, straight from the package
1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the dressing
¾ cup (180 g) basil pesto, store-bought or homemade, stirred well
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon, plus a little extra for finishing
3 tablespoons (42 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated or minced (optional)
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste, start with ¼ teaspoon
For the salad
⅓ cup (80 g) basil pesto, reserved to refresh the salad before serving
12 ounces (340 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces (225 g) mozzarella pearls, drained and patted dry
¾ cup (110 g) pitted Kalamata olives, drained, patted dry and halved
2 cups (40 g) baby arugula, loosely packed
½ cup (12 g) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, torn just before serving
½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts, raw, to be toasted (optional)

Equipment (8)

Large pot (6-quart / 5.7 L or bigger)
Colander
Large mixing bowl (4-quart / 3.8 L or bigger)
Second large bowl for the ice bath
Small skillet for toasting the pine nuts
Small bowl or liquid measuring cup for the dressing
Whisk or fork
Cutting board and knife

Steps

Before you start

Use refrigerated cheese tortellini (2 packages of 9 oz / 255 g each). Frozen works too; add 1–2 minutes to the boiling time.
Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water before you start so you can cool the pasta quickly.
Plan on at least 30 minutes of chilling; the salad tastes best after 1 hour and holds in the fridge for up to 24 hours before the greens go in.
Salt amounts are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton kosher salt or table salt, use half as much by volume.
Drain the mozzarella pearls and olives and pat them dry so the dressing stays creamy rather than watery.

1
Prep the add-ins
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and the pitted olives.
- Drain the mozzarella pearls and olives, then pat them dry with paper towels.
- Place the tomatoes, mozzarella and olives in a large mixing bowl.
- Fill a second large bowl with ice and cold water.
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Ready when: Tomatoes and olives are halved and everything is blotted dry.
Tip: Dry mozzarella and olives keep the dressing from turning watery.
2
Toast the pine nuts
- If using pine nuts, add them to a dry small skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir often for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate right away to stop the cooking.
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Ready when: Nuts are golden brown in spots and smell nutty.
Tip: Pine nuts burn within seconds of browning, so don't walk away.
3
Boil the water
- Bring the water and 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal salt (1 tablespoon if using Morton) to a full rolling boil in a large pot over high heat.
- Cover to speed it up.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break the surface constantly.
4
Cook the tortellini
- Add the tortellini and stir gently.
- Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or per the package directions for refrigerated pasta.
- Drain in a colander.
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Ready when: Tortellini float and are tender but still slightly chewy at the edge, with no raw doughy center when you bite one.
Tip: Don't overcook. The pasta softens more as it sits in the dressing.
5
Chill the pasta
- Plunge the drained tortellini into the ice water for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring gently.
- Drain very well, shaking the colander.
- Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil so the pieces don't stick together.
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Ready when: Tortellini feel cool to the touch and are not dripping.
Tip: Warm pasta would wilt the arugula and melt the mozzarella.
6
Whisk the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk ¾ cup (180 g) of the pesto, the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic if using, black pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth and pourable.
- Keep the remaining ⅓ cup (80 g) pesto in its jar in the fridge.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, glossy and drips easily from the whisk.
Tip: Store-bought pesto is often salty, so taste before adding more salt.
7
Toss the salad
- Add the cooled tortellini to the bowl with the tomatoes, mozzarella and olives.
- Pour over the dressing and fold gently with a large spoon or spatula until every piece is coated.
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Ready when: All the pasta is evenly green with no dry patches or pools of dressing.
Tip: Fold gently so the filled pasta doesn't tear.
8
Chill to blend
- Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes; 1 hour is ideal.
- You can hold it up to 24 hours before finishing (see make-ahead).
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Ready when: Salad is cold throughout.
9
Finish and serve
- Just before serving, stir in the reserved ⅓ cup pesto, then fold in the arugula, torn basil and half of the Parmesan.
- Taste and add salt, pepper or a squeeze of lemon juice if needed.
- Top with the remaining Parmesan and the toasted pine nuts.
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Ready when: Pasta looks glossy and lightly coated, and the greens are bright, not wilted.
Tip: If the salad still looks dry after the reserved pesto, add a splash of lemon juice.

Good to know

Tips

Salt the pasta water well. The tortellini filling and pesto are the only other sources of seasoning.
Rinsing in ice water stops the cooking and keeps the pasta from clumping, but drain it thoroughly or the dressing will be diluted.
Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, which is why a third of a cup of pesto is held back to stir in before serving.
Add the greens and basil last to keep them bright green and fresh.

Make ahead

"Make the salad through the chilling step up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate it covered. Keep the reserved pesto separate. Stir in the reserved pesto, arugula, basil, Parmesan and pine nuts just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The arugula will wilt after the first day. Serve it cold or let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, and don't leave it out for more than 2 hours. Freezing isn't recommended because the tomatoes and mozzarella turn watery."

Substitutions

refrigerated cheese tortellini → spinach-ricotta tortellini or cheese ravioli. Cook according to the package. Smaller shapes work best.
pine nuts → toasted sliced almonds or walnuts. Use the same amount, toasted the same way.
mozzarella pearls → fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes. Pat dry, then use the same weight.
baby arugula → baby spinach. Milder and less peppery, with the same quantity.