This easy Mediterranean-style Kale and Tortellini Pasta Salad has cheese-filled tortellini, fresh kale, bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, mozzarella, parmesan, and basil tossed with a quick homemade vinaigrette dressing!
Michelle's Recipe Rundown
If you want to eat more kale but think you don't like it or aren't sure what to do with it, or if you already love kale and are looking for a new way to use it, make this fresh and flavorful pasta salad asap.
Because putting kale in a colorful salad along with pasta, other veggies, cheeses and a delicious dressing makes it super easy to enjoy. And for this salad, I use cheese tortellini instead of regular pasta, which adds so much more flavor.
Here are more reasons why I love this recipe (and you will too):
- It's quick and easy to make, and you make it ahead. The salad comes together in about 30 minutes, then you let it chill out in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let the flavors blend and to let the kale soften.
- You can serve it as a side dish or as a meatless main dish.
- It's great for meal prepping. The whole salad, including the kale, holds up beautifully even after a few days in the fridge.
Taste Test: The kale is soft, just slightly bitter and earthy. The tender tortellini, creamy mozzarella and salty, nutty parmesan add the perfect amount of pasta and cheesy goodness, while the peppers and onions add crunch. And the occasional burst of flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes might just be my favorite part. But it's the tangy vinaigrette and fresh basil that bring it all together and make every bite incredibly delicious!
Love kale?
Also try my Sausage, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup, Kale, Tomato and Feta Frittata, and Zuppa Toscana (Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup).
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Ingredients & Notes
This photo shows all of the ingredients you'll need to make this kale and tortellini salad; amounts are in the recipe card below. I've also included a few notes below on some of the ingredients on making the best selections, preparation and easy substitutions.
- Cheese Tortellini - I like a 5-cheese tortellini for lots of flavor, and I prefer to use the refrigerated kind because I think it has a firmer texture once cooked. You can substitute frozen or dried.
- Fresh Curly Kale - This is the most common type of kale that you'll find in the grocery store; it has a bright green color and tightly-curled leaves. You can substitute other types of kale. Before chopping, be sure to remove and discard the thick, fibrous stems; use only the leafy green part.
- Although you can buy pre-chopped kale, I have found that it often contains a lot of stems, and you still have to pick through it. So it may not actually save you much time.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes - I prefer the flavor and texture of the ones packed in olive oil (drain before chopping), but you can use the dry-packed variety.
- Mozzarella Cheese - I use and recommend the standard low-moisture mozzarella cheese that you find in the dairy aisle. It holds up much better than fresh mozzarella in a make-ahead salad such as this.
- White Balsamic Vinegar - This is a bit milder than regular balsamic vinegar, and it won't give your salad a brown tinge. You can substitute white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
How to Make Kale & Tortellini Pasta Salad
This is a brief overview of the steps with photos for visual guidance. The full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions is in the recipe card below.
Cook tortellini according to the package directions, then rinse in cold water and drain.
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
Put the salad ingredients (except basil) in a bowl; add the dressing, and toss until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Right before serving, chop the fresh basil, add it to the salad and toss to combine.
Recipe Tips
- Don't overcook the tortellini. Overcooking will make it mushy. You want it to be mostly tender with a very slight firm bite (al dente).
- Let it chill. Don't skip the step of letting the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. During this time, the dressing will soften the kale (so no need to massage it), and the flavors will meld. This makes the salad even more delicious than if you served it right away.
- Add the basil right before serving. Basil can sometimes darken or turn black after being chopped or when placed in the refrigerator, so I always chop it and add it right before serving so the color is green and the flavor is fresh.
Storage
Store this salad covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Leftovers are excellent, and the kale holds up very well without getting too soggy.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this tortellini salad with kale as either a side dish or a meatless main dish for lunch or dinner.
As a side dish, you can either put it in a large serving bowl and let everyone help themselves, or you can put it in individual-serving-sized cups (this is great for picnics, potlucks and other gatherings). It's great paired with grilled chicken, beef, pork, fish or seafood.
As a main dish, it's great on its own, but I always serve it with a side of my homemade garlic bread.
Easy Variation
This salad is also excellent as a main dish with added protein. I love it with either cooked chopped chicken or steak. Cooked shrimp, chickpeas or even cubed salami would also be delicious.
Love tortellini?
Also try my Italian Sausage, Tortellini and Veggie Skillet and Sausage and Tortellini Soup.
I hope you try this Kale and Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More Pasta Salad Recipes To Try
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went! Please leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Kale and Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 10 ounces cheese tortellini, See Notes below
- 4 cups chopped fresh curly kale, remove and discard the tough, fibrous stems before chopping
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips about ¼ inch wide by 1½ to 2 inches long
- 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese, about ½-inch pieces; See Notes below
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, about ½-inch pieces (drain before chopping if they are packed in oil)
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onions
- ½ cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
- 10 leaves fresh basil
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (I use kosher salt)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini in boiling salted water according to the package directions until they are mostly tender with just a very slight bit of firmness left (al dente). Drain and immediately rinse with cold water until the tortellini are cool to the touch, then drain well.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
- Place the cooked tortellini, kale, bell peppers, mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
- Add the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (longer is okay; up to overnight). This time allows the kale to soften and the flavors to meld; don't skip it.
- Right before serving, chop the fresh basil, add it to the salad and toss to combine. Serve cold.
Notes
- I use a 5-cheese tortellini for lots of flavor, and I use tortellini from the refrigerated section because I think it has a firmer texture when cooked. You can also use frozen or dried tortellini.
- For the mozzarella cheese, I recommend the standard low-moisture mozzarella cheese that you find in the dairy aisle (the kind that you would use for making pizza). It hold ups much better than fresh mozzarella in this salad.
- You could also serve this salad as a meatless main dish (3 to 4 servings depending on appetites and sides).
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