Kale and Tortellini Pasta Salad
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!
Servings: 8 as a side dish (about 1 cup each)
Estimated Calories: 272
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.
Be careful of overcooking the tortellini, which can make them mushy.
I wait to chop and add the basil until right before serving so that it is fresh and green (basil can sometimes darken or turn black after being chopped or when put in the refrigerator).
Recipe 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).
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see it!Take a photo, post it on Instagram, and mention @nowcookthis or tag #nowcookthisrecipes. Thanks!