Description
This Tortellini Pesto Salad is bursting with flavor and freshness. Made with vibrant ingredients like basil, cheese tortellini, and ripe tomatoes, it’s a quick and healthy meal option for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh basil, packed, stems removed
- 1–2 garlic cloves, whole or minced
- 2 Tbsp pine nuts or walnuts, toasted if desired
- juice of one lemon
- ½ – ⅔ extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 20 oz. cheese tortellini
- 2–3 handfuls baby spinach, chopped
- 10 oz grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz mozzarella pearls
- ½– ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, in Italian herbs, the kind in oil
- More chopped basil for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine pesto ingredients starting with ½ cup of olive oil. Process until smooth with some graininess remaining, adding more olive oil to reach desired consistency.
- Toss the cooked tortellini with ¾ of the prepared pesto, adding extra olive oil if the mixture seems dry.
- Add the remaining salad ingredients to the tortellini and toss well, adjusting pesto as needed before serving.
- Chill the salad until ready to serve, and garnish with additional chopped basil.
Notes
For a creamier pesto, add a touch of cream cheese or yogurt.
Experiment with different nuts for varying flavors in the pesto.
Use fresh mozzarella for a more authentic taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 15mg