Basil Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

If you ask me, pasta salad gets way better when you add tortellini.

This crowd-pleasing dish combines cheese-filled tortellini with fresh pesto and bright lemon juice for a side that works at cookouts or weeknight dinners. Cherry tomatoes and baby spinach add color and freshness, while toasted pine nuts give you that satisfying crunch.

The dressing is simple—just pesto, lemon juice, and olive oil whisked together with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a subtle kick. Fresh basil leaves folded in at the end bring everything together.

It’s the kind of dish that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but really comes together in about twenty minutes.

What Kind of Tortellini Should I Use?

For this pasta salad, you’ll want to grab a package of refrigerated cheese tortellini from the dairy section of your grocery store. The refrigerated variety tends to have a better texture and flavor than the dried shelf-stable kind, plus it cooks up faster which is always a bonus. Most brands offer a few different cheese fillings like ricotta, mozzarella, or a three-cheese blend – any of these will work great with the pesto dressing. If you can’t find refrigerated tortellini or you’re in a pinch, frozen tortellini is your next best option and will work just as well once cooked.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Cheese tortellini: You can use any filled tortellini you like – spinach and ricotta, mushroom, or even meat-filled varieties work great. Ravioli is another option, just break them into smaller pieces if they’re large.
• Basil pesto: Store-bought pesto is convenient, but homemade works too. You can also try sun-dried tomato pesto or arugula pesto for a different flavor profile.
• Cherry tomatoes: Grape tomatoes work just as well, or you can use regular tomatoes diced into bite-sized pieces. Just make sure to remove excess seeds and juice so the salad doesn’t get watery.
• Baby spinach: Arugula makes a nice peppery substitute, or you can use regular spinach chopped into smaller pieces. Kale works too if you massage it first to soften the leaves.
• Fresh basil: While fresh basil really makes this dish pop, you can use fresh parsley or a mix of Italian herbs if that’s what you have available.
• Lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice can work in a pinch, though fresh tastes better. You could also use white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar, just start with 2 tablespoons and adjust to taste.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake you can make with this pasta salad is adding all the dressing at once to cold pasta – instead, toss about a third of it with the warm tortellini right after draining so it soaks in and flavors the pasta from the inside out.

Overcooking the tortellini is another common problem since refrigerated pasta cooks much faster than dried, so stick to the 2-3 minute mark and test one before draining to make sure it’s tender but not mushy.

Don’t skip the 10-minute resting period after adding the first portion of dressing, as this waiting time lets the pasta absorb the flavors instead of having them just coat the surface.

Finally, wait until the pasta has cooled to room temperature before adding the spinach and basil – tossing greens into hot pasta will wilt them into an unappealing dark mess rather than keeping them fresh and bright.

What to Serve With Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty filling on its own, but it pairs really well with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon if you want to add some protein. It’s also a great side dish for summer cookouts alongside burgers, hot dogs, or grilled vegetables. I love serving it with garlic bread or focaccia for a complete Italian-inspired meal. Since the salad is already packed with flavor from the pesto and lemon, keep your main dish simple so everything balances out nicely.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You might need to add a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving since the pasta absorbs the dressing over time.

Make Ahead: You can definitely prep this a day in advance, which makes it perfect for potlucks or meal prep. Just hold off on adding the spinach and fresh basil until right before serving so they stay bright and fresh instead of wilting.

Serve: This salad is best served cold or at room temperature. If you’re taking it somewhere, just pull it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving and give it a good stir to redistribute the dressing.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1600-1750
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 90-105 g
• Carbohydrates: 145-160 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2/3 cup pesto (I use Barilla Traditional Basil Pesto)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed for best acidity)
• 3 oz high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

For the salad:

• 20 oz cheese tortellini (I prefer Buitoni brand for better texture)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (sliced into halves)
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach (roughly chopped into 1/2-inch ribbons)
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Step 1: Prepare the Pesto Dressing

• 2/3 cup pesto
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 oz extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pesto, freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes until well combined and emulsified.

The acidity from the lemon juice will help balance the richness of the pesto and oil, creating a bright, cohesive dressing.

Set aside while you prepare the pasta.

Step 2: Cook the Cheese Tortellini

• 20 oz cheese tortellini

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.

Add the cheese tortellini and cook for 2-3 minutes, or according to package directions—the pasta should be just tender but not mushy, as it will continue to soften slightly as it cools and absorbs the dressing.

Drain the tortellini in a colander, shaking gently to remove excess water.

Step 3: Dress the Warm Pasta

• cooked tortellini from Step 2
• pesto dressing from Step 1

Transfer the warm tortellini to a large serving bowl and immediately pour about 1/3 of the pesto dressing over the pasta.

Gently toss to coat evenly, then let it sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature.

I find this resting time allows the warm pasta to absorb the dressing flavors more deeply, which creates much better flavor throughout the salad.

During this time, prepare the remaining ingredients.

Step 4: Prepare the Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves

While the pasta absorbs the dressing, halve the cherry tomatoes, roughly chop the baby spinach into 1/2-inch ribbons, and cut the fresh basil leaves into thin chiffonade (thin ribbon-like cuts).

Having these ready will make final assembly quick and easy, and the spinach will retain better texture if added just before serving rather than sitting in the warm dressing for too long.

Step 5: Assemble and Finish the Salad

• dressed tortellini from Step 3
• prepared vegetables and herbs from Step 4
• remaining pesto dressing from Step 1
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, fresh basil chiffonade, and toasted pine nuts to the bowl with the dressed pasta.

Pour the remaining pesto dressing over everything and toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated and combined.

I like to use a light hand when tossing to keep the delicate pasta intact and prevent the spinach from breaking down too much.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Basil Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

Delicious Basil Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1675

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dressing:

• 2/3 cup pesto (I use Barilla Traditional Basil Pesto)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed for best acidity)
• 3 oz high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

For the salad:

• 20 oz cheese tortellini (I prefer Buitoni brand for better texture)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (sliced into halves)
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach (roughly chopped into 1/2-inch ribbons)
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Method

 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pesto, freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes until well combined and emulsified. The acidity from the lemon juice will help balance the richness of the pesto and oil, creating a bright, cohesive dressing. Set aside while you prepare the pasta.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the cheese tortellini and cook for 2-3 minutes, or according to package directions—the pasta should be just tender but not mushy, as it will continue to soften slightly as it cools and absorbs the dressing. Drain the tortellini in a colander, shaking gently to remove excess water.
3. Transfer the warm tortellini to a large serving bowl and immediately pour about 1/3 of the pesto dressing over the pasta. Gently toss to coat evenly, then let it sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature. I find this resting time allows the warm pasta to absorb the dressing flavors more deeply, which creates much better flavor throughout the salad. During this time, prepare the remaining ingredients.
4. While the pasta absorbs the dressing, halve the cherry tomatoes, roughly chop the baby spinach into 1/2-inch ribbons, and cut the fresh basil leaves into thin chiffonade (thin ribbon-like cuts). Having these ready will make final assembly quick and easy, and the spinach will retain better texture if added just before serving rather than sitting in the warm dressing for too long.
5. Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, fresh basil chiffonade, and toasted pine nuts to the bowl with the dressed pasta. Pour the remaining pesto dressing over everything and toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated and combined. I like to use a light hand when tossing to keep the delicate pasta intact and prevent the spinach from breaking down too much. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.