Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad



This is my go-to dish when I don't have a lot of time to cook. It is easy to make and goes a long way. The day before my husband and I moved into our new home, I made a huge bowl of this salad. After a long day of moving and unpacking, it was the perfect dish. Since I had no idea where any of my dishes were, I served it in plastic bowls. I think we ate it for a couple of days. Of course, the bottle of wine was a a great accompaniment - I made sure that I did not pack the wine opener;)


Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad:

20 oz cheese filled tortellini, cooked according to the directions on package
  ( I used the three cheese tortellini from Buitoni )
6 oz can black olives (medium)
1 green bell pepper, diced
7.5 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
10.5 oz container cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 bottle of Greek, Italian or vinaigrette salad dressing (I used Kraft basil parmesan vinaigrette)
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions: 

Drain pasta and let cool. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients, except for the pasta and cheese and dressing. After pasta has cooled, add it and the dressing and cheese to the bowl.
Enjoy!

16 comments:

  1. pasta salads like this are my absolute favorite! my only problem with them? i have a hard time not eating the whole bowl of it! i especially like bringing 'em to parties + cookouts, because they're just as tasty straight out of the fridge as they are if they sit at room temp. for a while. delicious!

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  2. Amy - I agree. It is hard not to eat the whole bowl in one sitting. I do love that you can serve it at room temperature or right out of the fridge as well.

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  3. Echoing Amy's comment. Pasta Salads like these are so great freshly made, straight out of the fridge, and even better the next day. I love that you used a cheese tortellini! Bookmarking this recipe to try for lunch soon. Thanks for sharing! And thanks Steph for your kind comment on my blog earlier. Looking forward to reading more of your recipes!

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  4. Yep...love pasta salads. We eat lots of them during our never-ending Summers!

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  5. Ally - I'm sure you could use a different tortellini, but I love the cheese. I also vary the veggies I use. Thanks for stopping by.

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  6. Wendy - They are great in our hot never ending summers. This past summer was so bad, I had a hard time getting near the stove. Thank you for your comment.

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  7. I think this would be a brighter, lighter addition to a Superbowl Party buffet. Quick and easy. I love THAT.

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  8. Maggie - It would make a nice addition to a Super Bowl party buffet. I like that it is meat free and has some veggies in it. Of course you could always add chicken or even pepperoni if you HAVE to have meat.

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  9. Mary - Thanks! It seems to taste even better the next day.

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  10. Perfect dish for a busy day. I'll have to add this to my list!
    -Lynn

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  11. Lynn - I appreciate the comment. Thanks for stopping by.

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  12. This looks so delicious! I'm a bit of a pasta-holic and I've been longing for a summer-y salad to help combat the winter blues. This looks like just the thing I need! Stopping by from Foodie Friday. I'll be putting this on my menu for the upcoming week! (the wine's not a bad idea, either!)

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  13. Mary - Thanks! I'm glad you found me on FF. Wine is always good:)

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  14. I'm making this for a family reunion. Making it the day before so everything can marinate in the dressing. Thanks for the idea!

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    1. Thanks for the comment danni v. Making it the day before is a great idea:)

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