Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad

Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad ~ three cheese tortellini blended with fresh vegetables, roasted red peppers, olives and feta, tossed in a simple homemade Greek dressing.

My daughter reminded me recently that even though I don’t need an excuse to eat Pickled Red Onions right out of the jar, there are many people that would actually like to put them in something ~ like this Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad.

If you haven’t made them yet (whyyyy?) you can still make this salad with great results using sliced red onions. But if you happen to have the few ingredients the pickled onions call for and a Mason jar . . . swoon.

Of course this salad isn’t all about the onions. It all starts with tortellini ~ tender bite size pasta pillows filled with three kinds of cheese and combined with fresh summer veggies in a simple homemade Greek Dressing. Give it a try. The combination of flavors is unbelievably good. 

There’s much to like about pasta salads. If we’re casting votes, I believe pasta salad should have its own food group. When it’s 90 something outside, it makes the perfect main dish but if you’re so inclined to carnivorize it, feel free to add some grilled or rotisserie chicken.

There’s almost no way to mess up pasta salad. Your favorite pasta, seasonal or leftover veggies blended with a tangy dressing and it’s on the table. I have so many pasta salad recipes in my arsenal with more coming all the time when I switch up ingredients depending upon what I have on hand. That’s one of the pasta salad’s best attributes ~ versatility.

This is a pretty basic Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad with ingredients that immediately come to mind when you think Greek ~ Feta cheese, olives, cucumber, oregano. It’s the creamy, Greek yogurt dressing that takes it over the top. 

Tip: our local grocery store has an Olive Bar with a variety of olives, roasted peppers and feta. I bought many of the ingredients for this salad there in the quantities I needed.  

Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad Ingredients:

• One 9 ounce package three cheese tortellini cooked according to package directions
• 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
• 1 cucumber seeded and chopped
• ¼ cup pickled red onions OR ¼ cup sliced red onions
• ½ cup EACH olives (combination of kalamata and green used), sliced roasted red pepper and crumbled feta cheese 
• ¼ fresh basil sliced into ribbons

Dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic grated
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Juice and zest from half of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper (more to taste)

Instructions:

Cook the tortellini according to the package directions giving it a generous seasoning of salt after the water comes to a rolling boil. 

Once the tortellini is well drained, add them to a large mixing bowl and combine with the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, red pepper, feta and basil.

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl then pour over the top, gently toss to coat everything. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

If you’re feeling Italian some nights (aren’t we all?) this is another popular pasta salad and as always, enjoy!

If you make this recipe, leave me a comment~ I’d love to hear from you because silence isn’t always golden ~ especially if there’s a toddler around ~ then silence can be suspicious.

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Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad

Fresh 3 cheese tortellini blended with vegetables, olives, herbs and cheese plus a creamy, homemade Greek dressing. 

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Print Recipe

CourseSide Dish

CuisineGreek

Servings4

Ingredients

Salad:

• 9 ounce package three cheese tortellini cooked according to package directions
• 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
• 1 cucumber seeded and chopped
• ¼ cup pickled red onions OR ¼ cup sliced red onions
• ½ cup EACH olives combination of kalamata and green used, sliced roasted red pepper and crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ fresh basil sliced into ribbons

Dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic grated
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Juice and zest from half of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions

• Cook the tortellini according to the package directions along with a generous seasoning of salt after the water comes to a rolling boil.
• Once the tortellini is cooked and well drained, add to a large mixing bowl and combine with the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, red pepper, feta and basil.
• Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl (whisk well) then pour over the top, gently toss to coat everything. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

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