You’ll absolutely LOVE this easy Greek tortellini salad made with tender cheese tortellini, cherry tomatoes, shaved cucumber, fresh herbs and creamy, crumbly feta cheese, dressed to perfection with a lip-smacking white balsamic vinaigrette. Make it ahead and serve at room temperature for all to enjoy!
Everyone needs a signature pasta dish.
Something that’s easy and effortless, and an overall crowd pleaser. Ideally, it can be made ahead of time and doesn’t follow a strict recipe. This Greek tortellini recipe is exactly that. It’s my highly customizable summertime specialty when juicy cherry tomatoes, refreshing cucumbers and fresh herbs are in season. Plus, it tastes better as it sits!
PS: The tortellini can be made 2-3 days in advance which is a great time-saving bonus. Just lightly coat the tortellini with olive oil and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. And… if you’re really thinking ahead: double the amount of tortellini, save half, and serve with a quick pomodoro sauce for dinner.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Fresh cheese tortellini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Orange bell pepper
- English cucumber
- Fresh dill, basil & mint
- Feta cheese
- Olive oil
- White balsamic vinegar
- Optional ingredients to add: black olives, grilled marinated artichoke hearts, scallions, white beans
How To Make Greek Tortellini Salad
- Cook the cheese tortellini according to the package instructions. Drain and run under cold water to remove any extra starch. Transfer to a large bowl. Coat lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. Chill before using.
- Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Add the white balsamic vinegar and olive oil to an empty jam jar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Screw the lid on tight, and give it a shake. Set aside.
- Prep the vegetables: dice the bell pepper, shave the cucumber into thin slices, chop the herbs.
- Right before serving, combine the tortellini, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers into a large serving bowl.
- Add the dill, basil, and mint to the bowl.
- Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the top. Season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning/dressing as needed.
- Crumble some of the feta over the salad. Toss again.
- Serve at room temperature.
Emilie’s Tips:
- I use white balsamic vinegar in the dressing so that the tortellini doesn’t turn brown. If you have regular balsamic vinegar, that’s okay too. It won’t be that brown. You can find white balsamic vinegar at Trader Joe’s or at Whole Foods.
- Go heavy on the herbs. When in doubt, add more. That’s what sets this recipe apart from the rest.
- Remember, this salad is flexible. Add more dressing, salt and pepper, and even additional ingredients like black olives to suit your taste. I love black olives.
- Only add the feta cheese at the very end, right before serving. Otherwise, it will disappear into a cloudy mess when you toss the salad a hundred times.
Want To Make It Ahead? Read On.
The tortellini by itself (not the whole salad) can be made 2-3 days in advance. To do so: after cooking, cooling and draining the tortellini, lightly coat in olive oil to prevent sticking. Transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate until ready to use.
For the vegetables: not all veg is meant to be prepped ahead. The tomatoes might get soggy and chopped fresh herbs will turn black. So focus on the bell peppers and cucumbers. Dice the peppers nice and small and thinly shave the cucumbers with a mandolin. Store the vegetables separately airtight containers with a damp paper towel ontop to preserve freshness.
For the vinaigrette: you can make this up to 5 days in advance. Store in the fridge.
More Pasta Recipes To Try!
- Classic Italian Basil Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese)
- Authentic Pomodoro Sauce (Fresh or Canned)
- Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
- 6-Ingredient Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
- Juicy Penne Pasta With Tomatoes & Basil
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Zesty Greek Tortellini Salad With White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 6 as a side dish 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove-Top
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
You’ll absolutely LOVE this easy Greek tortellini salad made with tender cheese tortellini, cherry tomatoes, shaved cucumber, fresh herbs and creamy, crumbly feta cheese, dressed to perfection with a lip-smacking white balsamic vinaigrette. Make it ahead and serve at room temperature for all to enjoy! It’s the ultimate crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 20–22 oz package of fresh cheese tortellini
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 small cucumber, very thinly sliced (use a mandolin if you have one)
- Big handful of fresh dill, basil & mint
- Small block of feta
- Optional ingredients to add: black olives, grilled marinated artichoke hearts, scallions, white beans
White Balsamic Dressing
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup olive oil
- Generous pinch of salt & pepper, to taste
* You will have extra vinaigrette leftover. Store in the fridge and use for salads during the week. Make up to 1 week in advance.
** The tortellini can be cooked 2-3 days in advance; coat lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking and refrigerate until ready to use. The bell pepper and cucumber can be prepped one day in advance; store in an air-tight container with a damp paper towel over the top to preserve freshness. The tomatoes and herbs are best chopped fresh.
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini according to the package instructions. Drain and run under cold water to remove any extra starch. Transfer to a large bowl. Coat lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. Chill before using.
- Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Add the balsamic vinegar and olive oil to an empty jam jar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Screw the lid on tight, and give it a shake. Set aside.
- Right before serving, combine the tortellini, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers into a large serving bowl.
- Thinly slice the dill, basil, and mint and add to the bowl.
- Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the top. Season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning/dressing as needed.
- Crumble some of the feta over the salad. Toss again.
- Serve at room temperature.
Comments
Mary Pisarkiewicz says
Oh this is so yummy! One of my favorite dishes!
Susan Sturgess says
My signature summer dish is a corn and bean salad. I use sweet white corn kernels, black beans, halved grape tomatoes, diced avocado, diced yellow pepper, a little minced red onion, some chopped fresh cilantro, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper. The key is the dressing and my favorite is a “Roasted Yellow Bell and Serrano Pepper” dressing from Cindy’s Kitchen. It’s always a hit at picnics and BBQs. And for a casual elegant summer meal I think my bean salad would look PERFECT in the QSquared Diamond Square dishes!
Krista says
My favorite summertime dish is grilled chicken marinated with lemon and basil with potato salad and grilled corn.
Your tortellini salad looks delicious!
Maureen says
Chopped Fresh garden tomatoes soaked for hours in olive oil…..tossed over pasta. Sprinkled with basil. Summer in a bowl! Thanks for the beautiful giveaway!
Michelle says
in the summer we have a lot of salads and soups. favorite salads like caprese, potato salad, arugula salads and cold soups like vichyssoise and salmorejo
my favorite set of QSquared is Fountainebleau
Mary Brook Miller says
My favorite summertime dish is a garden vegetable galette. Easy to make and so delicious with any seasonal veggies. LOVE the Palazzo and Medina collections!
anne zeikel says
Any salad….feta salad, tomato mozzarella salad, three bean & corn salad, panzzanella salad….. I could go on and on and on. :)
Elizabeth says
My favorite go-to in the summer time is a simple salad of fresh grilled corn with split cherry tomatoes and smallish chunks of parmesan bound together with some greek yogurt topped with fresh ground pepper and sea salt. Yum!
And that Bella Donna set at QSquared is motto delicious!
Elizabeth says
(molto* delicioso* though apparently auto-correct didn’t like my Italianate enthusiasm…)
Stacey DT says
GASP!! The Knoll Gardens set is to die for! Gorgeous. This summer’s go-to staple dish has been a curried quinoa salad with crisp apples, shredded carrots, and dried cranberries. Cold, crunchy, and delicious!
Rebecca Y says
Any baked good that involves fresh berries! Especially breakfast bars :) My favorite Q Squared NYC Collection is diamond white. So simple and perfect!
Sabine says
I love to grill meats, chicken and shrimp, corn, peppers, onions, asparagus, squash, just about any summer seasonal veggies and I always make extra so that I can use the leftovers, especially grilled chicken, and veggies tossed with a light vinaigrette served with crunchy bread as a cool salad to beat the Texas heat.
Corinne says
My favorite recipe is OLD SCHOOL TOMATO SALAD! Especially this time of year.
Kathleen Wood says
Summer means fresh fruits and vegetables in salads. Our current favorite is Fajita salad using grilled fresh bell peppers, Walla Walla sweet onions, sweet corn and large shrimp seasoned with Mexican herbs and spices over greens with sliced avocado and tomatoes. So satisfying! My favorite dish pattern is Heritage, so lovely.
Kasey Clark says
In the summer, I could literally eat a chickpea kale salad every day!
Lori Edmonds says
My favorite is a simple but yummy sautéed squash right out of the garden!
Michelle J. says
I love to make grilled pizza!
carol johnson says
It’s macaroni salad for me, the way my grandma used to make it.
Annette says
My favorite summertime dish is Chunky Chicken Salad I make with grilled chicken.
Diana Cote says
In the summer my favorite thing are salads but also really enjoy grilled veggie kebabs and a new favorite that I’ve started trying is grilled fruit kebabs. Pineapple is amazing grilled!
My favorite set is the DIAMOND SQUARE 12PC MELAMINE DINNERWARE SET, it’s so simple and gorgeous yet modern. I love it!
Wendi says
Homemade pizza topped with grilled fresh zucchini and tomato from the garden. Ahh, the joy of summer eating-
The Knoll Gardens Collection is divine~
Amy Gibby says
I love the Red Talavarian and diamond square sets!!!
My fav signature dish is broiled asparagus and zucchini slices. I cover them with olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and garlic salt, then broil. The last few minutes of broiling I add shredded cheese on top of the zucchini slices. My kids LOVE it!!!
Brenda Haines says
Cucumber, tomato and avocado salad with feta cheese and a squeeze of lemon. So simple, but SO good!!
Judith says
bruschetta with peaches
Emily Zhang says
My favorite summertime recipe is a pasta salad with vegetables from my garden!
Heather says
Tough decision, but I think Heritage would be my choice. As for summertime classic — at least while we’re living on the NC coast — whole stuffed snapper on the grill!
Simona Carletti says
The summer dish I love making caprese pasta salad. I just chop everything and mix it with pasta and some pesto for that extra touch. Imagine how lovely that would look on Q Squared NYC’s Square Diamond melamine dish set! <3
June Snyder says
My favorite summer meal is BLTs with fresh tomatoes from the garden.
heather jacoby says
My absolute favorite summer dish is from Susan Branch’s Summer cookbook. It is Lemon Linguine with Beach Street Cajun Shrimp. The spicy shrimp is the perfect balance to the simple pasta. Best part, it tastes great cold too, for picnics or leftovers (if there are any)!
Thank you for introducing me to the Qsquared dishes. Perfect for patio meals!
Hoping to win this set for my beach house :)
Hannah says
For me, it’s grilled corn with chipotle aioli, sprinkled with a bit of coarse salt and cilantro… Perfection!
Susan Christy says
Southwestern Potato Salad is my signature summer dish and it would look even better served on Diamond Square dinnerware.
Debbie G says
I know it is old school,,,but soooooooo good on a hot day…pineapple jello salad with a cream cheese topping. Retro all the way!
Catherine says
My go-to summer dish is marinated grilled veggies! I usually do a mix of zuchinni, tomatoes, eggplant, and anything else that I have on hand. I marinate the cut veggies in a light vinegarette aND then grill them. They are great in salad, quinoa, pasta salad, and by them self!
Jenice says
It us hard to come up with just one summer salad but I loved a chopped salad with all the fresh veggies and roasted chicken on top.
Gretchen says
My favorite would be grilled pizza, especially margarita with tomatoes and basil from the garden. Of course the boys are a little hooked on cheese tortellini and pesto pasta salad so this would be a hit in our house. If only it weren’t so hot, my poor dill is burning from the sun. As for the dishes I love the pattern you chose, though Heritage pushes my buttons too. I’m a sucker for blue and white!
Joyce Neff Hough says
A quick pasta dish with a no cook fresh tomato and onion sauce served over hot pasta while at room temperature. Yummy good~ and serve with a beautiful summer fresh tossed salad!!
ali says
love grilled zucchini in the summer and ALL the fresh veggies… especially sungold tomatoes.. all wrapped in a taco shell… and i love the diamond square dishes!
Celine says
I love cold noodles with savory peanut sauce and grilled lemongrass pork, especially on a hot summer day!
Cathryn Adger says
my favorite summertime dish is pico de gallo, made with fresh tomatoes from my brother’s garden. I’ll eat that stuff with chips, veggies, chicken, quesodillas, even just by the spoonful!
Jean says
I love to make vegetable or fruit carpaccio from what’s in the garden. I use herbs and flowers to garnish. This would look fabulous on the Dimond Collection plates. My favorite this summer has been green peaches with blueberries basil and nasturtiums with a honey vinaigrette.
Ashley Mauceri says
We love to grill in the summer – grilled veggies (with a side of margarita) is my favorite summertime dish! Thanks for the chance to win.
Andrea Patterson says
I love a nice couscous salad, with lots of fresh tomatoes and even more feta. I love the Medina collection :).
Nicole says
I like to make a grilled flatbread with ricotta and roasted veggies in the summer. And i love the Portsmouth collection from the Q Squared NYC Collection!
Jeanelle Davis says
My favorite summer dish is a tomato gratin using heirloom tomatoes from the garden. Really, any dish using these tomatoes is delicious.
Candice says
My favorite summer dish is Caprese Pasta Salad. And my favorite from the Q Squared NYC Collection is Talavera In Azul. Beautiful!
Jillian Y says
I love strawberry Waldorf salad during the summer!
Holly says
Anything with real, fresh, tomatoes, I’m still trying to re-create eating garden fresh tomatoes with just salt and pepper at my grandmother’s house :)
And the Palazzo or Royal Lapis are gorgeous!
Susan P. says
I love to make fruit salad with the summer fruits and carambola since my carambola tree fruit is ripe. I love the Fontainebleau pattern of the melamine dinnerware and the intricate designs.
Caitlin says
Quinoa salad!
Lydia Ruddy says
My family and friends would say my signature dish is homemade Chinese dumplings. In summer I am fond of traditional Greek salad. I make a few times a week. Just tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, some good olive oil, garlic powder and oregano.
I really like the Zen collection – I am a tree nerd.
Heidi says
I love making anything with fresh zucchini from the garden. It’s such a versatile vegetable!
The plates you used are so beautiful! I also love the Talavera in Azul collection. Gorgous dinnerware!
Cameron says
Lovely table ware! Summertime means fresh berry cobblers around here. Also fresh tomatoes from our garden tossed in any dish.