This Tortellini Caprese Salad has all the same flavors as a classic Caprese salad but with more vegetables and cheesy tortellini! It's easy, simple, versatile, and it's perfect for grilling season! You can serve it on its own for lunch or add protein like roasted salmon or chicken for dinner! Ready on the table in under 20 minutes!
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Why You'll Love This Caprese Tortellini Salad
A tortellini twist on the classic Caprese salad - The addition of cheese-filled tortellini takes the classic salad from just a side to a full meal! I make variations of popular classics often so I also have a recipe for Orzo Caprese Salad and Peach Caprese Salad you can try! Peaches and tomatoes are the best summer combo!
Simple and versatile - It comes together really quickly and calls for just a few simple ingredients. You can keep the recipe as is or make it your own by adding more fresh or roasted veggies to stretch it into more servings for a larger gathering. It's filling and satisfying enough to be served on its own for lunch or dinner but you can always serve it as a side with a choice of protein.
Perfect for the summer - This salad is perfect for serving alongside anything from the grill like grilled chicken or salmon and it stores and travels quite well so you can bring it to a potluck as well!
Ingredients
- Tortellini - I'm using refrigerated cheese tortellini. You can use any tortellini you like and have on hand. I wouldn't recommend using beef tortellini here because it doesn't go with the other flavors.
- Tomatoes - You can use any diced tomatoes but I like using either cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes sliced in half. If you're using bigger tomatoes, they might release more water.
- Fresh mozzarella - You'll need mini mozzarella balls called bocconcini. I use mini bocconcinis. There's also a variety called perlini (tiny mozzarella pearls) that are even smaller but they tend to be hard to find so I opted for mini bocconcini.
- Red onion - Pick a firm medium-small red onion. I recommend slicing it top to bottom instead of horizontally for shorter slices that look nicer and are easier to eat.
- Mixed greens - You can use plain baby spinach, baby kale, arugula, or any other greens. I like using mixed greens to add color, texture, and different flavors to the salad.
- Basil - Fresh basil leaves is what regular caprese salad has so I kept them whole and mixed them with the greens here and it adds a ton of flavor. Dried basil unfortunately won't give you the same amount of flavor.
- Dressing - The dressing is a simple balsamic vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. You can also drizzle some balsamic glaze on the salad right before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Dressing - If you want to add more flavor, and a little bit of spice that raw garlic naturally has, add one clove of grated garlic to the balsamic dressing. A single clove is all you need for a ton of flavor! You can also add Italian Seasoning instead of oregano if you'd rather add a variety of dried herbs.
- Pesto - If you don't like balsamic vinegar, you can also add a pesto dressing or just plain pesto! Check out my Pesto Tortellini Salad for inspiration!
- Add more vegetables - You can add other veggies to make the salad bigger. Chopped cucumber, bell peppers, or even roasted veggies like zucchini, eggplant, or peppers would be amazing here!
- Regular fresh mozzarella - If you can't find bocconcini, you can use regular large fresh mozzarella instead. Just dice the mozzarella ball into bite-sized pieces and toss with the rest of the ingredients.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the tortellini in a large pot of salted water for 6-8 minutes until al dente or according to package instructions.
- Drain and rinse the tortellini and set aside to cool.
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- In a small bowl or a jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Set aside.
- You can either mix the salad in a large bowl or layer it onto plates and drizzle with the dressing.
- To mix the salad prior to serving, add mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, red onion, and fresh basil, along with the cooked tortellini to a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss to mix well.
- Serve as it is or drizzle with some balsamic glaze for more flavor. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks!
- Drizzle some balsamic glaze on top for extra flavor! Balsamic glaze is just balsamic vinegar simmered with sugar into a much thicker concentrated sauce. It's great on salads, eggs, toast, or anything else! I like drizzling a little bit on the salad right before serving.
- Store the dressing separately from the salad if you're bringing it to a potluck or making it ahead. I would just drizzle it with a little bit of olive oil to avoid the pasta sticking together and the mozzarella drying out.
Serving and Storing
I like serving this salad on its own for lunch or a light dinner but you can also serve it as a side dish with a choice of protein to make it into a more filling meal. I like adding roasted or grilled salmon or chicken. It's the perfect side for grilling season to serve as a side with other small bites and salads. It also travels well so you can bring it to a potluck!
This salad stores pretty well. The greens do wilt down as they sit in the vinaigrette which is expected but the rest of the ingredients store really well. You can keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. I don't recommend freezing any part of this salad.
FAQs
This is up to you. If you're making it a few hours ahead for a family lunch or dinner or you're traveling with it to bring it to a potluck, you can store them separately or mix everything right away. The greens will wilt down slightly but I like how the mozzarella and tortellini absorb the flavors from the dressing as they sit in it. If you want a nice presentation, store them separately because the mozzarella turns slightly brown as it soaks up the balsamic vinegar.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Pasta salads are perfect for hot summer days when it's just too hot for any regular hot pasta dish. They're also so easy to make and they store really well so I'm always trying to come up with new flavor combinations. Below are four of my current favorites you've got to try! To see all the latest ones, head over to Salads.
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Print📖 Recipe
Tortellini Caprese Salad
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 8 mins
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 3-6 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Tortellini Caprese Salad has all the same flavors as a classic Caprese salad but with more vegetables and cheesy tortellini! It's easy to make, versatile, and perfect for grilling season! You can serve it on its own for lunch or add protein like roasted salmon or chicken for dinner!
Ingredients
- 350g cheese tortellini
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups greens
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mini bocconcini (mini mozzarella), halved
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Handful of fresh basil (leave the leaves whole or slice them into strips)
- Balsamic glaze for serving (NOT balsamic vinegar, optional)
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini in a large pot of salted water for 6-8 minutes or according to package instructions.
- Drain and rinse the tortellini and set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl or a jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
- You can either mix the salad in a large bowl or layer it onto plates and drizzle with the dressing.
- To mix the salad prior to serving, add mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, red onion, and fresh basil, along with the cooked tortellini to a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss to mix well.
- Serve as it is or drizzle with some balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you're prepping it ahead, I recommend storing the salad and the dressing separately. Just toss the salad with a little bit of olive oil to avoid the pasta sticking together and the mozzarella drying out.
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Veronika Sykorova says
This salad is gonna be one of my go-tos for summer dinners! So easy and quick!