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Tortellini with pesto in a white bowl up close.
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5 from 1 vote

Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad

Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad is a favorite. The pesto is packed with nutrients, flavor and pairs wonderfully with this pasta salad.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Author: Bailey Rhatigan

Equipment

Ingredients

For The Spinach Walnut Pesto

  • ⅓ cup walnuts or pine nuts
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2½ tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ cup pecorino or parmesan
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ tbsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 cup fresh spinach
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro OR BASIL
  • 2 chopped cloves of garlic

For The Tortellini Pasta Salad

  • 18 oz pre prepared tortellini
  • 1 lb fresh asparagus optional!
  • ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped in oil

Instructions

  • Make Pesto. Add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor and blitz until blended well and the walnuts are broken down (i like mine a little chunky so I use the pulse) *Feel free to add more olive oil if you'd like to thin it out or if the pesto is not blending. Set aside.
  • Prepare Asparagus. Clean asparagus, cut the bitter ends off (about 2 inches of ends). Chop into bite size pieces.
    Optional* Blanch in about 2 cups of water, place the cut asparagus in the boiling water and blanch for about 2 minutes. You can also just add it in raw for extra crunch. Set the asparagus aside and drain water.
  • In a large pot, cook tortellini according to package. This typically goes quick! Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water when draining (this helps to spread out the pesto!) 
  • Assemble Pasta Salad. Add the tortellini, sun dried tomatoes and blanched asparagus to a large serving bowl. Add in half of the pesto or as much as you'd prefer. Mix together well, ensuring the pesto is evenly spread throughout using tongs or serving utensils. Garnish with more Parmesan serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Don't over cook the tortellini, it will get too soft and turn to mush.
  • Taste the pesto as you go! It's customizable. If you want more salt, add it! If you don't like cilantro, skip it! you got this :)
  • Keep some pasta water to the side, this helps to spread the pesto more into the pasta.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
*To make pesto vegan, use nutritional yeast in place of. You will also need to add more salt to taste. 
*about 2 1/2 cups = 20 ounces. If you want to make less, simply use less pesto and asparagus in the recipe. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cup or salad | Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2122IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 5mg