• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Mandy Jackson logo

  • Recipes
  • Our Home
  • Kitchen Favorites
  • About
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Our Home
  • Kitchen Favorites
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Grilled Summer Tortellini Salad with (an Easy!) Basil Vinaigrette

    Jul 1, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    All the things we love most about pasta salad (make-ahead! easy! the perfect side dish!) but amped up with tortellini instead of regular noodles.

    serving dish of summer tortellini salad with basil vinaigrette

    Why have I never thought about using tortellini in pasta salad until now?? Maybe because the thought of cold tortellinis weirded me out (it's good though, I promise!). Maybe it's because they're sold in a completely different aisle than the dried boxed noodles. EITHER WAY, they make a pasta salad so filling that it really can be a meal on its own, while still delivering that refreshing punch we love in summertime!

    This is loaded with fresh tomatoes, grilled corn and poblano peppers, red onion, and drizzled with an easy basil vinaigrette. So many of the best summer players all in one place!

    Oh, and I like to add feta, too, because sometimes it's fun to take the cheese content totally over the top. But it is admittedly totally unnecessary, so feel free to omit!

    Like most pasta salads, this one, while DELICIOUS right when it's ready, only gets better as it sits and all the flavors meld. So it's not a bad idea to make it at least a few hours before you plan to eat it!

    tortellini pasta salad with grilled poblanos and corn, tomato, red onion, and feta

    The Tortellini

    Just plain cheese tortellini is what you want here. I like the smaller size ones for more tortellinis per package. Refrigerated or frozen will work!

    As with all pasta salad, be careful not to overcook your noodles! If you do, your pasta salad will be a kind of starchy mush and it will be so sad.

    Once the tortellini is cooked, rinse it off with cold water to bring the temperature down and stop further cooking. Then, toss it in a bowl with a drizzle of the basil vinaigrette to prevent sticking.

    The Basil Vinaigrette

    Do you have a basil plant that is prolifically producing right now?? Might I suggest you make a lot of basil vinaigrette this summer! It's good on pasta salads (like this one!) but also on regular salads, grilled meats, breads, and really anything you can spoon a sauce over.

    Plus, it's so easy to make! Just throw all the ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth.

    It will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge so you can make it several days ahead and use it any time it's needed!

    The Grilled Veggies

    Grilled corn and poblano peppers take this tortellini salad to new heights of summer food! You can grill them together - they'll both take around 6-8 minutes to get a nice char. Then, set the corn on a cutting board to cool while the poblano is steaming on a plate tented with foil. (The steaming step is crucial to being able to easily remove the skin, which can be an unpleasant texture).

    Once they're cool enough to handle, cut the grilled kernels from the cob, and peel the skin off the poblano, discard, and chop the pepper.

    I love how versatile this recipe is, and it would be good with so many different kinds of veggies here - asparagus, zucchini, bell peppers - whatever you have!

    Serve this at room temperature or chilled. It's such a good summer potluck item because it goes with so many main dishes, but it's hearty enough to be a meal on its own!

    close up of tortellini salad
    serving dish of summer tortellini salad with basil vinaigrette
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Summer Grilled Tortellini Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

    Tortellini makes this pasta salad hearty enough to be a full meal! Loaded with some of the best players from the summer garden - tomatoes, corn, and basil. Good at room temperature or chilled. Serve it with some grilled meat, or on its own!
    Serves 4 as a main, 8 as a side.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
    Servings: 6
    Author: Mandy Jackson

    Ingredients

    For the Basil Vinaigrette

    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

    For the Tortellini Salad

    • 1 (20-ounce) package cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
    • 2 ears corn
    • 1 large poblano pepper
    • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
    • 1/2 red onion, diced
    • 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

    Directions

    For the Basil Vinaigrette

    • Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. You can make this dressing several days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use!

    For the Tortellini Salad

    • Cook the tortellini according to package directions in salted water. Drain well and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with a few tablespoons of the dressing to prevent sticking.
      Grill the corn and poblano pepper on a hot grill until corn is lightly charred and the skin of the pepper is blistering - about 6-8 minutes. Place the pepper on a plate tented with foil to steam, and remove the corn to a cutting board to cool for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut the corn from the cob. Peel the skin from the pepper (it should be easy once it's steamed!), remove the stem and seeds, and chop.
      Stir the corn, poblano pepper, tomato, onion, feta, and remaining dressing into the bowl of tortellini. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
      Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @itsmandyjackson on instagram so I can admire + share it!

    serving dish of summer tortellini salad with grilled veggies and basil vinaigrette

    You Might Also Like

    « Pistachio Muffins with an Easy Almond Glaze
    Painting a Stairwell Without Ladders or Scaffolding »

    let's stay in touch!

    sign up to get fresh posts delivered straight to your inbox + an ebook of our all time favorite 7 cookie recipes!

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Mandy Jackson

    hi, i'm mandy.

    A regular Midwest homebody. Here, I share recipes we love, and how we're thoughtfully renovating our 100-year-old American foursquare.

    Learn more about me.

    Top Posts

    • Sharing a Room with Baby
    • Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • French Apple Tart
    • Creamy Mexican Corn Dip
    • Sheet Pan Quesadillas

    Eat the Seasons

    cup of French onion soup topped with herby croutons and cheese

    Bistro French Onion Soup with Herbs de Provence Croutons

    bowl of chili topped with sour cream and green onion

    A Not-Soupy Beef Chili (AKA, My Favorite Chili!)

    Bowl of soup topped with bacon and served with rolls.

    Broccoli Bacon Cheddar Soup

    baking dish of bubble up chicken pot pie

    Bubble Up Chicken Pot Pie

    Winter

    let's stay in touch!

    sign up to get fresh posts delivered straight to your inbox + an ebook of our all time favorite 7 cookie recipes!

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    let's stay in touch!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Privacy Policy
    • About
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2023 Mandy Jackson on the Seasoned Pro Theme