This flavorful Tuscan Tortellini Pasta Salad has sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach. It’s tossed with a delicious balsamic dressing and shredded Parmesan Cheese. It’s incredibly delicious!
It was at a luncheon that first I had this Tortellini Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette. I was smitten. There’s something special about that sweet and tangy Balsamic Vinegar that I find hard to resist. It’s pretty accurate to say that I love balsamic vinegar! I’ve made a Balsamic Glazed Pot Roast that is a family favorite. My Balsamic Steak Bites recipe is one I’ve also made more than once.
The combination of tangy and sweet sun-dried tomatoes, a hint of garlic and this delicious balsamic vinaigrette is perfect with a cheese tortellini pasta. I craved this pasta salad, so I began a search on the internet to see if I could replicate it. Bingo!
The salad dressing is so simple: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon Mustard, Salt & Pepper.
Drain and chop sun-dried tomatoes (in oil) and add to the dressing.
Cook the tortellini pasta per the package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water.
To the tortellini, add fresh baby spinach and the dressing. Give it a gentle toss. Add shaved Parmesan as a garnish. Sadly, I didn’t have a chunk of Parmesan cheese, so I used shredded Parmesan. The next time I make this, I’ll be sure to add shaved Parm. (Shaved Parmesan also looks great on my Fig-Prosciutto Pizza recipe.)
TASTING NOTES: I love this tortellini pasta salad! This is a perfect potluck dish that will make you look like a star. Best of all, this salad comes together pretty quickly without a lot of fuss. Enjoy!
Tuscan Tortellini Salad with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 small garlic clove grated or minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 9-ounce packages fresh cheese tortellini or 1 (16 to 19-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini
- 1 7-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 3 ounces baby spinach about 3 packed cups
- 2 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese about 2/3 cup
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, grate or mince 1 small garlic clove. Place in a large bowl, add the 3 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and whisk to combine. Drain the 7-ounce jar of sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chop, and add to the dressing.
- Boil the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and run briefly under cool water to cool the tortellini. Drain well again.
- Transfer to the bowl of dressing and toss to combine. Let sit 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld. Meanwhile, thinly shave the 2 ounces Parmesan cheese with a vegetable peeler (about 2/3 cup).
- Stir the 3 ounces baby spinach into the pasta salad until it starts to wilt. Gently fold in the shaved Parmesan. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
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