This summery pasta salad is filled with cheese tortellini, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, and basil tossed in a fresh lemon vinaigrette. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Peak summer produce: Fresh tomatoes, zucchini, and sweet corn make this salad vibrant, colorful, and packed with flavor.
Quick and easy: Most of the prep can be done while the tortellini cooks and cools.
Perfect for entertaining: This serves a crowd and can be made ahead of time.
Easy to customize. Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or fresh mozzarella. Roasted bell peppers, goat cheese, and pickled onions can also be added or swapped for another ingredient.
Tips for the Best Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Salt the pasta water generously. It’s the best opportunity to season the tortellini.
- Don’t overcook the tortellini. Slightly firm pasta holds up much better in pasta salad.
- Let the tortellini cool before adding it to the vegetables.
- Reserve a little vinaigrette to stir in just before serving if making the salad ahead.
Serving suggestions
This pasta salad pairs wonderfully with:
- Grilled chicken
- Burgers
- Steak
- Barbecue ribs
- Grilled salmon
- Rotisserie chicken
- Sandwiches and wraps
It’s also perfect for potlucks, cookouts, and summer picnics.
Recipe
Summer Corn, Tomato and Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Pasta salad:
- 22 ounces cheese tortellini
- 2 cups cooked corn
- 1 cup halved/quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 large zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 5 leaves fresh basil, torn or chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Vinaigrette:
- Combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
Pasta salad:
- Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Once it has drained, drizzle a little olive oil or lemon vinaigrette over the pasta to keep it from sticking. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, combine tortellini, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, feta, basil, and dressing. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Jennifer Anderson says
I made this and took it to an island party! Everyone loved it and was asking for the recipe. It’s a crisp and refreshing pasta salad option on these hot summer days! Plus, the colors of the dish make it a winner! I made extra dressing, of course!!
Celebrating Sweets says
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
Lori says
Add some rotisserie shredded chicken and now my summer go to for hot nights! Love it!
Celebrating Sweets says
That sounds perfect! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Hal says
If I’m reading this correctly, you need to use 2 boxes of dried tortellini. Each braille box is 16 oz. I will be making this for a crowd of about 30 and want to be sure. I made this before and it was delicious but I don’t remember how much dried tortellini I used
Allison says
The recipe calls for 22oz of tortellini, which would be about 1.5 of the boxes you’re referring to. You can really just play around with and add more dressing and veggies to taste. Enjoy!