Summer Salad……… Tuscan Tortellini Salad.
Summer salads are the best……cool, fresh veggies, in yummy, light dressings….makes my mouth water at the thought.
Pasta salads are some of my favs. I really like tortellini for summer pasta salads. Filled with cheese, or meats they are little packets bursting with flavor.
I like to use Barilla’s Cheese & Spinach tortellini, egg pasta folded around creamy Ricotta cheese and tender spinach, and pinched into a distinctive ring shape. And they are cute!!!
Tortellini……Italian………Tuscan……..I feel a flavor profile coming together.
Sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, and sopressata.
Sopressata is similar to hard salami, and it can also be spicy!
Tim and I had sopressata on a pizza in Las Vegas at Wolf Gang Pucks restaurant. It was spicy and delicious.
I think the bocconcini mozzarella balls are the cutest little things. Bocconcini means little bites in Italian…….too cute!
A simple vinaigrette of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar…….I have been using this lately as it doesn’t discolor dishes like regular balsamic does…….a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper.
This salad is easy to make and can be kept for several days…….in my opinion, it was even better the next day. The flavors melded together soon nicely.
Pair the Tuscan Tortellini Salad with grilled meat, or add a nice loaf of your favorite Italian bread, and a glass of your favorite beverage and you have a summer salad thats sure to please……..
Print
Tuscan Tortellini Salad
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1– 13 ounce package Barilla cheese & spinach tortellini 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces sopressata or other Italian style meat, chopped
- 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 8 ounce package of fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 c. Parmesan, shredded
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and transfer to large serving bowl.
- For the dressing: Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- To the tortellini in the bowl, add sopressata, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, basil, parsley, and dressing tossing until well combined.
- Garnish with Parmesan.
