For pizza lovers, this pepperoni pizza tortellini pasta salad will quickly become one of your favorite pasta salads with cheese, tomato, and pepperoni flavors in every single bite. It is a little crazy how good fresh farm the garden basil is with the fresh tomatoes along with lots of fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
In the summer, I am always looking for cold sides. We have a tendency to grill and eat outside. This pepperoni pizza tortellini salad has quickly become one of our favorite pasta salad.
Pepperoni Pizza Tortellini Salad
The key to cold sides is having plenty of cold side ingredients on hand. During the summer you will find five pounds of fresh mozzarella balls in my fridge at any given moment. We are obsessed with Caprese salad. Thanks to fresh tomatoes and basil, we have this salad multiple times a week. Sometimes my swimmers need a little bit more to eat. This salad kept our favorite ingredients with the addition of some three cheese tortellini.
Start by cooking the tortellini. I use the refrigerator kind which cooks rather quickly. I don't cook it the full time the package calls for as it has a tendency to fall apart on me. 
Once the tortellini floats, I immediately removed the pasta from the heat and rinsed with cold water and ice to start cooling the pasta immediately. Quickly transfer the tortellini to a bowl and coat the pasta in the dressing. I pre-chilled the dressing to help also cool the pasta down.
In the bowl continue to add the remaining ingredients including diced tomatoes, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese that has been cut up into bite-sized pieces, and pepperoni. I love using the mini pepperonis. If you can't find mini pepperoni, use the regular size. You can never have too much pepperoni.
I add fresh basil to the combination to take the Italian flavors up a notch. To be honest, I have basil in everything all summer long, even my drinks! This salad has so many flavors and textures you will wishing you had made more.
Chill the salad until you are ready to serve. Right before serving I hit it with parmesan cheese and a bit more dressing if the pasta seems dry. I have also been known to add a bit of tomato sauce to the salad as well.
๐ Recipe
Pepperoni Pizza Tortellini Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 18-20 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
- 1.5 cups Italian dressing
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 8 ounce mozzarella ball, chopped
- 3 ounces mini pepperonis
- ยฝ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4-5 basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. I normally cook for a minute or two less or all the tortellini are floating. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water and ice.
- Dump into a large serving bowl and stir in the dressing, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, pepperoni, and basil.
- Chill for one hour.
- Before serving, add parmesan cheese and additional dressing if the salad seems dry.
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Megan @ MegUnprocessed
I love the idea of a pizza salad!
ashley
I want this for dinner!