We are just days away from the beginning of September, my absolute favorite month of the year. From the anticipation of the official start of new book season, to the elation over the arrival of autumnal colors and temperatures, to the end of whining over running in heat stroke inducing, sauna-like weather, to the nights chilly enough to wear a sweatshirt, to the once beloved rituals of a new school year, to the return of fall fruits and vegetables, and last but not least, to my birthday. I could go on endlessly sharing or telling you again about the almost endless number of reasons for my affinity for the month of September. But I will spare you from me getting carried away sharing all of the reasons for and details of all of the memorable moments/favorite things about my birthday month (hey, it's your lucky day!), as I have something more important to share with you.
Like this ohhemmgee, be still my heart Creamy Pesto Tortellini Salad. A salad now added near the top of my list of my favorite things! Between the recently shared Herbed Potato Salad and this ONE, your Labor Day weekend gathering is now poised to become epic. If you only knew how much I wish I could have you take a bite of this salad right now. Not only because I love sharing food with friends, but selfishly I want to be witness when you unequivocally declare it to be the BEST tortellini salad you have ever tasted. I am completely obsessed with this Creamy Pesto Tortellini Salad. And for the record, I don't throw the emphatic BEST out around here very often. Reserving it only for those dishes that completely take my breath away. And this gorgeous, scrumptious, refreshing salad has done just that!
Had I not tasted a delicious, couldn't stop eating pesto tortellini salad made by one of my good friends for our girl's getaway a couple of weeks ago, I may have never been inspired to create this one. Because those that know me, know I have to put my twist on almost every recipe I learn about or discover. Not even an Ina Garten or Yotam Ottolenghi recipe is safe from my tweeking.
When given the choice between fresh and frozen, with a few exceptions, I almost always choose fresh. With the increased availability of fresh 'refrigerated' pasta these days, it made perfect sense to use a fresh 'cheese' tortellini in this salad (see notes). Not just because of how tender and flavorful it is, but a cooking time of less than five minutes made this easy to make pasta salad even easier.
Keeping with the easy to make theme, the creamy pesto dressing for the salad is a two-ingredient wonder. Whether you make your own basil pesto (like this one) or use one store-bought (like this one), the combination of a good quality mayonnaise and a good quality pesto creates the 'I almost have no words' dreamiest dressing. It brings new meaning to the words 'awesome sauce'! Having made this dressing with a 'fresh' refrigerated basil pesto sauce, I am not sure I would feel compelled to make a homemade pesto to use in the dressing.
If you go down the pesto tortellini salad recipe rabbit hole you will discover that other than tortellini and some kind of pesto dressing, the other ingredients included in the salad are all over the map. The beauty of this particular salad is that you have options! You can keep it simple by adding in only balls of fresh mozzarella, thick pieces of red, yellow, and/or orange sweet peppers, and sliced green onions. Or......
You can top the salad with some toasted pine nuts for added crunch and flavor, some whole (do not cut) baby red tomatoes, and/or some fresh basil. Those were all of the ingredients used in Creamy Pesto Tortellini Salad. But instead of adding in fresh whole baby tomatoes use drained sun-dried tomatoes or instead of using fresh baby mozzarella balls, use a log of fresh mozzarella cut into one inch pieces. If you like olives (they are a divisive ingredient in this household), add them in. If you like artichoke hearts, add them in. If you want to top it with some shavings of Parmigianno-Reggiano, go for it. In other words, be my guest and add and/or replace some the ingredients listed in the recipe below based on your taste preferences. As much as I might love for you to make no tweeks to this BEST recipe, it would make me one of those (yikes) 'do as I say, not as a do' kind of food bloggers. As passionate as I am about this mouthwatering salad, this isn't one of those recipes where I plead with you to not change a thing. Okay, maybe just say 'pretty please' try it this way first.
If you come to a gathering at my house, more than likely I will be serving 'my' version of this Creamy Pesto Tortellini Salad. Even down to the 'fresh' store bought basil pesto. At least for now.
From beginning to end, this mouthwatering Creamy Pesto Tortellini Salad takes about forty minutes to make. As far as making flavor packed, dangerously delicious salads goes, it doesn't get any easier or better than that. If I learned anything after tasting this salad with all of its' flavor and textures, it's that I am not at all certain I could or even want to eat a store bought pasta salad. Especially a tortellini one and/or even if I was starving.
Recipe
Creamy Pesto Tortellini Salad
Serves at least 8
Ingredients
20 ounces (567g) cheese tortellini (see notes)
7 ounces (200g) basil pesto, homemade or a 'fresh' store bought version
8 ounces (228g) good quality mayonnaise
12-16 ounces (337-449g) fresh balls of mozzarella
2-3 sweet peppers (highly recommend using a combination of red, orange, and/or yellow peppers), cut into thick pieces (about 1 inch long and about 1/2 inch thick)
2-3 green onions, green and white parts, sliced on the diagonal
1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Cherry tomatoes, left whole
Sprigs of fresh basil for garnish
Directions
1. Whisk together the basil pesto and mayonnaise until well blended. Set aside briefly.
2. Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Rinse under cold water. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add in the creamy pesto dressing. Mix until well blended. Note: It may look like you have to much dressing, but don't worry. Once you add in all of the other ingredients it will be perfect. But if you are worried, reserve about 1/4 of the dressing and add the rest after you all of the other ingredients.
4. Add in the balls of mozzarella, sweet peppers, and green onions. Stir gently until well blended. Transfer to a large serving platter or to low, shallow bowl.
5. Top with cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and sprigs of basil.
6. Serve immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator. Note: This salad was just as delicious on day two as it was on day one.
Notes: (1) If possible use a fresh, refrigerated tortellini. I used the family sized bag of this five cheese tortellini. (2) If not using a homemade or 'fresh' store bought basil pesto, I would recommend you not use an off the shelf jar of basil pesto, unless you have found one to be highly flavorful. (3) I kept the ball of the fresh mozzarella whole, but you could cut them in half if you wanted to. (4) If you add cherry tomatoes, add them in whole, do not cut them in half as their juices will alter the flavor of the dressing.
Frida Kahlo Exhibition, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL (August 2021)
