ANTIPASTO TORTELLINI SALAD😍

Today we’re taking everything we love from an antipasto platter and tossing it into a pasta salad with tortellini and YES.. it IS as good as it sounds. The dressing is bright and zingy, pairing perfectly with the savoriness of the salami, saltiness of the parmesan, and the juiciness of the cherry tomatoes - plus why not upgrade our pasta to tortellini for even MORE things we love? Done in 15 minutes or less and perfect for meal prep or Memorial Day gatherings, you’re gonna love this one!

Antipasto in Italian is typically the first course of a formal meal, consisting of dried meats, cheeses, olives, pepperoncini, etc. For this recipe, I thought it would be fun to take similar ingredients and throw them into a pasta salad with tortellini for an easy, meal-prep friendly, work from home lunch or quick weeknight dinner. This makes about 4 servings, so perfect for making ahead for lunches for the week, but quick enough that you can get it done in 15 minutes between Zoom calls. Make the dressing in the bottom of the bowl of your tortellini salad for minimal cleanup. You’re gonna love this!

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

For the Antipasto Tortellini Salad:

• 8oz cheese tortellini

• 4 oz cherry tomatoes, sliced (about ½ cup)

• 8 oz mozzarella balls (I like the marinated mozzarella balls)

• 5 oz dry cured salami, cubed (ideally you want to find the non-refrigerated log, not thin slices)

• ½ cup whole black olives (or ¼ cup sliced)

• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsps white balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp italian seasoning (or a combination of dried basil and parsley)

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

• ½ small grated garlic clove or ¼ tsp garlic powder

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Other ideas for toppings: pepperoncini, marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, etc.

Directions:

For the Antipasto Tortellini Salad:

• Get a pot of salted water to boil and cook your tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.

• In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt and pepper, until combined. Add in the parmesan and basil and whisk again.

• Add the tortellini to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, cubed salami, olives, and any other desired toppings. Toss and taste to adjust any seasonings.

• Serve at room temperature and enjoy! 

• Reheating Tips: since the dressing has oil in it, it will solidify in the fridge. Either leave it out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or microwave for 30-45 seconds to bring the pasta salad to room temperature and toss well.