Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad

June 22, 2019
Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad ~ Loaded with cheese-stuffed tortellini, fresh-from-the-garden zucchini and summer squash, and dressed with lemony herb vinaigrette.  So fabulously tasty, you'll need to make a double batch!
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Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad Image

It is truly amazing how much my husband can eat.  Generally when I cook, I make double what you would think a family of three could eat.  And it still gets gone.

You would think after 15 years of this, I would be used to it.  But no, his appetite still amazes me every time.

And so, it was no different with this Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad.

Loaded with cheese-stuffed tortellini, fresh-from-the-garden zucchini and summer squash, halved cherry tomatoes, and all dressed with a lemony dill vinaigrette, it is truly hard to resist.

I made a double batch - which I thought  was a huge batch.  And then planned for us to eat it over the next several days.  A double batch is 2 pounds of tortellini and about 10 cups of fresh vegetables, give-or-take a little.  I mean, that's a huge  salad!

Would you like to guess how long it lasted in our house?  Go ahead - take a guess.

2 days!!

That's it.  It lasted 2 days.  And gone.

But I guess with a salad as tasty as this Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad, I can't say I blame him for gobbling it up so quickly.  Loaded with cheese-stuffed tortellini, fresh-from-the-garden zucchini and summer squash, halved cherry tomatoes, and all dressed with a lemony dill vinaigrette, it is truly hard to resist.

Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad with Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes Image

Besides it's fabulous deliciousness, another beauty of this salad is its versatility.

You can use pretty much any vegetables you'd like.  I personally love the zucchini/summer squash/cherry tomatoes combination, but it can certainly be changed up to suit personal tastes or to accommodate what's on hand in the refrigerator, if you'd like.

To make it with zucchini and summer squash, I cut the squash into large matchsticks, like this:

Zucchini Matchsticks Cut for Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad Image

Then I blanch the zucchini and summer squash to partially cook it, which makes it soft and tender.  Blanching also takes out that kind of "squeaky" texture that comes with biting into a piece of raw squash.

I definitely like the texture of blanched squash in the salad much better than raw.

Besides it's fabulous deliciousness, another beauty of this salad is its versatility.  You can use pretty much any vegetables you'd like.

Combine the blanched squash together with prepared cheese tortellini and halved cherry tomatoes.  Then whip up a simple dressing of white wine vinegar, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and some seasonings.

You can whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, our put them in a sealable jar like I do, and give them a good shake to get them mixed.

How to Make Dressing for Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad Image

Pour the dressing over the tortellini mixture and gently toss the salad to get everything well coated.

How to Make Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad Image

I think the matchstick shapes of the zucchini and summer squash contrast nicely against the rounded shapes of the tortellini and cherry tomatoes.  And the color combination is quite pretty, too, don't you think?

So grab that fresh-from-the-garden zucchini and summer squash and whip up a bowl of this tasty Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad.

But be warned ... If you've got a big eater in the house like my husband, you may just need to make a double batch!

Summer Veggie Tortellini Salad Image
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tortellini salad, pasta salad, recipe, zucchini recipe, summer squash
Salads
Yield: 8-10 Servings

Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad

Loaded with cheese-stuffed tortellini, fresh-from-the-garden zucchini and summer squash, and dressed with lemony herb vinaigrette. So fabulously tasty, you'll need to make a double batch!
prep time: 25 Mcook time: 5 Mtotal time: 30 M

ingredients:

  • 1 lb. frozen or refrigerated-fresh cheese tortellini {tri-color or regular}
  • 4 c. zucchini & summer squash, cut into thick matchsticks or cubed
  • 1 c. halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 c. white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
  • 1 tsp. dried dill weed
  • 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. black pepper

instructions:

How to cook Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add zucchini and summer squash and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes to blanch. {Don't wait for the water to return to a boil to begin timing the 3 minutes ~ begin timing as soon as the squash is in the pot.} Working quickly, use a large slotted spoon to scoop squash from the pot into a colander. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain completely. Place in a large serving bowl.
  2. Return water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Add to the bowl with the squash. Add tomatoes and gently toss to combine.
  3. Combine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, dill weed, thyme, salt, and pepper; whisk until well blended. Pour dressing over tortellini mixture and gently toss to coat.
  4. Chill at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Created using The Recipes Generator


You might also enjoy these other delicious summer salads:





10 comments

  1. I've been keeping my meals nice and lite since it's been so hot out and this looks perfect! Plus I have a ton of zucchini so I can use it up too!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, this tortellini salad is a GREAT way to use some of that summer zucchini. Enjoy!

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  2. This is a wonderful combination of flavors. I know what you mean about your hubby's appetite. Mine is the same way ( wink) Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. xo

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    Replies
    1. At least we have someone to gobble up all that cooking and baking we like to do! :-)

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  3. I love tortellini, I should make it more often! This salad looks like a perfect summer time dinner or picnic potluck item.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Joann. Yes, this is a perfect potluck or picnic dish. In fact, I'm bringing a big bowl to a potluck tonight!

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  4. I just love the dill in this salad, what a great summer salad. We always enjoy your post at Full Plate Thursday and thanks so much for sharing them with us. Hope you have a great week and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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  5. Tracey - Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop. Stop by today and check out my Tuesday Treasures where you will see your Tortellini salad featured! I love just about anything with tortellini so this is sure to be on my menu soon!

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  6. Tortellini is one of my favorite foods, and this salad looks delish! Found you at A Morning Cup of Joe.

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  7. Thanks for sharing at the what's for dinner party!! Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete

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