Tortellini Pasta Salad
The beauty of food is not just that it gives us energy and prevents us from turning into hangry, zombie versions of ourselves. It has the to ability to transport us. A familiar smell or taste can bring up memories of a different time. There are some meals that remind me of my childhood so much that I almost feel like I’m sitting at my parents dinner table. It’s why we all get sentimental around the holidays – the food.
My favorite time of the year is summer. Summer foods more than anything can take me somewhere else. The smell of a grill and the taste of hamburgers eaten under the warmth of the sun immediately transports me back to the days of running around with my brother shoveling ice cream sandwiches into our faces. In my household, pasta salad was always a staple summer food. The salad itself is very basic. It doesn’t take a recipe or laborious hours to put together. Yet somehow the simple combination puts me at a backyard barbecue and a smile on my face.
This recipe uses cheese tortellini and grilled chicken. Use the recipe as is or simply take the inspiration for finding what food puts you under a summer sun with a smile on your face.
Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
Serves 2; increase amounts for a crowd.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup small, fresh Mozzarella balls, halved or quartered
- 1 chicken breast, grilled
- 1/2 tsp seasoning for the chicken (Use any blend you like such as Fajita, Southwest, Greek, Italian, etc.)
- 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups of cheese tortellini (Use either frozen or refrigerated.)
- 2-3 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette (Store bought or homemade*.)
* If you are making homemade dressing you’ll need 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp honey (or brown sugar), 1 clove of chopped garlic and a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.
Directions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half for 1 cup.
- Chop fresh basil into 2 Tbsp.
- Peel and slice a 1/4 of a red onion.
- Cut small, fresh mozzarella balls into halves or quarters.
- If making homemade dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp honey, 1 clove of chopped garlic and a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.
Make the Salad
- Prepare the chicken breast by placing it between two pieces of plastic wrap or in a plastic bag. Pound the chicken with a handheld meat tenderizer or a can from the pantry until the chicken is an even thickness across the breast (about 1/4-inch). Spray the chicken with cooking spray, and sprinkle both sides with a seasoning rub. (Or sprinkle with salt and pepper.)
- Let the chicken cool and dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups of the pasta according to the package. Let the pasta cool to room temperature. (You don’t want to melt the cheese.)
- In a bowl, add the tomatoes, onion, basil, mozzarella, pasta and chicken. Stir in the amount of dressing you prefer. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
I wrote this recipe to serve just a handful of people as either a main or side dish. A pasta salad always works great when serving a crowd so adjust the portions to make the quantity you need. Prepare the salad in advance and keep it in the refrigerator.
