Tortellini Pasta Salad

Name: Tortellini Pasta Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: Salt and black pepper; About 20 ounces cheese tortellini; ½ small red onion, thinly sliced; 1 (10- to 12-ounce) jar sliced roasted red peppers, drained; 2 ounces salami or soppressata, cut into bite-size pieces; ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; Crushed red pepper; 3 big handfuls baby arugula

By Ali Slagle

Updated March 31, 2025

Tortellini Pasta Salad — Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Michelle Gatton.

Total Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 5(1,876)
Comments: Read comments

Italian sandwiches don’t hold up well, but pasta salads do, so transform your go-to deli order into a make-ahead pasta salad that’s hearty, punchy and not at all soggy. Instead of regular pasta, this recipe uses cheese-filled tortellini for soft, creamy bites. There’s plenty of salami too, of course, along with sweet and sharp roasted red peppers, balsamic vinegar, red onion and arugula. But it’s adaptable depending on your personal preferences: Add more vegetables, such as frozen corn or cauliflower, or briny olives or capers; skip the greenery, or make a grain salad by swapping the pasta for farro.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

Salt and black pepper
About 20 ounces cheese tortellini
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1(10- to 12-ounce) jar sliced roasted red peppers, drained
2ounces salami or soppressata, cut into bite-size pieces
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Crushed red pepper
3big handfuls baby arugula

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a pot of heavily salted water, boil the tortellini according to package directions. Drain into a colander and shake dry. Add the red onion to the colander and rinse the pasta and onion under cold water until the pasta is cool. Shake dry. Dry the pot and return the tortellini and onion to it.
Step 2
Add the peppers, salami, oil and vinegar and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper until the salad is flavorful. Stir in the arugula. (If making ahead, pack the arugula on top of the pasta in an airtight container, refrigerate for up to 3 days, then stir to combine.)

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Ratings

5 out of 5

1,876 user ratings

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Comments

Stacy1 year ago

@Greg I added about two stalks of celery diced fine and thought it added nice crunch and flavor.

Lee, KY1 year ago

I have made my own version of this, but with red wine vinegar and chunks of provolone added, along with some basil and oregano. Oh, so yummy on a summer's day with crusty bread!

Marisa1 year ago

@Alison I have found that soaking sliced or chopped red onion in water for about 15 minutes (then draining) really helps mellow out the bite.

Lauren1 day ago

This was a hit at a recent potluck. I assembled it the night before with the arugula on top and tossed it in before serving, as directed. Really good! I sliced my red onions then soaked them in ice water while I prepped the rest of the salad, and they were perfect and not overpowering. Next time I may add cherry tomatoes for oomph and some sliced celery for crunch, as some other commenters have suggested. The balsamic does color the tortellini a bit brown. This was not super apparent once the arugula was mixed in. Go heavy on the arugula!

Meredith3 days ago

Added some fresh mozzarella. No meat. Loved it!

Myra K4 days ago

can i freeze this

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