Tortellini Caprese Salad (Printable)
Tender cheese tortellini tossed with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil in balsamic dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz cheese tortellini, fresh or refrigerated
→ Vegetables & Herbs
02 - 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 4 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
04 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Dressing
05 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1½ tbsp balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 garlic clove, minced
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled tortellini, halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella bocconcini, and torn basil leaves.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze (or vinegar), minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the tortellini mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop further before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of pillowy cheese tortellini with juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella feels indulgent but never heavy.
- It comes together in under 25 minutes with zero cooking intuition required.
02 -
- Rinsing the tortellini is nonnegotiable because residual heat keeps cooking them into mush.
- The salad tastes noticeably better after a short rest in the fridge because the tomatoes and mozzarella soak up the balsamic.
03 -
- Taste your balsamic glaze before using it because some brands are far sweeter than others and you may want to adjust the quantity.
- If you can find mini bocconcini skip the halving step entirely and save yourself five minutes of prep.