Greek Tortellini Salad

Greek Tortellini Salad: Salty feta cheese, crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, sharp red onions, and sweet-bitter Kalamata olives are all stirred together with tender cheese-filled tortellini. This salad is tossed in a nutritious and flavorful Greek-inspired vinaigrette.

Pair Greek Tortellini Salad with marinated and grilled Greek chicken or Greek meatballs. And if you’re looking for a low-carb alternative to the tortellini, try this Greek quinoa salad next.

Greek Tortellini Salad

A good pasta salad is always a hit during the summer, especially when brought to a cookout or potluck! But adding tortellini in place of the pasta takes it to the next level.

Greek Pasta Salad is a popular recipe on the site, so I swapped a few ingredients and replaced the pasta with tortellini to create this fun twist on a classic. The tortellini completely change the salad, making it more savory and a lot more cheesy. 

Greek Tortellini Salad dressing

To dress this Greek Tortellini Salad, we combine the ingredients listed below in a jar and shake to combine; it’s easy and quick! You can also use a bottled Greek vinaigrette from the store, and add it to taste over this salad.

• Olive oil: Since olive oil is the star of the dressing, I recommend a good quality, extra-virgin oil.
• Red wine vinegar: This variety of vinegar adds an overtly sharp and clean flavor with a hint of fruity aromas. It’s a classic Greek dressing ingredient!
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice will taste the best and add vibrancy to the salad.
• Honey: Feel free to add more honey if you find the dressing too tart, and alternatively, start with less if you prefer tangier dressings.
• Dijon mustard: Don’t use regular yellow mustard; the two don’t interchange well in this dressing.
• Minced garlic: Grab jarred minced garlic if you’re in a pinch for time, or use a garlic press to mince a clove quickly.
• Dried oregano: While fresh oregano can certainly be used, I find it a bit overpowering in the salad. Dried oregano disperses more evenly and less intensely in the salad.
• Salt and pepper: Added to taste preference!

Variations:

• Add a creamy element, such as a ripe avocado. Since avocados don’t hold up well in the salad, if you use them, add them to individual plates right before serving. 
• Make it a Greek Chicken Tortellini Salad. Add in some diced grilled chicken (rotisserie chicken, Greek-seasoned-and-cooked chicken, or use this delicious chicken marinade).
• Swap black olives for Kalamata olives if that’s what you have on hand.
• Add roasted red pepper: Roasted red peppers would make a great complement to the other veggies in this salad. You can buy jars of roasted red peppers at the store; they are usually near things like pickles, capers, and artichoke hearts. Alternatively, a raw red or green pepper would be a great addition.

How long will Greek Tortellini Salad last?

More salad recipes

• Broccoli Salad with a creamy dressing
• Chicken Salad with pecans and dried cranberries
• Italian Pasta Salad with an Italian-inspired vinaigrette
• Turkey Taco Salad with a creamy cilantro dressing
• Potato Salad with a creamy mayo-based dressing

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4.85 from 13 votes

Greek Tortellini Salad

By Chelsea Lords

Greek Tortellini Salad: salty feta cheese, crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, sharp red onions, and sweet-bitter Kalamata olives are all tossed together with tender cheese-filled tortellini. This salad is tossed in a nutritious and flavorful Greek-inspired vinaigrette.

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6 as a side dish

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Salad

• ▢ 1 package (16 ounces) fresh or frozen cheese-filled tortellini
• ▢ 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• ▢ 1 cup English or Persian cucumbers, cut into half moons
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ▢ 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, halved or thinly sliced
• ▢ 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• ▢ Optional: 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Dressing

• ▢ 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 and 1/2 tablespoons EACH: lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoons minced garlic
• ▢ 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

Instructions 

• DRESSING: Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Shake thoroughly to combine, making sure no honey or Dijon is stuck on the bottom. Use a spoon to stir, and then shake again if needed. Store dressing in the fridge until ready to use. To serve, shake dressing again, right before adding to the salad, and then drizzle over salad.
• TORTELLINI: Prepare the tortellini according to package directions. Make sure to generously salt the water (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups of water). Don't forget to salt the pasta water or the whole salad will taste under-seasoned. Drain, rinse under cold water, and toss with 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing. Set aside in the fridge to chill.
• VEGGIES: Prepare the veggies: dice the red onion, cut the cucumbers into half moons, halve the cherry tomatoes, halve or slice the olives, crumble or cut the feta cheese into chunks.
• ASSEMBLE: Toss together the completely cooled tortellini with all the veggies and add in some chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Drizzle on the dressing to your preference; you may not want to use it all (We love dressing, so we use all of it on this salad!). Toss to combine and then add in the feta cheese. Toss again gently. Taste and adjust to personal preference adding any additional salt/pepper as needed.
• ENJOY: Cover tightly and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Toss once more, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

STORAGE: We prefer this salad the same day it's made, as the onion and olive flavors get stronger the longer it sits. The dressing also begins to break down the tortellini.

You can refrigerate the ingredients separately in meal prep containers (veggies, tortellini, feta cheese, and dressing) and dress the bowls individually at mealtime. This way, this Greek tortellini Salad will last 4 to 5 days in the fridge. You can find more meal-prepping tips in this recipe for Greek Couscous Salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 6as a side dish | Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.4g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 18.3g | Cholesterol: 39.2mg | Sodium: 496.6mg | Fiber: 2.6g | Sugar: 7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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