Pesto Tortellini

This tortellini is tossed in creamy caesar pesto sauce, with tomatoes, olives, green onion, sunflower seeds, and fresh basil. Lauren Allen

View the print-ready version of this recipe.

I love pasta salads that are easy to make, filling and full of fun flavors, and this Pesto Tortellini is all those things. It’s delicious, and everyone always loves it! It tops the list of my favorite pasta salad recipes, along with this Spinach Avocado Pasta Salad and Teriyaki Bowtie Pasta Salad.

Ingredients Needed

• Pesto: Homemade Pesto or good quality store-bought. (Use leftover pesto to make pesto pizza, or one pan pesto chicken and veggies).
• Caesar Dressing: make homemade caesar dressing, or use store-bought.
• Tortellini: I suggest good quality refrigerated tortellini.
• Tomatoes: I like to use cherry tomatoes but use any kind you like.
• Olives: pitted, sliced black olives.
• Onion: I recommend green onion but sweet onion or diced red onion would work.
• Sunflower Seeds or pine nuts.
• Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Basil is essential!

How to Make Pesto Tortellini

Cook Tortellini according to package instructions. Drain well and allow to cool. Add to a large bowl and toss with caesar dressing to coat.

Lauren Allen

Add tomatoes, olives, green onion, pesto, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and toss to combine. Add sunflower seeds and 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese and toss to combine.

Lauren Allen

Serve garnished with fresh parmesan and basil just before serving.

Lauren Allen

Recipe Variations

• Add protein like chicken, sausage or shrimp to make it a hearty main dish. Rotisserie chicken would work great, or leftover cooked, grilled chicken.
• Extra Veggies: Add sautéed zucchini or yellow squash, chopped bell peppers, spinach.

Creamy Pesto Tortellini

Serves 6

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 10 minutes

Total 20 minutes

• 20 ounce package cheese tortellini, refrigerated kind
• 1 cup caesar salad dressing, homemade or store-bought
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 ounces black olives, drained and chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish

Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and allow to cool.

Add tortellini to a large bowl and toss with 1/2 the caesar dressing. Add tomatoes, olives, green onion, pesto, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, 1/3 cup fresh parmesan, and sunflower seeds and toss to combine. Add more caesar dressing, to make it saucier, if desired.

Serve warm or cold. Garnish with remaining fresh parmesan and fresh chopped basil before serving.

Notes

Servings size is about 1.5 cups

Add Protein to make it a heartier meal, like chicken, sausage, or shrimp. Rotisserie chicken would work great, or leftover cooked, grilled chicken.

Extra Veggies: Add sautéed zucchini or yellow squash, chopped bell peppers, spinach.

Nutrition

Calories: 687kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 1623mg, Potassium: 192mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 696IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 297mg, Iron: 4mg

This article was originally published on tastesbetterfromscratch.com. Follow on Instagram.

Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to [email protected].