Store-bought refrigerated cheese tortellini is a great time-saving ingredient on those occasions when you need a delicious pasta salad but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, since it takes so little time to cook. Simply toss the tortellini with diced pimentos and a simple nut-free fresh basil and parsley pesto made with salted pepitas or pumpkin seeds, for a quick and flavor-packed side dish everyone can enjoy, including those with nut allergies.
There are a few things in our lives recently that are pretty much a constant. First, we seem to have an insane amount of fresh herbs growing on our back deck at any given moment. Granted, that could all change as soon as we have a long dry spell because I will admit to not always being the best or the most dedicated plant mama on the face of this earth. I try. That’s about all I can do, right? Second, we’re both so crazy busy with our day jobs and constantly searching for discount and thrift stores to purchase dolls or doll-related items to use in The Historic Herndon Halloween House‘s amazing “Creepy Dolls” display this year for Halloween.
After you figure in the time we try to set aside for actually spending time with our favorite friends, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, and remembering to entertain McKenna each day so that she doesn’t get bored to tears, there’s not much time left for anything else. So, large pasta salads like this one are pretty much a lifesaver at the moment. Quick to throw together, utilizing our fresh herbs that probably won’t be alive much longer if I have anything to do with it, and great served for several days as leftovers. That leaves both B.O.B. Bob and me with more time to do things we truly love, like hunting for the creepiest, and often most disgusting dolls imaginable.
Ingredients:
- Cold Water
- 1 (20-oz.) Package of Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini
- 2 Cups Roughly Chopped Fresh Basil
- 2 Cups Roughly Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 2/3 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 Cup White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Sea Salt
- 1/4 Cup Pepitas or Roasted Salted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 (4-oz.) Jar of Diced Pimentos, Rinsed & Drained
Directions:
- Boil the tortellini according to the directions on the package, which should be approximately 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Drain the tortellini and run it under cold water for several minutes to help it cool down.
- In a food processor or blender, process or blend the basil, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, pepper, salt, and pepitas or salted pumpkin seeds for 1 minute.
- Place the drained cheese tortellini into a large mixing bowl, add the pesto and pimentos, and then stir gently to combine.
Suggestions:
- I used a bag of Giovanni Rana Family Size 5 Cheese Tortellini for this recipe. You can use whichever brand or variety you choose.
- Place a 1/4 teaspoon of salt into the water you cook your pasta in.
- I used pepitas for this recipe, which are roasted salted pumpkin seeds. Since they contain salt, as well as the cheese tortellini, you may need more or less salt in this recipe depending on how salty your pepitas and tortellini are to begin with. Adjust the amount of salt if needed.
Improvements:
- Replace the diced pimentos with fresh diced red or yellow peppers.
- Add grated parmesan cheese to the nut-free pesto.
- Serve this tortellini pasta salad with these Cilantro & Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts or these Paprika & Oregano Marinated Pork Chops.
- Add diced salami, shredded rotisserie chicken, or grilled or steamed shrimp to this salad to transform this side salad into a main dish.
Ingredients:
- Cold Water
- 1 (20-oz.) Package of Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini
- 2 Cups Roughly Chopped Fresh Basil
- 2 Cups Roughly Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 2/3 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 Cup White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Sea Salt
- 1/4 Cup Pepitas or Roasted Salted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 (4-oz.) Jar of Diced Pimentos, Rinsed & Drained
Directions:
- Boil the tortellini according to the directions on the package, which should be approximately 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Drain the tortellini and run it under cold water for several minutes to help it cool down.
- In a food processor or blender, process or blend the basil, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, pepper, salt, and pepitas or salted pumpkin seeds for 1 minute.
- Place the drained cheese tortellini into a large mixing bowl, add the pesto and pimentos, and then stir gently to combine.
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