A simple Mediterranean-inspired cold tortellini pasta salad with chicken, veggies, feta, and olives in a red wine vinaigrette is the recipe of the season! This crowd-pleasing dish is a great make-ahead dinner, an easy contribution to your next potluck, and a packable solution for picnics or travel.
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If you’re looking for even more easy salad recipes, be sure to try this English pea salad, a cucumber tomato onion salad, this marinated vegetable salad, and a broccoli grape salad, too!
You can’t beat a cold tortellini salad for an easy summer meal! Cheese tortellini comes together with chicken, fresh vegetables, olives, and feta cheese in a simple vinaigrette for a satisfying and nutritious make-ahead lunch or dinner.
When my family of 5 devours a meal without complaint, I consider it the ultimate culinary stamp of approval! There’s nothing particularly fancy, difficult, or unusual about this recipe. Instead, it’s just a lovely combination of really delicious, fresh ingredients that work perfectly together. You can even start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken for minimal prep!
Ingredients for a Cold Tortellini Salad
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a simple tortellini salad recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar: come together to create a classic vinaigrette that highlights the rest of the ingredients.
- Garlic: for savory flavor.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Chicken: use raw chicken breast tenderloins (which cook quickly in a skillet), or start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut.
- Tortellini pasta: I use a refrigerated three cheese tortellini, but another variety of cooked tortellini will work well, too. Try a sausage-filled tortellini, frozen tortellini, dried tortellini, or tri-colored tortellini.
- Baby spinach, red onion, cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, and cucumber: fresh veggies that bulk up the dish, and also contribute great flavor, color, and texture.
- Sliced black olives: for a salty, briny touch.
- Feta cheese: a classic cheese that adds salty, creamy, Mediterranean flavor to the dish.
- Basil: use fresh herbs for the best flavor.
Should you rinse pasta for pasta salad?
Yes, I recommend rinsing the tortellini for this cold pasta salad. The rinsing accomplishes two things:
- Stops the cooking process and cools down the pasta right away so that you can toss it with the veggies, chicken, and dressing; and
- Removes some of the starches so that the tortellini doesn’t stick together in a big clump as it cools.
How to Make Tortellini Salad
The total prep time for this Greek pasta salad, from start to finish, is about 30 minutes. To make the process most efficient, prep the vegetables while you’re waiting for the pasta and the chicken to cook! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Boil the tortellini in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool.
- Cook the chicken in a skillet, or use pre-cooked chicken (such as a rotisserie chicken) for a shortcut.
- Shake together the red wine vinaigrette.
- Toss everything together in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Add the basil just before serving.
What to Serve with Tortellini Salad
This hearty dish is filling enough to serve as an entrée, but it also works as a side dish with a piece of fish or grilled meat. Here are a few options that go well with the cold tortellini salad:
- Garlic Bread or Breadsticks
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Crusty French Baguette, No-Knead Cast Iron Focaccia, Focaccia Bread, No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread, Soft Dinner Rolls, or Homemade Crescent Rolls
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins, Pumpkin Muffins, or Pumpkin Bread
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Wedge Salad with Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Caesar Salad, or our favorite House Salad with Candied Pecans
- Fennel Salad with Apples and Creamy Cider Dressing
- Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower or Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Sauteed Zucchini or 3-Ingredient Parmesan Roasted Yellow Squash
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: For convenience, you can make this chicken tortellini salad the night before you plan to enjoy it. You might need to add a little bit more dressing to the salad the next day if you find that the pasta has absorbed too much of the vinaigrette. If the dressing solidifies when it’s chilled, just let it sit on the counter and come to room temperature before using.
- Storage: The pasta salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- I do not recommend freezing the tortellini salad. The pasta and vegetables will be mushy when thawed.
Recipe Variations
- Instead of making your own dressing, sub with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette. Any Italian dressing, vinaigrette, pesto, or Greek dressing will work!
- Make it vegetarian by substituting a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas for the chicken.
- Use just about any tortellini that you like. Frozen or dried tortellini is fine as a sub for the fresh tortellini — just cook according to package directions. You can also use a meat or spinach-filled tortellini instead of the cheese tortellini.
- Try adding more fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, or chives. Italian seasoning would also give the dish even more Mediterranean flavor.
- Give it a little bit of a spicy kick with some crushed red pepper flakes.
- Use other veggies, such as frozen peas (thawed), diced carrots, marinated artichoke hearts, or diced sweet red bell pepper. Capers or kalamata olives would also be great!
- If you don’t care for feta cheese, try cubed mozzarella, shaved Parmesan cheese, or the little fresh mozzarella pearl balls.
- Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half.
Tips for the Best Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
- Cook the tortellini just until al dente, so that it’s not too mushy in the salad.
- Liberally salt the pasta cooking water, since this is your chance to season the tortellini.
- Rinse the tortellini under cold water to stop the cooking process. This also removes some of the starches from the pasta so that it doesn’t stick together.
- This recipe yields about 1 cup of dressing, but you will not need all of it initially. Save the extra dressing for later, since you might want to add a bit more vinaigrette to your tortellini salad if the salad has been sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two.
More Cold Pasta Salad Recipes to Try
Tuna Pasta Salad
50 minutes mins
Antipasto Pasta Salad
32 minutes mins
Easy Pasta Salad with Mayo, Lemon and Basil
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
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Tortellini Salad with Chicken
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced, grated, or pressed fresh garlic (about 2 large cloves)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins (or 2 cups of chopped or pulled rotisserie chicken)
- 1 (9 or 10 ounce) package fresh three cheese tortellini pasta
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup diced seedless cucumber
- 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
Prepare the Vinaigrette
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a large jar or measuring cup. Shake (or whisk) until completely combined. Set aside.
Prepare the Chicken
- If you're using cooked rotisserie chicken, you can skip this step!
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on all sides, to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and allow the chicken to cook on one side, undisturbed, for at least 6-7 minutes. Flip, and cook the chicken for about 6-8 more minutes, or until it is nicely browned on both sides and cooked through.
- The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, or when the juices run clear.
- When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest.
Prepare the Tortellini
- Cook the tortellini in a large pot of well salted boiling water, according to package instructions. Drain; rinse under cold water.
- While the tortellini cooks, dice the chicken into bite-size pieces or shred with two forks.
Assemble the Salad
- In a large bowl, gently combine the diced chicken, cooked tortellini, spinach, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese. Pour about ¼ cup vinaigrette over the salad (or more, to taste). Reserve the remaining vinaigrette.
- Serve the salad immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Stir in the chopped fresh basil just before serving. Add extra reserved vinaigrette to moisten the salad as needed, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing solidifies when chilled, just let the salad/dressing sit on the counter and come to room temperature before enjoying.
Notes
- Instead of making your own dressing, sub with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette. Any Italian dressing, vinaigrette, pesto, or Greek dressing will work!
- Make it vegetarian by substituting a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas for the chicken.
- Use just about any tortellini that you like. Frozen or dried tortellini is fine as a sub for the fresh tortellini — just cook according to package directions. You can also use a meat or spinach-filled tortellini instead of the cheese tortellini.
- Try adding more fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, or chives. Italian seasoning would also give the dish even more Mediterranean flavor.
- Give it a little bit of a spicy kick with some crushed red pepper flakes.
- Use other veggies, such as frozen peas (thawed), diced carrots, marinated artichoke hearts, or diced sweet red bell pepper. Capers or kalamata olives would also be great!
- If you don’t care for feta cheese, try cubed mozzarella, shaved Parmesan cheese, or the little fresh mozzarella pearl balls.
- Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in April, 2018. The photos were updated in June, 2023.
Delicious. Thank you for the recipe. I’ve been looking for new cookware, too. Awesome giveaway!
Hi,
Thanks for the yummy sounding/looking recipe. I look forward to trying it tomorrow. I am so impressed & in awe of your organizational skills in such a busy, full life. How do you do it all????? You provide an awesome service to all of us.
Thanks,
Brenda
Tortellini salads are always the favorite at home and potlucks. Thank you for a new delicious recipe. Also the chance to win new
Farberware is much appreciated!
What a great summer meal! It would also be a good choice for a potluck dish. I can’t wait to try it!
Going to be making this on Saturday for a cookout my family is going to. Can’t wait to try it!
This salad looks yummy, Blair! We have a busy weekend planned with the Farmers Market and some gardening with the grandbaby, and I’m planning to try it out then! Have a great week!
Wonderful! Enjoy, Laurie!
I go to a lot of summer bbq’s and potlucks and always looking for new recipes.
Thanks for the healthy and delicious recipes!!!
Easy, light, and delicious!!! My husband wanted me to make it again the next night. I added a little Italian seasoning to the vinaigrette and liked the addition. I also used more feta because we love feta. Also prefer green olives. I’ve shared this recipe with friends and family. I might try rotisserie chicken next time as a shortcut. Thanks!!!
Sounds perfect! Thank you so much, Mary Beth! 🙂 And yes — love the rotisserie chicken shortcut!
I saw this recipe in the Costco magazine and it looked amazing. I made it for dinner last night and it is so good!!!! So I came and checked out your blog! Looking forward to trying more recipes! Thank you!!
Thank you so much, Kathy! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe and was happy to find that I had most ingredients on hand. Without having the cucumber and red onion it was still amazing. I also had to substitute the red wine vinegar with balsamic. This recipe is so easy, healthy and will definitely please a crowd!
Thank you for the feedback, Allison! We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you and enjoyed the recipe.