30 Best Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipes - Parade Magazine

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a BBQ or potluck that doesn't feature at least one pasta salad. After all, pasta salad pairs well with burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs and just about anything and everything hot off the grill.

The thing is, some pasta salad recipes are uninspired, tired and boring. So it's always a pleasant surprise when I find a new twist on summer pasta salads. Most recently, I've been loving tortellini salad recipes, rather than penne or rotini pasta salads. It's delicious cold, plays well with other ingredients, is stuffed with more goodness and doesn't get soggy—making it the ideal pasta to hold up in next-day leftovers.

Related: 60 Ways To Use Tortellini

Why Choose Tortellini For Pasta Salads?

Since there are so many varieties of tortellini, including various cheeses and meats, you'll find tortellini pairs with just about any flavor profile you're going for, whether that is an Italian Pasta Salad, Greek Pasta Salad or even a Tuna Pasta Salad.

Cold pasta salads are great make-ahead side dishes. You can put one together early in the day or even the day before and let the flavors meld together.

Something else I love about pasta salads is I can control all the flavors with a homemade dressing, or if I'm short on time, I can simply use a bottle of store-bought dressing. A tortellini pasta salad mixed with Italian dressing from the store is actually quite nice on a hot summer night. You might even skip the dressing and use a pesto for a delicious twist!

Related: Best No-Mayo Potato Salads

Next time you're heading to a potluck or just looking to make an easy side dish for a  burger night, give this collection of  30 best tortellini salads recipes a browse for a delicious new recipe!

More Pasta Salad Recipes:

Christine is the creator of Foody Schmoody Blog. She is a wife and mother of three. She grew up with a large Italian influence in her life. She brings her love of food and the need to have quick and easy meals together in her food blog. To date, her most proud culinary accomplishment has been providing a meal to the great chef, Gordon Ramsay. Join Christine in her journey to get everyone in the kitchen, no matter their level of cooking experience.