Tortellini Pasta Salad With Pesto Genovese

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If you are looking for a delicious and easy pasta salad recipe, this is it! This pesto tortellini pasta salad is made with authentic pesto Genovese, store-bought cheese tortellini, spinach, and tomatoes for a burst of bold Italian flavors and an easy dinner. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a side dish for any meal.

Tortellini pesto pasta salad on a large plate on a table with fresh basil in a cup behind it.

I love making this tortellini pasta salad in the summer (June and July) when basil (for the pesto) and tomatoes are abundant in my garden. You don't have to worry about heating up the house either since the cheese tortellini takes just minutes to cook.

This pasta salad is really easy to make and loaded with so much flavor. You can eat it warm, cold, or hot, whatever you prefer.

Pesto Genovese And Cheese Tortellini Is A Match Made In Heaven

The traditional Genovese-style pesto pasta salad is made more special by swapping out regular penne pasta for cheese tortellini. While the most popular way of using pesto Genovese is with penne or spaghetti you can certainly find tortellini also being used instead in Italy and it is one of my favorite combinations!

The Genovese pesto sauce in this recipe is a delicious basil pesto with a thick and creamy texture (that comes from the city of Genoa in Italy) and is what most people think of when they think of pesto. There are so many varieties of pesto in Italy and if you were there, each region has a different version.

This version of pesto is the perfect flavor combination with the cheese tortellini and it is not overly heavy which is one reason I love it so much. I also think pesto is one of the best sauces for tortellini since it is so thick and it coats the tortellini so well. That is why I also like adding bolognese with tortellini. The sauce just sticks to the tortellini beautifully.

I do recommend trying other varieties of pesto if you have the chance because any pesto variety will taste great with the tortellini!

Ingredients

Here is what you will need, full recipe below in the recipe card.

Frozen cheese tortellini. I always have some in my freezer so this is what I use. You can use fresh cheese tortellini as well.
Baby Spinach
Fresh tomatoes: I use whatever tomatoes look the freshest or are growing in my garden. Use cherry tomatoes, vine-ripe tomatoes or Roma tomatoes.
Genovese Pesto Sauce: This is pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, lemon, fresh basil, garlic, and salt.

How to Make Tortellini Pasta Salad With Pesto Genovese

Tortellini pesto pasta salad preparation from making the pesto Genovese in a food processor to cooking the cheese tortellini then gently mixing the tortellini, pesto, spinach and tomatoes together in a bowl.

Make the pesto Genovese: You want a food processor for this step. Add the pinenuts, basil, olive oil, lemon, parmesan, and salt to the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
Cook the cheese tortellini: Boil the tortellini according to the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure to not over cook it and to rinse it under cold water after cooking. I explain why in more detail below.
Chop the tomatoes: A course chop into bite-sized pieces is perfect.
Mix it all together: In a large bowl, gently add all the pesto pasta salad ingredients and gently toss, making sure you do not break the tortellini.

Recipe Tips

Here is what I have learned over the years when making this pasta salad.

Do not thin the pesto with hot water- You may find that when you are mixing the pesto into the pasta salad, you want a creamier texture. Do not use the hot pasta water that the tortellini cooked to do this as this will brown the pesto. Try to make a little extra pesto or use olive oil to add more creaminess.
Run the tortellini under cold water briefly- By doing this, you ensure the tortellini does not drink up the pesto (warm pasta drinks up sauce), and like the point I made above, it helps prevent the pesto from browning.
Do not overcook the tortellini- This goes without saying that no one wants a mushy pasta! If you prefer a firmer pasta, cook the tortellini for a minute less than the manufacturer's instructions.
Make sure to toast the pine nuts! Toasting them really brings out the delicious nutty flavor.

Storing Suggestions

You can store this tortellini pesto pasta salad in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because of the pesto, you want to make sure to use an air-tight container so the pesto does not start to permeate the fridge with the scent of garlic 🙂

If you want to heat the pesto pasta salad, the pesto may dry out a bit. I recommend heating it only to the point it is warm in the microwave. You can also eat this cold.

Recipe Faqs

Can I make Pasta Salad ahead of Time?

Yes. Pesto pasta salad can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time.

How long will Pasta Salad Last?

The pasta salad will be best within the first 24 hours of making it but you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

What is the difference between Genovese pesto and other types of pesto?

Genovese style pesto is a basil pesto from Genoa Italy. It is one of many styles and flavors of pesto in Italy.

A top view of the tortellini pesto pasta salad on a plate on the counter.

Variations and Changing It Up

Make this pesto pasta salad your own by using your favorite ingredients or what you have on hand in your kitchen. Here are some ideas for you to change it up:

Add mozzarella: Some cubed fresh mozzarella or small bite-sized mozzarella called ciliegine.
Add more veggies: I love artichokes, asparagus, sliced red onion, and even beans in this pasta salad.
Add protein: Chicken or even fish go really well with this.

What to Serve With This Pasta Salad?

Since this is a pasta salad, it is like a complete meal in one bowl. If you want to serve some side dishes with it, here are some of my favorites to go with pasta:

Ciabatta bread with olive oil and garlic
A light Panzanella salad with grilled veggies
Or maybe a classic bruschetta Italiania to start the meal.
End the meal with an easy Italian peach cake for a summer theme.

More Easy Pasta Recipes