Tortellini Olive Salad
Tortellini Olive Salad is loaded with cheese-filled tortellini, green and black olives, salami, and marinated in a cheesy Italian dressing! It’s the favorite summer pasta salad at this Nest! It’s a taste treat for the senses!
When I was first married I loved the Pillsbury magazine cookbooks at the check-out stand. This was long before the internet… and long, long before food bloggers took over the world of cooking…ya know…back in the dinosaur period! Lol
I love cookbooks filled with recipes from women who cook for their families. Great everyday family foods! Those are the recipes that last.
Seriously…think about it…biscuits. Chicken-fried steaks. Fried Chicken. Stew. Apple Pie. Chicken and Dumplings. All great recipes that have been around for ages because Grandma’s Granny made them in her kitchen. The Best!
When we purchased our first home, we had a small “house-warming” party. I wanted a fun new appetizer. In my newest Pillsbury cookbook was a recipe for Tortellini Kabobs. They were AMAZING! That was over 25 years ago, and they are still one of the most requested dishes at this Nest.
Well, fast-forward 25+ years. I decided last summer it was time to “update” this recipe. Translation: I didn’t want to sit and shove everything on bamboo skewers any more that were going in the trash! (Seriously friends…my birdies can PACK these babies down in no time flat! Great for a party! Family meal time…not so much so!)
The family favorite got a make-over! All the same ingredients minus the bamboo skewer. The salami is cut into smaller bite-sized pieces too. If it is possible…the newer version is loved even more!
This amazing salad has just FIVE ingredients, plus garnish, and it’s going to knock your socks off!
How To Make The BEST Tortellini Olive Salad
Precook your frozen tortellini per the package directions. Be sure NOT to overcook them. Follow the instructions on the package, and they’ll turn out perfect for this salad. You want them al dente!
TIP: They are going to soak up the dressing, so you really do want them al dente.
Drain the tortellini, after cooking, and both types of olives. (I drain everything together. May as well keep it simple.) We love delicious simple food here at Norine’s Nest.
Place the tortellini and olives in a large bowl. Add the diced salami and about 3/4 of the *Cheese Fantastico bottle of dressing. (Be sure to shake the dressing well before adding it to the salad.)
TIP: Before you start to panic because your store doesn’t carry Bernstein’s Cheese Fantastico dressing…it’s OKAY! Just substitute a really good Italian dressing and 1/4 a cup of finely grated Parmesan Cheese. Voilà! You are good to go.
Let me pause, and let’s talk hard salami for a second…
The original recipe for the Kabobs called for thinly sliced hard salami. This was so you could fold it in half and then into a quarter for the skewer.
In this new version…I cut the thin salami into bite-size pieces to make it easier to serve in “salad” form.
Stir everything together and refrigerate for 2–3 hours or overnight. (Shhhh don’t tell on me, but sometimes I add marinated Artichoke hearts! SO GOOD!)
Stir again before serving to mix in any salad dressing that may have settled. If it is a little dry, add more dressing in, and garnish with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
The Perfect Pasta Salad
Ta-Da! There you have it.
Simple right? It’s not a salad that requires a ton of ingredients. It doesn’t need them. The blend of flavors from the olives and the dressing is pure perfection. Sometimes simple really is better.
The perfect forkful contains at least one olive, one tortellini, and a few slices of salami! (As you can see I’ve done extensive research on this topic!)
Confession time… I am NOT a green olive fan. Not at all! BUT…I LOVE them in this salad! So much… I seek them out so that my fork has one of them on there before I take bite!
My point…if you’re not a green olive lover…give it a chance before you turn up your nose. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
WARNING: This salad is addictive!!! Isn’t it pretty. It draws you into it cheesy clutches, and you can’t let go!
The only way this salad made it on to this dish was because I had to take photos of it for this post. Otherwise, Mars and I stand with forks in hand and “snitch” forkfuls while hovering over the bowl. (We are sad, pathetic human beings!) We seriously could, and have, made a meal out of this salad. It’s so YUMMY!
Pasta Salad Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Mexican Seafood Pasta Salad
- Shrimp Pasta Caesar Salad
- Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Classic Pasta Shrimp Salad
- Muffuletta Olive Pasta Salad
- Moms Tuna Macaroni Salad from Mae’s Menu
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Tortellini Olive Salad
Ingredients
- 1 19 oz. package frozen cheese tortellini cooked and drained
- 1 6 oz. can of medium size black olives drained
- 1 7 oz jar of manzanilla green, olives, drained
- 1 14 oz. bottle of Bernsteins Cheese Fantastico dressing OR any really good Italian Dressing and 1/4 cup of finely grated Parmesan Cheese. Either will work.
- 1/2 pound hard salami thinly sliced and cut into bite size pieces OR about 4 slices cut into 1/4 inch thick slices and cubed.
- Chopped parsley and grated Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- Follow directions on package of tortellini for cooking pasta al dente. Be sure NOT to over cook the pasta.
- Cook Pasta and drain.
- Drain both types of olives.
- Place the tortellini and olives in a large bowl. Add the diced hard salami.
- Add 3/4 the bottle, of well shaken, Cheese Fantastico dressing.
- Stir until all ingredients are well combined. All to chill for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Stir just before serving. If needed, add more dressing. Garnish with Parmesan Cheese and chopped Parsley.
- Serve.
- Will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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Nutrition
About the Author
Meet The Author
Hi! I'm Norine, the cook, baker, and recipe creator behind Norine's Nest. I love sharing and creating recipes that invite family, friends, and neighbors to gather around the dinner table. Sharing good food and creating memories with those we love brings me happiness. Thanks for stopping by my Nest!
I make a similar version of this for my family. The only difference is I add marinated artichoke hearts, pepperoni and cucumbers and I use Wishbone zesty Italian dressing and I sprinkle it wish shredded parmesan. I have to double the recipe because my family loves it THAT much! 🙂
Hi Kimber!
I hope I have your name right? I sometimes have to guess from my end. 😉 I LOVE your version and adding artichoke hearts. My husband absolutely LOVES artichoke hearts so I’m going to try that next time. Your version sounds super yummy too! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks so much for sharing and stopping by my Nest!!! Have a Fantastic Week!
~Norine
Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to make this. I have been looking for recipes that I can make for a lunch and this looked yummy.
Hi Ruth!
You are so welcome! This is one of my favorite “lunch” salads. It’s super filling and satisfying. Thank you for your comments and for stopping by my Nest! Love making new friends. 🙂
~Norine
I loved those little cookbooks too! Thanks for that memory!
Hi Michelle!
You are so welcome. They were always so jam packed with great recipes! It truly was my guilty pleasure when I was a young mother and money was extra tight. I always found the best recipes in them. Thanks for visiting! Have a Great Day!~Norine
Thank you so much for sharing! I really appreciate it. Hope your readers love it as much as we do at this Nest!
Wow, we sure did love this. Excellent! Thank you
Hi Celeste!
I’m so glad you loved this salad! It’s addictive isn’t it? We never tire of it here at this Nest. I think I’ve made it 3 times in the last month and half…it disappears every time. I think it’s really a meal all by itself and I’m perfectly happy to have a little bowl of it for lunch…when I can find any leftovers. 😉 lol. Thank you for sharing. Thanks for visiting my Nest! I hope you’ll come back soon.
~Norine
Thank you SO much for sharing this family favorite! I really appreciate it. ~ Norine
I have never seen the Bernstein’s dressing where I live. I’m thinking Trader Joe’s “Tuscan Italian” (essentially a perfect blend of Italian dressing and creamy balsamic) would work?! I hope! I’m going to try this recipe with it today! Thank you!!!!
Hi Lis!
I think you are right! I think that the Trader Joe’s “Tuscan Italian” would work beautifully! The truth is I think any really good Italian Dressing would work and if it doesn’t contain Parmesan Cheese I’d just add some. Hope you loved this recipe as much as we do. Thanks for your comments and stopping by my Nest! Have a Fantastic Day!
~Norine
Thank you so much for sharing my salad on your website. I really appreciate it. Great post with lots of wonderful easy pasta salads! 🙂
I received your wonderful emailed recipe for the tortellini olive salad which I plan to make for Easter. Unfortunately the Bernstein cheese fantastico dressing is no longer available in stores on the internet. Can you advise of a good replacement? What is a close second choice? Thank you and keep sending your fabulous recipes. HAPPY EASTER to you and your loved ones.
Hi Marie! Thank you for your sweet comments. There is an alternative you can use instead of the Bernstein’s Cheese Fantastico. I often use Kraft Sun Dried Tomato and add about a 1/4 a cup of either Parmesan or Romano grated cheese. It will work beautifully! If you can’t find that just use a really good Italian Dressing…I’m betting even the Olive Garden that they sell now in stores would work wonderfully! Enjoy! Thanks so much for stopping by my Nest!
@[email protected], You can find the Olive Garden copycat recipe online. I make it regularly, and my salad is hanging out in the fridge as we speak. Doing my best to leave it alone for now!