Tortellini Salad Recipe

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Summer in our house at The NY Melrose Family means cookouts and barbecuing.  We enjoy getting the extended family together and each of my siblings and I bring a salad as a side.  My toddler is a fabulous little eater, but she loves her pasta.  Her new favorite salad for cookouts is my Tortellini Salad with balsamic vinegar, pesto and sun dried tomatoes.  This salad comes together quickly and she even gets to help put it together, which is key when you have a newborn in the house and a toddler wanting extra attention.

Tortellini Salad Recipe:

I start out by using a one pound bag of frozen cheese tortellini and prepare them according to the directions on the package.  Remember, I said this was easy so making fresh cheese tortellini is a little out of the question right now when I’m in a time crunch.

As the tortellini is cooking I slice up a handful of sun dried tomatoes into strips.  I use sun dried tomatoes in oil, which last well in the refrigerator.  Here’s a quick tip for you though.  If the oil solidifies don’t toss them, simply let the jar come to room temperature and the oil will go back to normal and the sun dried tomatoes are perfect.

Once the tortellini is cooked, add the sliced sun dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar and a tablespoon of pesto.  I love this recipe because I get to use my Kale & Spinach Pesto, which I always have on hand.  You can buy jarred pesto, but you’ll be shocked at how easy it is to make pesto.  You can use traditional pesto, which is made with basil, but I like the kale and spinach pesto because of the added nutrients.  The final step is to toss all of the ingredients together and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

 

 

Due to the fact that we live in NY, we take full advantage of the nice weather and cookout just about every weekend, which means we’re always looking for a new side salad to bring with us.  If you’re like us be sure to check out Kelli’s Copycat KFC Coleslaw Recipe or my Red Cabbage Coleslaw for a tangy twist.  If you’re not just looking for sides then you’ll love my Summer Cookout Ideas, with ideas from appetizers to desserts.

About the Author

Jenny is a wife, mother, teacher and blogger.  She and her husband of 7 years are raising two girls, a toddler and newborn, an hour outside of NYC.  Jenny shares crafts, recipes, diy and party planning projects over at The NY Melrose Family.

You can connect with her at:

The NY Melrose Family * Google+ * Facebook *  Twitter

 

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