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Garden Fresh Tortellini Salad

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Tortellini pasta salad with blanched broccoli, carrots, leeks, and bell peppers in a homemade balsamic-thyme mayonnaise with orange zest. A colorful, garden-fresh vegetarian salad.

YIELD

16 servings

PREP

15 min

COOK

6 min

READY

25 min

Two types of tortellini tossed with blanched broccoli, carrots, leeks, and jewel-toned bell peppers, all dressed in a from-scratch balsamic mayonnaise spiked with orange zest and thyme. This is a pasta salad that actually looks and tastes like a composed dish, not a potluck afterthought.

Cook each vegetable separately. Broccoli and carrots need different blanching times, and combining them in one pot means one will be overcooked while the other is still raw. Quick blanching keeps them crisp-tender and brightly colored.

The homemade dressing is worth the effort. Processing egg yolk, lemon juice, Dijon, and balsamic vinegar while streaming in olive and vegetable oil gives you a light mayonnaise that coats every pasta pillow and vegetable without heaviness. The orange zest is the unexpected star; it adds a floral, citrusy brightness you’d never get from a bottled dressing.

Pro Tips

  • Drain the tortellini well and toss while still slightly warm. Warm pasta absorbs dressing better than cold.
  • Blanch the leeks for just one minute. They cook fast and turn slimy if overdone.
  • Stream the oil in slowly while the food processor runs. Rushing creates a broken, separated dressing.
  • Serve at room temperature for the best flavor. Cold mutes the basil and orange zest.

Variations

  • Add grilled chicken or shrimp for a protein-packed main course salad.
  • Swap balsamic vinegar for red wine vinegar for a sharper, less sweet dressing.
  • Toss in sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts for a Mediterranean twist.

Ingredients

1 15
TABLESPOON ML LEMON JUICE
1 453.6
POUND G TORTELLINI
1 453.6
POUND G TORTELLINI
egg
1 453.6
POUND G BROCCOLI FLORETS
head
1 453.6
POUND G CARROTS
3 3
EACH LEEK *
1 1
LARGE LARGE SWEET RED BELL PEPPER
1 1
LARGE LARGE SWEET YELLOW BELL PEPPER *
½ 118
CUP ML BASIL
fresh, chopped *
1 1
LARGE EACH EGG YOLK
1 15
TABLESPOON ML DIJON MUSTARD
1 15
TABLESPOON ML BALSAMIC VINEGAR
1 237
CUP ML VEGETABLE OIL
½ 118
CUP ML OLIVE OIL
1 15
TABLESPOON ML THYME
dried *
1 1
EACH ORANGE
zest, finely grated *
1 1
DASH DASH SALT
to taste *
1 1
DASH DASH BLACK PEPPER
to taste *

Directions

Break the broccoli into florets and slice the tender stems. Peel and cut the carrots diagonally into ¼ inch slices. Rinse, dry and cut the white part and 2 inches of the green into thin julienne.

Core, seed and cut into julienne strips the red and yellow peppers.

Cook the tortellini in boiling salted water according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly and place in a large mixing bowl. Cook the broccoli florets, stems and carrots separately in boiling salted water just until tender. Drain and combine with the tortellini.

Blanch the julienned leeks 1 minutes in boiling water; drain. Add the leeks, red and yellow peppers, and fresh basil to the salad and toss to combine.

Process the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard and vinegar in a food processor for 30 seconds. With the machine running, pour the oils in a thin steady stream through the feed tube to make a light mayonnaise.

Add the thyme, orange zest and salt and pepper to taste. Process to combine.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 148g (5.2 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 381 59% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 37mg 12%
Sodium 234mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars g
Protein 18g
Vitamin A 121% Vitamin C 69%
Calcium 11% Iron 7%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
 

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