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30-Minute Tortellini Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on April 4, 2011

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

30-Minute Tortellini Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice ½ cup fresh basil leaves, shredded1 shallot, minced1 garlic clove, minced½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta½ teaspoon pepper 2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved1½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Before You Begin

We prefer the more delicate texture and flavor of fresh tortellini (found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets); however, frozen tortellini can be substituted.

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk oil, lemon juice, basil, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper together in large bowl.
  3. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain pasta, shaking off excess water.
  4. Add pasta and tomatoes to bowl with dressing and toss. Cover and refrigerate until cooled, about 15 minutes.
  5. Stir in arugula, Parmesan, and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.
30-Minute Tortellini Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, and Pine Nuts
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Gina McCreadie.

30-Minute Tortellini Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
½ teaspoon pepper
2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
½ teaspoon pepper
2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
½ teaspoon pepper
2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Why This Recipe Works

To allow the hot pasta to soak up the dressing without turning mushy, we found it best to cook the pasta for our tortellini salad until it was tender and then toss it immediately with the dressing before placing it in the refrigerator to chill. For a bright dressing for our pasta salad that complemented the tomatoes and arugula, we liked a simple mixture made with olive oil and lemon juice. For most dressings, we use a 4:1 ratio of oil to acid, but in this case it came across as far too oily, so we decreased the oil for a more flavorful but less greasy salad.

Before You Begin

We prefer the more delicate texture and flavor of fresh tortellini (found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets); however, frozen tortellini can be substituted.

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk oil, lemon juice, basil, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper together in large bowl.
  3. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain pasta, shaking off excess water.
  4. Add pasta and tomatoes to bowl with dressing and toss. Cover and refrigerate until cooled, about 15 minutes.
  5. Stir in arugula, Parmesan, and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

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