Broccoli Tortellini Salad loaded with lightly steamed broccoli, cheese tortellini, crispy bacon, chewy dried cherries, fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese tossed in a light red wine vinaigrette is a delicious side dish!
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My husband's family had a barbecue over the long weekend to celebrate both Memorial Day, and his grandparent's 66th wedding anniversary. Can you imagine being married for 66 years??
So there I was staring at the contents of the refrigerator and trying to come up with a side dish we could bring when my gaze landed on leftover steamed broccoli and a package of tortellini and instantly 'pasta salad' popped into my head.
My husband loves salads of every imaginable combination. And his family is Italian - I mean, really Italian, which means it's olive oil and vinegar, not mayo, that's coming to the party. Given all this, I decided to wrangle my husband into helping me prepare this salad, which ended up being a big hit.
🧂 Ingredients
Here is what you will need to make this broccoli tortellini salad recipe:
- Bacon
- fresh tortellini
- broccoli
- large sweet vidalia onion
- red wine vinegar
- olive oil
- granulated garlic (garlic powder)
- dried cherries
- salt and pepper
- fresh basil leaves
- fresh parmesan cheese
Dried cherries may seem like an odd addition. You can leave them out or substitute them for cranberries if you like. The sweet-tartness of the dried cherries with the crunch and bite of the onion really made a great impact in the flavor.
Don't skip the fresh basil. I did mention these folks are really Italian, right? Not only does it add so much flavor, but it also has a great significant meaning. Did you know that in Italy, basil means love? What better ingredient for a salad at a cookout to celebrate 66 years of marriage!
So back to the cooking... if you're having your husband help (and even if you're not), I suggest that when you cook your bacon, you add a couple extra slices for munching... I mean, really, who can resist hot crispy bacon?? Once the bacon cools, chop into small pieces and reserve half.
Equipment
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🔪Instructions
This is meant to be a brief overview of the Broccoli Tortellini Salad recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below or Jump to Recipe.
- Steam the broccoli until al dente, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a dash of salt and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside to cool.
- While you wait for the water to boil, roughly chop the dried cherries, finely chop the onion and thinly chop the fresh basil.
- Cook and cool the bacon. Once the bacon cools, chop into small pieces and reserve half.
- In a large bowl, toss together the pasta and the broccoli. Add the oil, vinegar and seasonings, toss to coat. Add all the onions, cherries, and cheese and half the bacon.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour so the flavors meld. Just before serving, add the reserved bacon. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy!
⏲️ Storage
This will store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. (These are my favorite containers!)
😋 Similar Recipes
If you love quick and easy salad side dishes, check out some of these tasty recipes:
- ham and pasta salad
- BLT pasta salad
- watermelon salad
- loaded potato salad
- Buffalo chicken pasta salad
Not ready to make our Broccoli Tortellini Salad yet?
Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later! When you do make it, please be sure to tag me on Instagram @jugglingactmama or #jugglingactmama – I’d love to see your pictures! And finally, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Broccoli Tortellini Salad
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Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 package tortellini fresh
- 4 ½ cups broccoli steamed
- ½ sweet vidalia onion
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Romano seasoning
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 tablespoon fresh basil
- ½ cup parmesan cheese fresh
Instructions
- Steam the broccoli until al dente, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a dash of salt and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside to cool.
- While you wait for the water to boil, roughly chop the dried cherries, finely chop the onion and thinly chop the fresh basil.
- Cook and cool the bacon. Once the bacon cools, chop into small pieces and reserve half.
- In a large bowl, toss together the pasta and the broccoli. Add the oil, vinegar and seasonings, toss to coat. Add all the onions, cherries, and cheese and half the bacon.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour so the flavors meld. Just before serving, add the reserved bacon. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy!
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