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?
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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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