Summer Tortellini Salad with Roasted Vegetables

This fresh and healthy summer tortellini salad recipe is filled with Mediterranean-inspired flavors and ingredients! Unlike other recipes using raw veggies, my unique rendition features roasted zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, and onion. The vegetables are combined with cheese tortellini and an olive oil dressing made with fresh parsley and basil. It’s a great vegetarian main course or side dish that can be enjoyed warm or cold.

This post was originally published in June 2021. It was updated with new photos and improved instructions in September 2026.

Jump to:

• Dietitian Lizzie’s Notes
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to Make Summer Tortellini Salad
• Expert Tips
• Easy Ways to Customize
• Serving Ideas
• Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
• More Summer Salad Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Dietitian Lizzie’s Notes

This fun recipe was inspired by a salad I once ordered at a local grocery store’s deli counter. That version included roasted root vegetables and tortellini and totally converted me to a fan of roasted veggies, instead of raw ones, in tortellini salad recipes.

I wanted to make a summer version, in particular, since I know how much roasting eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion brings out their natural sweetness and completely transforms their textures and flavors. Roasted eggplant changes from bland, slightly bitter, and spongy to creamy and caramelized. Zucchini develops an actual flavor, and bell pepper and onion get much sweeter and melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Now imagine all of these great flavors and textures over chewy, cheese-filled tortellini. Sounds amazing, huh? To make the best possible version of this summer pasta salad, be sure to cut the veggies into pieces of similar size for even cooking and avoid overcooking the tortellini so it doesn’t leak or fall apart. Now go on, get cooking!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, and red onion: Feel free to use any variety of these vegetables, like yellow squash instead of zucchini, any color pepper, small eggplants instead of a big one, and white or yellow onion if that’s what you have.
• Refrigerated cheese tortellini: Use your favorite brand and/or one with different fillings depending on your preferences.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Sub avocado oil if you don’t have olive oil.
• Red wine vinegar: Red wine vinaigrette dressing is the best for this tortellini salad recipe, but you can sub white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or even freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Garlic: Fresh tastes best, but you can sub 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried minced garlic or a teaspoon of garlic powder in a pinch.
• Basil and parsley: If you don’t have both, use more of whichever one you have. If you don’t have any fresh herbs, substitute 1 to 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning.

How to Make Summer Tortellini Salad

Expert Tips

• Chop the veggies into pieces of similar sizes, as best as you can. This will help them cook evenly.
• Avoid the common mistake of overcooking tortellini. You should only cook tortellini for pasta salad for 2 to 3 minutes, since it can easily fall apart if cooked for too long. Pay attention while they’re cooking, and promptly remove from heat and drain when they’re ready, even if it’s a minute or 2 earlier than the recommended cooking time.
• Preventing broken tortellini. If your tortellini is delicate and you are worried it will break when you pour it into the colander, use a spider strainer to transfer it to a bowl instead.
• Serving warm. If you want to serve this tortellini salad recipe warm, cook the tortellini just before the veggies are done roasting. Toss the tortellini and veggies immediately in the dressing so that the tortellini doesn’t stick.
• Serving cold. If you want a cold pasta salad, rinse the tortellini with water after draining to cool them down and prevent sticking. Transfer the veggies and tortellini to the fridge to chill for a half hour before adding the dressing.

Easy Ways to Customize

• Use grilled veggies instead. Cook the vegetables in a grill basket so they don’t fall through the cracks.
• Add protein. Stir in shredded chicken, chopped ham, crispy chickpeas, or white beans.
• Add cheese. Try parmesan, feta, goat, or fresh mozzarella balls or mozzarella pearls.
• Use different herbs. For an interesting twist, try rosemary, thyme, or even oregano in your tortellini salad recipe. You will probably want to use a reduced amount of these herbs, since their flavors can become overpowering.
• Change the tortellini. Instead of plain cheese, try spinach, garlic and herb, or beef.
• Use pesto instead. Sub homemade or store-bought pesto for the dressing.
• Change up the veggies. Asparagus, broccoli, or cherry tomatoes would all be good additions or subs. You can even add a can of marinated artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, or kalamata olives.

Serving Ideas

Serve tortellini pasta salad on the side of grilled chicken, salmon, burgers, or kabobs. It’s an easy side dish to bring to summer cookouts, picnics, or potlucks! You can also enjoy it as a light main dish…try it with garlic bread.

📖 Recipe