Pesto Tortellini Salad with White Beans and Tomatoes

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Pesto Tortellini Salad with White Beans and Tomatoes

This easy pesto tortellini salad combines fresh tortellini, white beans, tomatoes and basil pesto for quick vegetarian recipe for potlucks and picnics.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Total Time12

Course: Salads

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Paige Adams

Ingredients

For pesto

2 garlic cloves
1 cup packed basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lemon, juice
1/3 cup olive oil

For salad

9 ounce package fresh tortellini
1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
15 ounce can white beans (cannellini, great northern or navy beans)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 cups baby spinach

Instructions

To make the pesto, finely chop the garlic, basil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, parmesan, salt, pepper and lemon juice. With the motor running, drizzle the olive oil through the feeder tube and process until combined.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini 1 minute less than package instructions, so it is very al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water
Combine the tortellini, tomatoes, white beans, red onions and 2 tablespoons pine nuts in a large bowl and stir in the pesto.
Fold in the baby spinach and sprinkle with grated parmesan before serving.

Notes

For a shortcut, you can use store-bought pesto. You will need 1/2-cup to 3/4 pesto. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Refrigerated pesto will have more fresh flavor than jarred, shelf-stable pesto.

You can use chopped walnuts instead of the pine nuts.

You can make the pesto up to 3 days in advance. Store it in a jar in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before tossing it into the salad.

Store leftovers up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will soften the longer you keep them. Add fresh baby spinach.

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