Pesto Tortellini Broccoli Salad
I’ve been experimenting with different easy dinner side dishes, and this pesto tortellini broccoli salad is one of those recipes that couldn’t be easier. It has tender cheese tortellini, bright broccoli, juicy tomatoes, olives, and a good coating of basil pesto, so it tastes fresh but still feels filling.
I love how the two-colour tortellini makes the whole salad look a little more special without any extra work. It’s the kind of quick pasta salad side dish that works with grilled chicken, burgers, BBQ dinners, or even on its own for an easy lunch.
Short Description of the Recipe
This pesto tortellini broccoli salad is an easy, colourful pasta salad made with tender cheese tortellini, fresh broccoli, juicy tomatoes, olives, and basil pesto. I love using two-colour tortellini here because it makes the salad look a little more deli-style without doing anything fancy. The pesto coats everything nicely, and the broccoli gives it that fresh crunch that keeps it from feeling too heavy.
Why It’s Good
This is one of those easy dinner side dishes that feels like you did more work than you actually did. The tortellini makes it filling, the broccoli adds freshness, the tomatoes bring a little sweetness, and the olives give it that salty Mediterranean flavour. The pesto does most of the work, which I always appreciate.
It also holds together well. Some pasta salads can taste flat once they sit, but this one gets better after the pesto has had a little time to settle into the tortellini. A small splash of olive oil or lemon juice before serving wakes it right back up.
When to Serve It
Serve this pesto tortellini broccoli salad as a side dish for grilled chicken, burgers, steak, salmon, or simple weeknight dinners. It is also perfect for BBQs, potlucks, picnic lunches, and summer dinner spreads because it can be made ahead and served cold or at room temperature.
It’s also good as an easy lunch on its own. Add cooked chicken, chickpeas, or extra Parmesan, and it turns into a quick tortellini pasta salad meal without much effort.
Tips and Tricks
Cook the tortellini just until tender.
For the best pesto tortellini broccoli salad, don’t overcook the tortellini. It should be soft but still hold its shape when tossed.Blanch the broccoli lightly.
Add the broccoli for the last minute of cooking or steam it quickly. You want it bright green with a little bite, not mushy.Drain everything well.
This is important. Wet tortellini or broccoli will water down the pesto and make the salad less flavourful.Use a good basil pesto.
The pesto does most of the work in this easy tortellini pasta salad, so use one with lots of basil, garlic, and Parmesan flavour.Loosen the pesto if needed.
Stir in a little olive oil and lemon juice so the pesto coats the tortellini, broccoli, tomatoes, and olives evenly.Add olives for salty flavour.
Black olives or Kalamata olives work well and give the salad that simple Mediterranean pasta salad taste.Toss gently.
Tortellini can break if you mix too hard. Use a big spoon and fold everything together.Let it sit before serving.
If you have 20 to 30 minutes, let the salad rest. The tortellini soaks up the pesto and the flavour gets better.Taste before serving.
Cold pasta salad often needs a little extra salt, black pepper, lemon juice, Parmesan, or olive oil right before it hits the table.
Variations
Add grilled chicken.
Turn this pesto tortellini broccoli salad into a fuller meal by adding chopped grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken. It makes it great for easy lunches or a simple summer dinner.Use Kalamata olives.
For a stronger Mediterranean tortellini pasta salad flavour, swap black olives for Kalamata olives. They add a salty bite that works really well with pesto and tomatoes.Add mozzarella pearls.
Small bocconcini or mozzarella pearls make this salad creamier and more filling. They also look pretty mixed in with the two-colour tortellini.Try sun-dried tomatoes.
Use chopped sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes, or add a few along with the cherry tomatoes. They give the salad a deeper, slightly sweet tomato flavour.Make it extra green.
Add baby spinach, arugula, or fresh basil for a fresher green pesto pasta salad. I like stirring greens in at the end so they don’t wilt too much.Add roasted red peppers.
Roasted red peppers add colour and a soft sweetness that matches the pesto, broccoli, olives, and cheese tortellini.Use a different tortellini.
Cheese tortellini is classic, but spinach and ricotta tortellini or three-cheese tortellini also work well in this easy pasta salad.Make it nutty.
Add toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or sliced almonds for crunch. Toasting them for a few minutes makes a big difference in flavour.Add more vegetables.
Cucumber, red onion, zucchini ribbons, or sweet bell peppers all work well if you want a more colourful vegetable tortellini salad.Make it lemony.
Add extra lemon zest and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving. It brightens the pesto and keeps the salad from tasting too heavy.Add Parmesan or feta.
Parmesan gives it a salty Italian-style finish, while feta makes it more of a Mediterranean pasta salad. Both are good. Just depends on the mood.Make it spicy.
Add chili flakes, Calabrian chili, or a little chopped pickled pepper if you want a bit of heat with the creamy pesto dressing.
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container.
Keep this pesto tortellini broccoli salad in a sealed container in the fridge so the tortellini stays fresh and the pesto flavour doesn’t dry out too quickly.Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
This easy tortellini pasta salad is best within 2 to 3 days. After that, the tomatoes can get softer and the broccoli loses some of its fresh crunch.Give it a good stir before serving.
The pesto dressing can settle at the bottom. A quick toss brings the flavour back through the tortellini, broccoli, tomatoes, and olives.Freshen it up with olive oil.
Cold tortellini can absorb the pesto as it sits. Add a small drizzle of olive oil before serving to loosen it up again.Add lemon juice if it tastes flat.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice wakes up the basil pesto and makes the whole salad taste brighter. This is especially helpful the next day.Hold back soft add-ins if making ahead.
If you are adding fresh basil, arugula, spinach, or extra cheese, you can stir those in right before serving so they look fresher.Do not freeze this salad.
Freezing is not a good fit for pesto tortellini pasta salad. The tortellini can turn soft, and the tomatoes and broccoli won’t have the same texture after thawing.Serve cold or room temperature.
This salad tastes great straight from the fridge, but I like letting it sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. The pesto flavour comes through better when it isn’t ice cold.Use clean utensils.
If you’re serving it at a BBQ, picnic, or potluck, use a clean spoon each time. It keeps the salad fresher longer and helps with food safety.
Pesto Tortellini Broccoli Salad
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl for pesto dressing
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Large spoon or salad tongs
- Citrus zester, if using lemon zest
Ingredients
- 700 g cheese tortellini refrigerated, preferably mixed or two-colour tortellini
- 4 cups broccoli florets cut small
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 3/4 cup black olives or Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove finely grated
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shaved or grated
- 1/3 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds - optional
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cooked chicken chopped, for a heartier tortellini salad - optional
Instructions
Cook the tortellini
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions, usually 3 to 5 minutes. You want it tender but not falling apart.
Blanch the broccoli
- During the last 1 minute of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the pot with the tortellini. This softens the broccoli slightly but keeps it bright green and fresh tasting.
Drain and cool
- Drain the tortellini and broccoli well. Rinse briefly with cold water to stop the cooking. Let it drain again so the salad does not get watery.
Make the pesto dressing
- In a small bowl, stir together the pesto, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Toss the salad
- Add the tortellini, broccoli, tomatoes, olives, red onion, Parmesan, nuts, and fresh herbs to a large bowl. Pour over the pesto dressing and gently toss until everything is coated.
Chill or serve
- Serve right away, or chill for 30 minutes to let the flavours settle. Give it one more gentle toss before serving.
Notes
-
Use refrigerated cheese tortellini for the best texture.
Refrigerated tortellini cooks quickly and holds up nicely in this pesto tortellini broccoli salad. Frozen tortellini works too, but let it cook just until tender. -
Two-colour tortellini makes it look extra pretty.
The mix of regular and green tortellini gives this easy tortellini pasta salad a colourful, deli-style look without any extra work. -
Cut the broccoli small.
Small broccoli florets mix better with the tortellini, tomatoes, olives, and pesto. Big pieces can feel a little awkward in a cold pasta salad. -
Do not overcook the broccoli.
A quick blanch keeps the broccoli bright green with a little crunch. It should taste fresh, not soft and mushy. -
Drain the pasta and broccoli really well.
Too much water will thin out the basil pesto and make the salad less flavourful. I usually let everything sit in the colander for a minute before tossing. -
Add lemon juice to brighten the pesto.
Pesto can be rich, so a little fresh lemon juice makes this broccoli tortellini salad taste lighter and fresher. -
Taste after chilling.
Cold tortellini salad often needs a little extra salt, black pepper, Parmesan, or lemon juice before serving. It makes a big difference. -
Make it ahead for better flavour.
This make ahead pesto pasta salad tastes even better after 20 to 30 minutes because the tortellini has time to soak up the pesto dressing. -
Add olive oil before serving if needed.
The tortellini will absorb some of the pesto as it sits. A small drizzle of olive oil brings the salad back to life. -
Serve as a side dish or light meal.
This works as a summer pasta salad side dish, BBQ salad, potluck recipe, or easy lunch with grilled chicken added.
Nutrition
Ellen Britt
Hi, I’m Ellen — a passionate home cook dedicated to creating easy, flavorful recipes inspired by real-life cooking and shared family traditions. Every recipe on this site is a true collaboration, developed and tested together in our kitchen to ensure it’s reliable, simple to follow, and absolutely delicious.