This Italian-inspired salad uses fresh cheese tortellini as its base. (You can find fresh tortellini in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket.) It’s a fun variation on the usual pasta salad suspects. Plus, it’s superconvenient because you can fix it up to a day ahead and serve it straight from the fridge. We love the way tortellini and mozzarella taste when they’ve been marinating in Italian seasonings and how nice the colors of the broccoli, tomatoes, and olives look when they are served together. That’s why we call this salad tricolore (Italian for “three colors”)!
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain well and let cool.
Step 2
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for about 2 minutes, until tender but still slightly crisp. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Let cool. Drain well.
Step 3
To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Italian salad dressing mix, and vinegar.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine the tortellini, broccoli, mozzarella, chicken, cherry tomatoes, and olives. Fold the dressing into the salad. Taste and add more vinegar, if desired.
