Italian Grinder Tortellina Pasta Salad (The Perfect Cold Summer Dinner Recipe)
Looking for a meal that doesn’t heat up the kitchen on a hot summer evening? Salads are great but not always filling enough to be a meal. This recipe fixes that problem with a cold dinner for a hot summer night. It doesn’t take much effort and can be made ahead to chill while you work the day away.
Main Ingredients You’ll Need
-tortellini – I used fresh chicken tortellini to up the protein content. You can use either frozen or fresh, whichever you prefer. Both fresh and frozen pasta cook quickly and this is all the cooking that is involved in this meal. Using a stuffed pasta like tortellini is also what makes this go from a side dish pasta salad to a main dish meal.
-salame (and ham if you prefer)- I’m using all the flavors of a classic Italian grinder sandwich here. Whatever you like on that type of sandwich will work here too. Don’t be afraid to customize it to your liking! That’s one of the best benefits of making your own food at home.
-cheese- I used provolone slices that I chopped up. You can also use mozzarella in this salad if that’s what you have on hand.
-the veggies – I like tomatoes and red onion on my Italian sub so that’s what is in this recipe. You do you! I happen to have garden fresh tomatoes and red onions right now in my semi-homestead garden so I am extra blessed. If you are growing tomatoes of any size and have them coming out your ears, this is yet another way you can use them.
-pepperonicis- I like a lot of them so I call for quite a few in this recipe. That tangy bite evens out the richness of the pasta and cheese and salami. If you like less, use less.
-creamy Italian dressing. See my recipe below or use your favorite bottled sauce.
Main Reasons You Want This in Your Life This Summer
Besides amazing flavor with a low time investment, there’s a reason this classic sandwich, turned popular salad, turned hearty meal salad is perfect for your summer dinner rotation:
-hearty enough for dinner
-served cold
-perfect for hot weather
-easy make-ahead meal
-packed with protein
-great for meal prep
-feeds a family
For the Dressing
If you’ve made your own dressings before, you know it hardly takes any time, costs way less that store bought, has better ingredients, and just tastes better. If you haven’t tried your own dressing before, this is an easy one to start with. It uses ingredients you likely have on hand and just requires a dump and a mix.
You just need:
-mayo
-red wine vinegar
-salt
-dried oregano, basil and garlic
-red pepper flakes
Just cook the pasta and run under cold water, add the other ingredients and toss with the dressing. You can eat it at this point but I like to refrigerate it until chilled through. It keeps for several days in the refrigerator which makes it even better!
When it’s too hot to turn on the oven, this Italian Grinder Tortellini Pasta Salad is one of my favorite cold dinner recipes. It’s hearty enough to be a complete meal thanks to the cheese tortellini, deli meats, and fresh vegetables.
Looking for more summer recipes? Try these:
Use up your zucchini with Zucchini Pizza Casserole
Summer herbs make a great Marinated Mozzarella
Tequila Lime Fish Tacos (without actually using alcohol) are always refreshing!
Use up that bumper crop of cucumbers with these Asian Marinated Cucumbers or this Cream Cucumber Dill Dressing
Try Summer Berries with Cocoa Cream for a refreshing and light dessert!
Have cherry tomatoes coming out of your ears? Try these Herby Marinated Tomatoes – a preview from my cookbook (see below)
Turkey Zucchini Burgers were one of the first recipes I put on my blog, years ago, but is still a family favorite.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1 cup mayonaisse
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon EACH dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake
- 1 package fresh or frozen tortellini 18-23 oz
- 1/2-1 cup chopped pickled pepperonici
- 1 small red onion, sliced into small chunks
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1 cup salami, chopped (a 6-8 oz package)
- 1 cup chopped provolone cheese (can substitute mozzarella)
- extra juice from the pepperoncici jar if you feel the dressing needs a little more zip
Ingredients
Creamy Italian Dressing
For the Salad
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- Cook the tortellini according to package directions and immediately drain and run under cool water to chill.
- Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Prep the other salad ingredients.
- Combine the cooled pasta and the other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the dressing into the salad until evenly coated.
- Chill until ready to eat. Eat cold at the end of a hot summer day. Lasts up to a week in the refrigerator.