Eye-catching multi-colored tortellini salad in a creamy Italian dressing. So addictive, it’s almost a meal in itself!

Looking for an excellent brunch or light dinner? Look no further than this tortellini salad!

Tortellini is so versatile because so much can be done with it. It’s so handy to have on hand in the freezer for last-minute meals that come up from time to time.

It’s even a godsend for those times when time gets away from you and you don’t have time to defrost something for a meal.

Even though it’s an ingredient in the background of many dishes–like soups–tortellini is tasty enough to stand on its own; just like in this salad.

The warmer weather is almost upon us and when it gets hot, a lot of us think about eating chilled meals and salads and that’s where this delightful tortellini salad comes into play.

Sure, it can be served as an accompaniment or side to a more substantial dinner, but this salad is hearty enough to stand on it’s own.

When I buy cheese tortellini for a recipe I intend to make, I don’t rely on the frozen–I buy the fresh kind. My store has varieties with many different fillings, but for cheese-filled kind, I tend to buy the tri-colored because it’s really more appetizing to my eye. And it’s an excellent choice for a salad. Of course the white tastes the same, but the colors add something special and as they say, we eat with our eyes.

The dressing is surprisingly simple–all ingredients you have on hand and it makes a great sandwich spread too! You can add a teaspoon or two of Parmesan cheese to the dressing to jazz it up even more, but I left mine basic and it was just wonderful.

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Creamy Italian Tortellini Salad

Eye-catching multi-colored tortellini salad in a creamy Italian dressing. So addictive, it’s almost a meal in itself!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Brunch, pasta, salads

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pasta salad recipe, tortellini

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 832kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 pkg about 9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini (I bought tri-color)

DRESSING

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 envelope Italian dressing mix
• 1/4 cup milk or half-and-half
• 1 tbs finely minced onion -OR- 1/2 tbs dehydrated instant onion see NOTES

Instructions

• Prepare tortellini as per package instructions, but only cook until it's al dente--boil maybe 4-5 minutes. Drain in a colander; keeping tortellini in the colander rinse with cold water then let drain thoroughly. Set aside until completely cool.
• Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
• Pour desired amount of dressing over cooled tortellini.
• Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

If using instant dehydrated onion, re-hydrate before using by placing the dry onion flakes in a small bowl and mixing in 1 tbs warm water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

A nice addition to the dressing is some Parmesan cheese. Add about 2 tsp. if desired.

You may have dressing left over--store in in a covered container in the fridge to use on green salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 832kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1029mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 4mg

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This rice salad is a fiesta in a bowl! Plenty of add-ins and the dressing will keep them coming back for more!

Original credit for this recipe goes back about 40 years to my brother-in-law.

A fiesta in a bowl

He’d always serve this at BBQs and it was a great way to use leftover rice. It was nothing too fancy–some celery, onion and plain vinaigrette dressing.

This salad has evolved over the years with all members of the family making it and adding their own touches.

My special touch is the dressing. I like something a bit more creamy than a vinaigrette in something like this.

Special of the house

The dressing is versatile in that it’s also a general creamy salad dressing. It’s packed with flavor too, from the cheese, herbs and white wine vinegar.

Creamy and cheesy dressing

Another special touch of mine is to load this up with veggie add-ins and add…BACON…which improves anything!

Bacon!

I’m the only one who uses tomatoes when I make this, but I think they add such oomph to the taste and coupled with the bacon, it’s a winning taste.

If I happen to have chives growing, and this year it’s a bumper crop, I add them too, but they’re optional if you want to leave them out.

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Fiesta Rice Salad with House Special Dressing

This rice salad is a fiesta in a bowl! Plenty of add-ins and the dressing will keep them coming back for more!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Dips, dressings, salads, sauces, side dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: rice salad

Servings: 8

Calories: 652kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

SALAD

• 4 cups cooked cold rice
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup diced cooked bacon
• 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
• 2 tbs fresh snipped chives optional

HOUSE SPECIAL DRESSING

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Romano mixture
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
• Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Chill for at least 2 hours.
• Mix desired amount of dressing into salad. Cover and chill if not serving immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 357mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1635IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg

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The post Fiesta Rice Salad with House Special Dressing appeared first on The Midnight Baker.