Balsamic Tortellini Caprese Salad
Fresh, fast, and full of bright summer flavors! A simple balsamic dressing elevates classic ingredients. Serve for a quick lunch, easy dinner, or picnic fare and earn rave reviews.
Ingredients
- 1 (20 ounce) package fresh tortellini any flavor
- 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups baby spinach coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup slivered basil
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls or pieces see note
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10-12 cranks fresh-ground black pepper
- balsamic glaze optional
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of well-salted water and cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- While tortellini cooks, chop the tomatoes, spinach, and basil. Drain mozzarella, if packed in water, or chop into pieces if using a block.
- In a small jar or liquid measuring cup, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Shake or stir well to combine.
- Combine drained pasta, tomatoes, spinach, basil, mozzarella, and dressing in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Taste, add more salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Mozzarella: If I'm making this salad, I try to pick up an 8 ounce container of the very small mozzarella balls, known as Ciliengine. They are the perfect size without any cutting or slicing. Of course you can also use any other type of mozzarella you have on hand or prefer.
- Substitutions: This is also excellent with baby arugula, if you prefer that to spinach.
- Storage: This keeps very well. Store in the fridge up to 3 days and serve cold or bring to room temperature.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 432 kcal, Carbohydrates: 43 g, Protein: 22 g, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 50 mg, Sodium: 546 mg, Potassium: 116 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 1059 IU, Vitamin C: 8 mg, Calcium: 281 mg, Iron: 3 mg
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