Greek tortellini salad takes the parts of a Greek salad that everyone fights over, the cucumber, tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta, and tosses them with plump cheese tortellini in a creamy yogurt dressing. It is ready in about 20 minutes, it feeds 6, and it holds up on a potluck table far better than a leafy salad does.
Save this recipe for later:
Ingredients
- 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Refrigerated tortellini cooks in a few minutes and has a softer, more tender bite than the dried kind, which is why the recipe calls for it. An English cucumber has thin skin and small seeds, so there is no need to peel or seed it before dicing.
Why the tortellini gets a cold rinse
Most pasta should never be rinsed, but a cold pasta salad is the exception. Rinsing the cooked tortellini under cold water stops the cooking right away and washes off the surface starch that would otherwise turn the dressing gluey. It also cools the pasta fast, so the yogurt dressing does not warm up and thin out when the two meet. Drain it well and give the colander a few hard shakes. Water left clinging to the tortellini dilutes the dressing.
Cook it on the firm side
Take the tortellini off the heat at the low end of the package time. They keep absorbing moisture from the dressing as the salad chills, and a tortellini that was already soft when it came out of the pot will be mushy by the time you serve it.
A yogurt dressing with Greek flavors
The dressing is half creamy and half vinaigrette. Greek yogurt gives it body and a little tang, while the olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice keep it loose enough to coat every piece. Dried oregano is the classic Greek salad herb, and one grated clove of garlic is plenty here, since raw garlic gets stronger as it sits. Whisk the dressing in a large bowl and you can toss the whole salad right in it, which saves a dish.
If you like this one, try our Greek Pasta Salad too.
How to make it
- Cook the tortellini as the package says, rinse cold and drain.
- Whisk yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, garlic and a pinch of salt.
- Add tortellini, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and onion to the bowl.
- Fold in the dressing, then top with feta and chill 20 minutes.
Fold rather than stir. Tortellini are filled pasta, and rough stirring with a spoon can split them open. A wide rubber spatula, lifted from the bottom of the bowl and turned over, coats everything gently.
The 20 minute chill matters more than it looks. It gives the olives, onion and oregano time to flavor the dressing and lets the whole salad get properly cold before it goes on the table.
The Foodie Yummy Cookbook
12 reader-favorite recipes in one printable PDF. Enter your email and download it instantly.
Serving and storing
Serve it cold as a side at a cookout or potluck, or as a light lunch on its own. Keep the bowl in the fridge until right before serving.
Leftovers keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tortellini soak up some of the dressing overnight, so the salad may look a little dry the next day. Fold it gently before serving again.
Building a whole potluck spread? Our tuna pasta salad and deviled egg pasta salad are two more cold pasta salads that wait happily in the fridge, the creamy dill cucumber salad brings more cucumber to the table, and the Amish macaroni salad covers the classic.
Questions about Greek tortellini salad
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Keep the feta aside and sprinkle it over just before serving so it stays in distinct crumbles. Fold the salad gently and check the dressing before it goes out.
Why did my salad turn watery?
Usually the tortellini were not drained well, or the tomatoes and cucumber gave off juice as the salad sat. Shake the pasta dry, and if you are making it hours ahead, add the tomatoes closer to serving time.
How much salt does it need?
The dressing only gets a pinch. Feta and Kalamata olives are both salty, so taste the salad after the feta goes on before you add any more.
Should the tortellini be cold before the dressing goes on?
Yes. Warm pasta melts the yogurt into a thin, runny coating. After the cold rinse, the tortellini should feel cool to the touch before you fold everything together.
Made it or loved it? Share this recipe
Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team
The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us
Greek Tortellini Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
Cook the tortellini as the package says, rinse cold and drain.
Whisk yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, garlic and a pinch of salt.
Add tortellini, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and onion to the bowl.
Fold in the dressing, then top with feta and chill 20 minutes.
Notes
Do not overcook the tortellini, they soften more as they sit in dressing.
Keep the feta aside until serving if you make the salad ahead.
Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.