Are you searching for the perfect, easy, and unbelievably delicious pasta salad for your next potluck, barbecue, or quick weeknight dinner? This incredible, from-scratch-tasting Lemony Tortellini and Bacon Salad is that perfect recipe! Tender, cheese-filled tortellini and crisp-tender broccoli are tossed in a zesty, homemade creamy dressing and studded with salty, crispy bacon. It’s a guaranteed, crowd-pleasing hit that comes together in about 20 minutes.
This isn’t just another pasta salad recipe; it’s a guide to your new go-to side dish or light main course. We’ll show you the simple secrets to a perfectly cooked pasta salad and a simple dressing that is bursting with bright, fresh flavor. Served over a bed of fresh greens, this is a complete, satisfying, and beautiful salad that is as perfect for a summer picnic as it is for a cozy lunch.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Easy Pasta Salad
What makes this Tortellini Salad so spectacularly delicious is its incredible combination of textures and its wonderful ease of preparation. This recipe is a masterpiece of efficiency, using smart shortcuts like frozen cheese tortellini and a simple, no-cook dressing to create a gourmet-tasting salad in minutes. The salad is a perfect harmony of flavors: soft and cheesy pasta, crisp-tender broccoli, salty, smoky bacon, and a creamy, tangy dressing with a bright lemon kick. It’s the ultimate, make-ahead-friendly dish for any occasion.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 25 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6-8 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Crowd-Pleasing Salad
This recipe uses a handful of simple, high-impact ingredients to create its signature creamy and savory flavor.
- The Pasta (The Shortcut Star!):
- Frozen Cheese Tortellini: Using a package of your favorite frozen cheese tortellini is the ultimate shortcut that makes this salad incredibly hearty, satisfying, and easy. The little pillows of cheesy pasta are the perfect, bite-sized foundation for our salad.
- The Creamy Lemon Dressing: A simple, no-cook, and perfectly balanced dressing.
- Mayonnaise: A classic, creamy, and rich base.
- Balsamic Vinegar & Lemon Juice: This duo provides the perfect, bright, and tangy flavor. The sweet acidity of the balsamic vinegar and the zesty, fresh kick of the lemon juice beautifully cut through the richness of the mayonnaise and the bacon.
- The Add-Ins (Broccoli & Bacon): This is the classic, can’t-miss combination that everyone loves.
- Fresh Broccoli Florets: Fresh broccoli adds a wonderful, vibrant green color, a healthy dose of nutrients, and a fantastic, crisp-tender crunch.
- Bacon: Salty, crispy, crumbled bacon provides a wonderful, smoky flavor and a satisfying textural contrast to the soft pasta and creamy dressing.
- The Base: Serving this hearty pasta salad over a bed of tender spring mix salad greens transforms it from a simple side dish into a complete and elegant meal.
Step-by-Step to the Best Tortellini Salad
This delicious salad comes together in just a few simple stages.
Step 1: Cook the Tortellini and Broccoli
Step 1: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add your 2 cups of frozen cheese tortellini and cook according to the package directions.
Step 2 (The Blanching Trick!): During the last 5 minutes of the tortellini cooking time, add your 4 cups of fresh broccoli florets directly to the pot. This is a brilliant time-saving trick that perfectly cooks the broccoli until it is crisp-tender.
Step 3: While the pasta and broccoli are cooking, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water.
Step 4: Drain the cooked tortellini and broccoli and immediately drop them into the ice water or rinse them gently under cold running water.
Pro Tip: This “shocking” step is crucial for a pasta salad! It stops the cooking process immediately, which keeps the pasta perfectly al dente and the broccoli a vibrant, beautiful green with a crisp-tender bite. Pat the cooled pasta and broccoli dry.
Part 2: Make the Creamy Lemon Dressing and Assemble
Step 1: In a small bowl, prepare your creamy dressing. Whisk together the 3/4 cup of mayonnaise, the 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, the 3/4 teaspoon of dried oregano, and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Step 2: Transfer your cooled and dried tortellini and broccoli to a large bowl. Pour the prepared dressing over the top and toss everything together to coat it evenly.
Part 3: Serve and Garnish
To serve, divide the 5 ounces of spring mix salad greens among your plates.
Spoon the creamy tortellini and broccoli salad over the top of the salad greens.
Sprinkle each serving generously with the crumbled, crispy bacon.
The Best Easy & Creamy Tortellini Salad with Bacon
A quick and easy main-course pasta salad featuring cheese tortellini, broccoli, and bacon. This simple recipe involves cooking frozen tortellini and fresh broccoli florets in the same pot. The cooked pasta and broccoli are then tossed in a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice. The finished salad is served over a bed of spring mix salad greens and topped with crispy, crumbled bacon.
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen cheese tortellini (about 8 ounces)
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
- 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, cook the frozen tortellini in boiling, salted water according to the package directions. Add the broccoli florets during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- While the pasta and broccoli cook, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, and salt.
- Drain the tortellini and broccoli, then gently rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them down.
- Transfer the drained tortellini and broccoli to a large bowl. Add the prepared dressing and toss to coat.
- To serve, arrange the spring mix salad greens on plates. Top with the tortellini and broccoli mixture and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon.
Notes
- This is a very fast recipe, perfect for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.
- Cooking the broccoli in the same pot with the tortellini is an efficient time-saving step.
- Rinsing the pasta and broccoli with cold water is important to cool them down for the salad and prevent them from overcooking.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A pasta salad is the perfect make-ahead dish for a potluck, a party, or for a week of easy lunches.
- Make-Ahead: This salad is fantastic when made ahead! You can prepare the entire salad, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you plan to serve it. For the absolute best texture, it’s a great idea to wait to add the crispy bacon until just before serving.
- Storage: Store any leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add More Fresh Veggies: For an even more colorful and crunchy salad, you can stir in about 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup of finely chopped red onion, or a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas.
- Make it Lighter: For a lighter, tangier dressing with a fantastic boost of protein, you can substitute the 3/4 cup of mayonnaise with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt.
- Add a Cheesy Kick: For an extra layer of delicious, savory flavor, you can toss the finished salad with about 1/2 cup of freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese or some crumbled feta cheese.
Enjoy The Ultimate Easy Pasta Salad!
You’ve just created a truly special salad that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Lemony Tortellini and Bacon Salad is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to bring the whole family together. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite for picnics, potlucks, and parties.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, easy, and comforting meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute best way to cook tortellini for a pasta salad so it doesn’t get mushy?
The most important secret is to cook the tortellini until it is just al dente (tender but still has a firm bite), and then to rinse it under cold water immediately after you have drained it. The cold water rinse is a crucial step that instantly stops the cooking process and prevents the delicate pasta from becoming overcooked and mushy.
Q2: How do I get my broccoli perfectly crisp-tender and not soft?
This recipe’s method of blanching the broccoli is the key! By adding the broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water for just the last few minutes of cooking, you are cooking them for the perfect amount of time. The immediate rinse under cold water “shocks” the broccoli, which stops the cooking process and is the secret to a perfectly crisp-tender texture and a beautiful, vibrant green color.
Q3: Can I make this pasta salad a day ahead of time?
Yes, this is an absolutely perfect make-ahead salad! The flavors will actually be even better on the second day after they have had time to meld. For the best, most delicious result, we recommend preparing the entire salad and storing it in the refrigerator, but waiting to add the crispy, crumbled bacon until just before you serve it so that it stays perfectly crunchy.
Q4: Can I use fresh, refrigerated tortellini instead of frozen?
Of course! Fresh tortellini is a fantastic choice. Just be aware that it typically cooks much, much faster than frozen tortellini (often in just 2-3 minutes), so you will need to adjust your cooking time accordingly.
Q5: Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Yes, it’s very easy to make this recipe vegetarian! Simply omit the crumbled bacon. For a smoky flavor, you could add a pinch of smoked paprika to the dressing, and for a salty kick, you could add some crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan cheese.