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Cheese Tortellini Caesar Pasta Salad

Cheese tortellini Caesar pasta salad with cheese-filled tortellini, chopped romaine, and a creamy Caesar dressing. It’s chilled for a firmer, tossable texture and finished with Parmesan and croutons right before serving.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheese tortellini
  • 1 lb cheese tortellini
Romaine and tomatoes
  • 3 cup romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
Caesar dressing and flavor
  • 1 cup Caesar dressing
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Crunch and seasoning
  • 1 cup croutons
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and rinse the tortellini
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the cheese tortellini according to package directions. Drain, then rinse under cold water to cool quickly and stop the cooking.
Build the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the tortellini, chopped romaine, halved cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan. Toss until the mix looks evenly distributed.
Dress and season
  1. Add Caesar dressing and lemon juice, then toss again until every bite is coated with a creamy layer. The salad should look glossy and evenly speckled with Parmesan.
Season to taste
  1. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste and toss one more time. Stop when the flavors read balanced without any plain or flat spots.
Chill
  1. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld and the texture set. It should look thicker and hold shape when stirred.
Finish and serve
  1. Right before serving, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and add the croutons on top. Serve immediately so the croutons stay crisp and the Parmesan looks fresh.

Notes

For best texture, wait to add the croutons until just before serving so they don’t soften in the dressing. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because pasta and greens can become watery. For a lighter option, use a lighter Caesar dressing and reduce the Parmesan slightly while keeping the lemon juice for brightness.