Italian Grinder Tortellini Salad

Italian grinder tortellini salad with cheese tortellini, Italian deli meats, provolone, and banana peppers. Cold, sub-inspired flavors are tossed with Italian dressing, then chilled for a hearty deli-style crunch.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

chilling 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian-American

Calories: 650

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Italian deli salad base

1 lb cheese tortellini
8 oz salami
8 oz pepperoni
8 oz ham
8 oz provolone cheese
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup banana peppers
0.5 cup red onion
2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 cup Italian dressing
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder

Equipment

1 sheet pan
1 large mixing bowl

Method

Cook and cool tortellini

Cook cheese tortellini according to package directions, then drain it and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Spread the drained tortellini on a sheet pan in a single layer and let cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients, so it won’t clump.

Build the grinder-style salad

Combine tortellini, salami, pepperoni, ham, provolone cheese, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, and red onion in a large bowl.
Mix Italian dressing with Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a separate small bowl until evenly blended.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is coated.

Chill

Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld and keep the texture crisp.

Finish and serve

Just before serving, add shredded iceberg lettuce and toss again so it stays fresh and crunchy.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse tortellini under cold water until cool to the touch so it stays separate in the deli-style salad. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended for lettuce-forward salads. For a lighter option, use low-sodium Italian dressing or reduce the dressing to 3/4 cup for the same tossed coating feel.