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Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad

July 5, 2021
by
A creamy crunchy walnut parmesan dressing massaged into kale and tossed with chilled cheese tortellini: this Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad makes for the best summer side!!
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A creamy crunchy walnut parmesan dressing massaged into kale and tossed with chilled pasta and cheese tortellini: this Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad makes for the best summer side!!

Jump to Recipe

The Fourth of July is this weekend, so, naturally, I’m thinking about all the foods!! Whether you’re grilling out burgers, devouring barbecue, or even picking crabs this Sunday, you’re definitely going to be in need of some good sides!! When I think of summer sides, my mind instantly jumps to pasta salad. Now — I love a good cold pasta, but I’m not a big fan of the traditional macaroni salad… I mean, it’s somehow creamy and sour at the same time??? No thanks. That being said, pasta salad can be so much more than this. This Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad is the perfect example! With a crunchy walnut parmesan dressing, tuscan kale, sun dried tomatoes, pasta, AND cheese tortellini… pasta salad has really never looked so good. You have to try it!!

A creamy crunchy walnut parmesan dressing massaged into kale and tossed with chilled cheese tortellini: this Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad makes for the best summer side!!


The breakdown…

This Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad is definitely not your average pasta salad. That being said, it’s still super simple to make, and comes together in just a matter of minutes. To start everything off, you’ve got to make that walnut parmesan dressing. This dressing is a little different — as it’s more of a combination of a smooth dressing and a pesto. Olive oil, parmesan, and greek yogurt make for a super creamy base. Then, with the addition of garlic, dijon, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice, you get all those good flavors. I like to think of the flavor profile as somewhere between a mild pesto, caesar dressing, and greek vinaigrette. Whatever it is, though, it’s plain delicious.

A creamy crunchy walnut parmesan dressing massaged into kale and tossed with chilled cheese tortellini: this Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad makes for the best summer side!!

those walnuts…

Now, here’s where this dressing becomes a bit more like a pesto. You toss in about a half a cup of toasted walnuts and pulse everything a few times. The result? A smooth, cohesive flavor profile from the dressing WITH crispy crunchy bits from the walnuts… this dressing is truly the best of both worlds. Personally, I think every good pasta salad needs some crunch, and the walnuts do just that!

Once you have that dressing all good to go, it’s time to massage it into that kale. Kale is a naturally very bitter, tough green. When you physically take your hands and massage a dressing, acid, or oil into it, the kale softens slightly and is much easier to eat (and digest!). I do this pretty much any time I’m eating kale in large quantities, no matter the type. This Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe calls for Tuscan kale, but, really, any flat leaf kale would work here. I’m not a big fan of curly kale (in most cases, at least), as I find it very early and tough — even after massaging. So, maybe steer away from anything too crispy and curly for this recipe.

all the add-ins!

Besides that, though, this recipe truly is super versatile. With your massaged kale, tortellini, short cut pasta, and walnut parmesan dressing as a base, you really can’t go wrong with whatever other ingredients you want to add to this! You could even just do all tortellini, or all short cut pasta. I love the combination of both, but it’s up to you! The short cut pasta I used for this recipe was Sfoglini’s Zucca… I honestly just love the shape… there’s not much to it! I also like to go in with sun dried tomatoes, as I think they complement the kale very well. But, cherry tomatoes, corn, or mozzarella balls would also be delicious! You could even top this with a protein, like grilled chicken or salmon, if you would like. The sky’s the limit, so let me know your fav fixins in the comments:)

how to serve it up…

This Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad is truly perfect for any occasion. I love serving it chilled for an outdoor meal, potluck, or barbecue… so, basically, this is perfect for the Fourth of July this weekend!! I love serving it up with my Chicken Souvlaki Skewers, Salmon Kabobs with Summer Squash and Pesto Vinaigrette, Lemon Panko Crusted Grouper, or even with my Healthy Crab Cakes! Or, you could even make this for meal prep for some summer lunches throughout the week… maybe even to pack for the beach? Really, this dish is perfect whenever. 

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Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Side Dish, PastaCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

A creamy crunchy walnut parmesan dressing massaged into kale and tossed with chilled pasta and cheese tortellini: this Parmesan Kale Tortellini Pasta Salad makes for the best summer side!!

Ingredients

  • pasta salad:

  • ½ lb short cut pasta of choice

  • ½ lb cheese tortellini

  • 1 bunch tuscan kale, removed from stems and finely chopped

  • Optional add ins: ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, ½ cup diced cherry tomatoes, ½ cup fresh corn, ½ cup fresh mozzarella balls

  • walnut parmesan dressing:

  • ½ cup olive oil

  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

  • 3 tbsp greek yogurt

  • 1 tsp honey

  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed

  • 1 tsp dijon mustard

  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar

  • ½ a lemon, juiced

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • ½ cup walnuts

Instructions

  • Boil the tortellini and pasta according to the packages. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water for later. Drain and allow to cool.
  • In a food processor, blend the olive oil, parmesan, greek yogurt, honey, garlic, dijon, vinegar, lemon, salt, and pepper until smooth. Toss in the walnuts and pulse 8 to 10 times, until they are roughly chopped and dispersed into the dressing.
  • In a large bowl, massage the kale with the prepared walnut parmesan dressing for 30-60 seconds. Toss in the tortellini, pasta, and add-ins of choice, if using. Use a few tablespoons of the leftover pasta water to thin the dressing, if necessary. Serve at any temperature and enjoy!
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