Pesto Tortellini Salad Recipe (4 Ingredients, Make-Ahead)

This is the kind of recipe that is so criminal that it is a little embarrassed to me when people ask me how I did it. You see, I can be a little bit when it comes to cooking. I usually make pizza dough and ricotta new from scratch; I have a loved one in my fridge; And mostly I do my lasagna noodle by hand. But I am also smart enough to know when the version bought in the shop is much better than anything I could do.

A typical example: Tortellini. In my house we go much more cheese tortellini than I could ever imagine, so I always make sure that I have an pack or two in the fridge for dinner. Our favorite is that Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni From Costco.

One day when I set off, I noticed that the Tortelloni was right next to it Kirkland Signature imported basilicumpesto. Pesto needed To be the way of things, I would never imagine buying from the shop, but then I had three children.

It went into the car and with the first taste it quickly became a staple. I use it on everything, from sandwiches to fried eggs to soups, but my preferred way of using it is in this simple pasta salad.

The simplest pasta salad of all time

The tortellini cooks in less than three minutes, then you just have to throw it with a pesto, fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes bought in the shop, and you can get started. When I make the salad ahead, I usually stop the tomatoes and mozzarella until shortly before serving. You can use the variety of tortellini and pesto that you like, but I love the comfort factor and the taste of the Kirkland versions.

How can I make my 4-ingredient pesto tortellini salad

To make six side size, you need:

• Salt, taste
• 1 1/2 pound bought cheese tortellini or tortelloni bought in the store
• 1 cup of basil pesto (bought or homemade in the shop)
• 8 Unzen fresh mozzarella pearls, dried up, dried and halved (or 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, cubes)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved halved
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water into a rolling cooking over strong heat. When the water boils, salt it generously and add the tortellini. According to the instructions of the packaging, cook according to Al dente, then drain well and put it in a large mixing bowl.

Add the pesto and throw it to coat. Place in the refrigerator to cool at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. If you are ready to serve, add the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes and season with black pepper. To combine and serve them cold.

Once in combination with the tomatoes and mozzarella, the remains can be cooled for up to 12 hours, but it is best to eat them immediately after assembly.

Simple changes

While this salad is so perfect, the options for blowing up are endless. Add fresh basil leaves for a touch of color and taste, drain and flushed chickpeas for protein or even a handful of shaved parmesan for Umami and texture. I also love to dress it with chopped pistachios or roasted pine core to the crunch.