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Cheese Tortellini Caesar Pasta Salad

Cheese tortellini Caesar pasta salad with creamy Caesar dressing and romaine adds a tangy, creamy coating to every bite. Cheese-filled tortellini is tossed with crisp romaine and cherry tomatoes, then chilled for an easy, make-ahead side.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad
  • 1 lb cheese tortellini Cheese-filled tortellini
  • 3 cup romaine lettuce Chopped romaine
  • 1 cup Caesar dressing Creamy Caesar dressing
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese Grated
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved
  • 1 cup croutons For topping
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice Fresh lemon juice for brightness
  • 1 salt To taste
  • 1 pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 large pot

Method
 

Cook and cool the tortellini
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook cheese tortellini according to package directions, until tender. Use a quick visual check for doneness (tortellini should be fully cooked through).
  2. Drain the tortellini and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. You should see the pasta cool down quickly and lose surface steam.
Toss the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine tortellini, chopped romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, and half the Parmesan cheese. Toss just until the romaine looks evenly distributed.
  2. Add Caesar dressing and lemon juice, then toss to coat thoroughly. The mixture should look creamy and glossy rather than dry.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Taste should be balanced and not flat before chilling.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour. The flavors should meld and the dressing should lightly thicken as it chills.
  2. Just before serving, top with remaining Parmesan cheese and croutons. Add croutons at the end so they stay crisp.

Notes

For best texture, rinse tortellini with cold water and drain well so the dressing clings instead of pooling. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days; for freezer storage, do not freeze because romaine and croutons lose texture. For a lighter option, use a reduced-fat Caesar dressing (and keep Parmesan the same) to cut calories while keeping the classic tangy flavor.