Creamy Broccoli Tortellini Salad

I’d never put together a pasta salad with tortellini until a friend brought one to a potluck last spring. I always thought of tortellini as something you eat hot with marinara sauce or in soup. But tossed with broccoli, bacon, and a creamy dressing? It actually makes a lot of sense.

The thing I like about this salad is that it feels a little more interesting than your typical pasta salad. The tortellini are already stuffed with cheese, so every bite has more flavor than regular noodles would give you. And the combination of sweet cranberries with salty bacon is one of those pairings that just works. I’ve made this for family dinners and brought it to cookouts, and it’s always gone by the end of the meal.

SAVE NOW

What Kind of Tortellini Should I Use?

You can use fresh or frozen tortellini for this salad, and both will turn out great. Cheese-filled tortellini is the most popular choice and works perfectly here, but you could also try spinach and cheese or even meat-filled varieties if that’s what you have on hand. Fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section will cook faster (usually in just 2-3 minutes), while frozen tortellini might need an extra minute or two in the boiling water. Just make sure to cook your tortellini until it’s tender but still has a little bite to it, and then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down for the salad.

SAVE NOW

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients around:

• Tortellini: You can use any flavor of tortellini you like – cheese, spinach, or even meat-filled varieties all work great. If tortellini isn’t available, try using small pasta shapes like farfalle or rotini instead.
• Broccoli: Fresh or frozen broccoli both work fine here. You can also use cauliflower or a mix of both for some variety.
• Cranberries: Dried cranberries can be swapped with raisins, dried cherries, or even chopped fresh grapes if you prefer something less sweet.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon works as a lighter option, or you can skip the meat entirely and add some sunflower seeds for crunch.
• Walnuts: Pecans, almonds, or cashews are all good alternatives if walnuts aren’t your thing.
• Sour cream: Greek yogurt makes a great substitute for sour cream and adds a bit more protein. Use the same amount and mix it with the mayo as directed.
• Apple cider vinegar: White wine vinegar or regular white vinegar work just as well for that tangy kick in the dressing.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking the broccoli is the biggest mistake you can make with this salad – keep it in the boiling water for just 1-2 minutes so it stays crisp and bright green, not mushy and dull.

Another common error is adding the bacon and walnuts too early, which makes them lose their crunch when they sit in the dressing, so always stir them in right before serving to keep that satisfying texture.

Don’t skip rinsing the tortellini and broccoli with cold water after cooking, as this stops the cooking process immediately and prevents your salad from turning warm and wilted.

For extra flavor, try toasting the walnuts in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes before adding them, and make sure your dressing is well-mixed before pouring it over the salad so every bite gets an even coating.

SAVE NOW

What to Serve With Broccoli Tortellini Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty hearty on its own since it’s got bacon, tortellini, and walnuts, so it works great as a main dish for lunch or a light dinner. If you want to round out the meal, grilled chicken breast or rotisserie chicken makes it even more filling without much extra effort. For potlucks or barbecues, I like serving this alongside other cookout favorites like corn on the cob, coleslaw, or some simple garlic bread. It also pairs nicely with grilled burgers or hot dogs if you’re feeding a crowd at a summer gathering.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your broccoli tortellini salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get better as they sit together, so it’s perfect for making a day ahead for a potluck or picnic. Just give it a good stir before serving since the dressing might settle a bit.

Make Ahead: You can prep this salad up to a day in advance, which actually helps the flavors blend together nicely. If you want it to stay extra crisp, you can keep the dressing separate and toss everything together about an hour before serving.

Serve: This salad tastes best when served cold or at room temperature. If you’ve had it in the fridge, let it sit out for about 10-15 minutes before serving to take the chill off. The bacon will soften over time, so if you want it extra crispy, you can always add fresh bacon right before serving.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1600
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 80-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-150 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 10 oz tortellini (I like Buitoni refrigerated cheese tortellini)
• 14 oz broccoli
• 1/3 cup red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2/3 cup cranberries
• 5 bacon slices (cooked until crisp and crumbled)
• 1/2 cup walnuts

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for the best dressing texture)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Cook the Bacon

• 5 bacon slices
• 1/3 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Start by finely dicing the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.

Place bacon slices on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 15-16 minutes until crisp.

While the bacon cooks, roughly chop the walnuts and set them aside.

Once the bacon is done, let it cool slightly, then crumble it into bite-sized pieces.

This parallel cooking saves time and ensures everything is ready when you need it.

Step 2: Cook the Tortellini and Broccoli

• 10 oz tortellini
• 14 oz broccoli

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to package directions until tender.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked tortellini to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking.

Return the same pot of water to a boil and add the broccoli florets, cooking for just 1-2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp.

Drain the broccoli in the colander with the tortellini and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

I like to let both sit in the colander for a minute to drain well so the salad won’t be watery.

Step 3: Prepare the Creamy Dressing

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder until smooth and fully combined.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

The dressing should be creamy and slightly tangy with a touch of sweetness.

Set aside until ready to use.

Step 4: Assemble the Salad

• tortellini and broccoli from Step 2
• 1/3 cup red onion from Step 1
• 2/3 cup cranberries
• creamy dressing from Step 3
• crumbled bacon from Step 1
• chopped walnuts from Step 1

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled tortellini and broccoli from Step 2 with the diced red onion and cranberries.

Pour the creamy dressing from Step 3 over the mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

Fold in the crumbled bacon and chopped walnuts from Step 1, being careful not to crush them.

I prefer to add the bacon and walnuts just before serving to keep them crisp and textured rather than having them soften in the dressing.

Creamy Broccoli Tortellini Salad

Delicious Creamy Broccoli Tortellini Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1500 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 10 oz tortellini (I like Buitoni refrigerated cheese tortellini)
• 14 oz broccoli
• 1/3 cup red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2/3 cup cranberries
• 5 bacon slices (cooked until crisp and crumbled)
• 1/2 cup walnuts

For the dressing::

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for the best dressing texture)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

 

• Start by finely dicing the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Place bacon slices on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 15-16 minutes until crisp. While the bacon cooks, roughly chop the walnuts and set them aside. Once the bacon is done, let it cool slightly, then crumble it into bite-sized pieces. This parallel cooking saves time and ensures everything is ready when you need it.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to package directions until tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked tortellini to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking. Return the same pot of water to a boil and add the broccoli florets, cooking for just 1-2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain the broccoli in the colander with the tortellini and rinse thoroughly with cold water. I like to let both sit in the colander for a minute to drain well so the salad won't be watery.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder until smooth and fully combined. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. The dressing should be creamy and slightly tangy with a touch of sweetness. Set aside until ready to use.
• In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled tortellini and broccoli from Step 2 with the diced red onion and cranberries. Pour the creamy dressing from Step 3 over the mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Fold in the crumbled bacon and chopped walnuts from Step 1, being careful not to crush them. I prefer to add the bacon and walnuts just before serving to keep them crisp and textured rather than having them soften in the dressing.