Tortellini Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Easy Tortellini Salad recipe tossed with poppy seed dressing, spinach and arugula, dried cranberries, and parmesan. Super simple, kid-friendly, and sure to be a hit at your next potluck, BBQ or as an easy weeknight meal for your family!

The recipe I’m sharing this week is a potluck and party superstar. Every time I bring this salad to a party it is always a hit and people ask for the recipe. But the very best part is that it is so easy to prepare. Simple ingredients and easy instructions, you’ll have a potluck favorite with this dish! This Tortellini Salad is a crowd pleaser and it’s also fantastic as an easy weeknight meal for families.

The weather is so beautiful in Minnesota right now. We are not taking this weather for granted and every chance we’ve had, we are out walking. Our favorite walking spot is down by our lake and we’ve been eagerly waiting for the ice to go out. If you read my post last week about Bacon Chicken Ranch Burgers, you saw there was snow still on the beach! We were surprised to see the ice and snow were gone yesterday and of course, my kids were already dipping in their toes!

We are totally summer dreaming and all I want right now are fresh summery salads. We were headed to a party last weekend and I brought this Tortellini Salad to celebrate. It is a food that always reminds us of summer. And it always is a hit. Every time I make it, I get asked for the recipe. It is simple and yummy, it will be on heavy rotation for you this summer. You’ll see in the recipe section, I’ve included a recipe scaled to bring to a party and a smaller one if it is just for your immediate family.

I hope you love this potluck superstar and family favorite as much as we do!

Super simple ingredients for this tortellini salad, I also like to add shredded parmesan.

Follow the directions on the package for the tortellini. I use the Aldi brand and it takes two minutes to boil.

Rinse the pasta in cold water and set aside.

When making this Tortellini Salad for a crowd, I use a gigantic stainless steel bowl to mix all the ingredients. For the potluck version, I layer it like lasagna, starting with the lettuce, then shredded cheese and cranberries.

Then add the cooked tortellini and drizzle on the poppy seed dressing. Repeat the layer. Before serving I also like to add some cracked pepper. I like doing this layering method because at the potluck everyone is getting a yummy serving filled with all the ingredients, not just the person who got to the top layer first!

My Favorite Kitchen Tools for Making Tortellini Salad

These are affiliate links for my favorite tools for making this recipe. You can also visit my Amazon store to see all my kitchen gadget recommendations.

Tips for Making Tortellini Salad

  • Follow the recipes below for a potluck or family version.
  • If you want a heartier meal, add rotisserie or grilled chicken.
  • If making for a crowd, do the lasagna layering method, that way everyone at the party gets all the yummy ingredients.
  • You can substitute fresh blueberries for the dried cranberries.
  • I like using a spinach and arugula mix in this recipe. The arugula has a great peppery bite that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the dressing.
  • Speaking of dressing, I am partial to Brianna’s Poppy Seed Dressing.
  • This is a also great meal to bring to a family who needs some extra kindness, whether it is a new baby or a hardship, it is easy to put together. Cook the pasta for them and allow them to combine the salad.

I’ve included recipe instructions below to make for a party or as a meal for your family. Wishing you a great time at your next party or BBQ at home with your family!

Tortellini Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing Party/Potluck Version
 
Author:
Serves: 8-12
Ingredients
  • 2 (20 oz) Packages of Three Cheese Tortellini (in the refrigerated section)
  • 2 (5 oz) Packages of Baby Spinach and Arugula Salad Greens Mix
  • 2 (6 oz) Packages of Dried Cranberries
  • 1 (5 oz) Package of Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 (12 oz) Bottle of Brianna's Rich Poppy Seed Dressing
  • Season with fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
  1. Prepare tortellini pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.
  2. In a very large mixing bowl (I use a 20-quart bowl), layer the salad with 1 package of salad greens, 1 package of dried cranberries, half of the parmesan cheese, half of the bottle of poppy seed dressing, and half of the cooked tortellini, and fresh pepper. Repeat to make another layer with remaining ingredients.

 
Tortellini Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing Family Meal
 
Author:
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 (20 oz) Package of Three Cheese Tortellini (in the refrigerated section)
  • 1 (5 oz) Package of Baby Spinach and Arugula Salad Greens Mix
  • 1 (6 oz) Package of Dried Cranberries
  • ½ (5 oz) Package of Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • ½ (12 oz) Bottle of Brianna's Rich Poppy Seed Dressing
  • Season with fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
  1. Prepare tortellini pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, layer the salad with salad greens, dried cranberries, parmesan cheese, half of the bottle of poppy seed dressing, and the cooked tortellini, and fresh pepper. Toss to combine.

7 thoughts on “Tortellini Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

  1. Hi Alice 🙂
    Aldi for the win! I noticed they also had Poppy Seed dressing in the “Special Buys” section last Friday. This salad sounds so good and would be great for a work lunch in a smaller version.

  2. Yum! Making and taking it to the cabin this weekend as we visit my dad and Trudy. We’ll see if it passes the test for your Aunt. Ha!

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