Several summers ago, it seemed to be the summer of potlucks and barbecues. Every single one I went to were laden with tubs of store bought potato salad or gooey mayonnaise-laden pasta salads alongside endless bags of chips. I really wanted to find something that would be different, healthy, and could withstand sitting on a hot picnic table for hours without potentially giving my friends food poisoning.
I can’t exactly remember where I nabbed this recipe from – if it was in one of my many recipe card collections, or something I stumbled across in one of my cooking magazines, but it has become my go-to recipe for summer salads, potlucks, or just a quick and hearty dinner.
Pesto Tortellini Salad
Recipe Type: salad, potluck
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Light summer salad to bring easy flair to your potluck barbecues
Ingredients
- 9 oz package of tortellini (you can find it in the deli section of the grocery store or in the freezer section), cooked to package directions
- 1 carton of grape or cherry tomatoes
- 6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
- 6 oz tub of pesto (also found in the deli section, usually next to the packaged tortellini)
- 1 large broccoli crown, cut into bite sized pieces
- Parmesan cheese, to taste
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Dump all of the above ingredients into a big bowl and mix together. You can serve up right away or refrigerate. I find that it’s delicious when the tortellini is still warm, but it’s always better the second day.
Do you have a favorite summer barbecue side that you always serve up?