Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

by Devour Dinner | 9 Comments

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4.5 from 9 votes

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I'm excited to share this Southwest Pasta Salad filled with cheese tortellini, and fresh ingredients. It's creamy and a Potluck Favorite Recipe.

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (1)

Summers are a busy time for neighborhood BBQ's, Family Reunions, and fun with the family which is why we have our Favorite Potluck Salad Recipes for you to enjoy!

Southwestern Pasta Salad is an easy cold Potluck Salad Recipe to make. It's perfect to make ahead and bring to an event, or enjoy as a family when you grill.

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (2)

What is Southwest Pasta Salad?

Southwest Pasta Salad is a cold Pasta Salad made with Cheese Tortellini. It has a creamy spicy dressing for a real southwestern salad taste.

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (3)

What's in Southwest Pasta Salad?

  • Cheese Tortellini
  • Sweet Corn
  • Black Beans
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Red Bell Pepper
  • Red Onion
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado
  • Southwestern Dressing

How many will Southwest Pasta Salad feed?

I love to take this recipe to Potluck BBQ's or Family Reunions. This recipe serves 6-8 as a side dish and is a crowd pleaser.

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (4)

How to cook pasta in the Instant Pot?

Cooking Pasta in the Pressure Cooker is easy. For this recipe use a frozen package of Cheese Tortellini. Add 3 cups water or Chicken Broth and set to Manual (Pressure Cook) High for 1 minute with a 2 minute natural release.

Quick Release the remaining pressure and rinse and drain pasta under cool water and allow to chill in the Refrigerator for 30 minutes.

How to Cook Pasta on the Stove?

Fill a stock pot with water over high heat on the stove until it reaches a boil. Add frozen Cheese Tortellini and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes.

Pasta should float to the top. Rinse and drain pasta under cool water and chill in Refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (5)

Let's Make Southwestern Tortellini Pasta Salad

I prefer to cook my pasta using the Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker using Chicken Broth. I love the extra flavor the Chicken Broth gives when making pasta in the Instant Pot.

Then I rinse and drain my tortellini and allow to chill.

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (6)

While the pasta is cooking I dice the red onion, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado.

I rinse and drain the corn and black beans and add them to the veggies. When the pasta is chilled, I toss in the pasta with the other ingredients.

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (7)

The dressing is made up of Ranch Dressing, Italian Dressing with Chili Powder and Cumin. Trust me. It's great and perfect on this Pasta Salad Recipe.

Toss everything together and you are ready to eat!

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Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (8)

Try more Pasta Salad Recipes

  • Authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad
  • Traditional BLT Pasta Salad
  • Refreshing Poppyseed Strawberry Pasta Salad
  • Suddenly Salad Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
  • Dorito Taco Salad
  • Family Favorite Pepperoni Pasta Salad
  • Creamy Taco Pasta Salad
  • BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad with Chicken
  • Pasta with Zucchini and Cheery Tomatoes

Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (9)

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4.45 from 9 votes

Southwest Pasta Salad

The BEST Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad made with a creamy Southwest Dressing and packed full of fresh tomatoes, avocado, onion, cilantro, bell pepper and sweet corn and black beans. A true favorite Potluck Salad Recipe

Cook Time1 minute min

Additional Time29 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Devour Dinner

Course: Neighborhood Favorite Pot Luck Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 -8 Servings

Author: Devour Dinner

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg 19oz 3 Cheese Frozen Tortellini
  • 3 Cup Chicken Broth or Water
  • ½ Cup Diced Red Bell Pepper
  • ¼ Cup Diced Red Onion
  • ¼ Cup Chopped Cilantro
  • 1 Cup Corn
  • 1 Cup Black Beans
  • 1 whole Avocado diced
  • 2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes Sliced

Southwest Dressing

  • ½ Cup Ranch Dressing
  • ½ Cup Italian Dressing
  • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • ¾ teaspoon Cumin

Instructions

  • Place Frozen Cheese Tortellini in Pressure Cooker with 3 Cup Chicken Broth OR Water

  • Set to Manual (Pressure Cook) High for 1 minute. 2 minute Natural Release and Quick Release the remaining pressure.

  • Rinse and drain pasta under cool water and place in Refrigerator for 30 minutes

  • Dice Cilantro, Red Onion and Bell Pepper and set aside

  • Slice Cherry Tomatoes in half and set aside

  • Rinse and drain corn and black beans

  • In a large bowl add chilled pasta, cilantro, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, avocado, corn and black beans. Toss to combine

  • In a separate bowl combine Southwest Dressing and stir

  • Pour dressing over pasta and toss.

  • Serve cold. Store in Refrigerator

Notes

Optional ~ Add 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese. It's delicious!

Have you made this recipe?Mention @devourdinner or tag us #devourdinner! Please leave a comment and rating below. Thank you!

Nutrition Disclaimer

All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g

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Comments

  1. Katie koopman

    Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (10)
    This is the best recipe on devour dinner! 10/10 recommend!!! We have made it with all different kinds of pasta and every time it turns out perfect and delicious! It’s perfect for those super hot nights when you don’t want to cook anything.

    Reply

    • Devour Dinner

      Hi Katie! I'm so glad you loved this recipe. It's wonderful and so good on a hot night.

      Reply

  2. Nancy Weinbaum

    Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (11)
    I've made this and Love it...Thanks for doing a Demo again <3 I will make this tomorrow

    Reply

  3. Denise Mies

    Just a spelling thing....in the instructions says "cheery tomatoes" should be cherry tomatoes!! Although I suppose those tomatoes could be happy and cherry!

    This is where it is in the recipe:

    While the pasta is cooking I dice the red onion, bell pepper, cheery tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado.

    Reply

    • Devour Dinner

      haha.. Yes, you are correct, just a slip of the finger that spell check didn't notice!

      Reply

  4. Judy

    Best Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe (12)
    I only had a 12 ounce package of large cheese ravioli and the directions worked perfectly. I am winging it and adding things I have in my garden and fridge. I also used my homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

    This is a winner because it is fast and no heating up the kitchen. The possibilities are endless.

    Reply

    • Devour Dinner

      Hi Judy, sometimes "winging it" is the best with what you have. It is a winner recipe because it's so fast and so good too! Glad you liked it.

      Reply

  5. Brenda

    What kind of italian dressing do you use, creamy or oil based?

    Reply

    • Devour Dinner

      Hi Brenda, I use oil based Italian Dressing in this recipe.

      Reply

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