Description
This Bacon and Green Pea Tortellini Pasta Salad with lemon Parmesan dressing is loaded with layers of flavour and texture: cheese tortellini, green peas, kale, and crispy bacon are tossed with a delicious lemon Parmesan dressing in this pasta salad that you’ll want to make for a fuss-free side dish all summer long.
Ingredients
Scale
Lemon Parmesan Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salad
- 1 pound cheese tortellini, cooked, drained, and cooled to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups green peas (thawed from frozen)
- 3 cups shredded kale
- 6 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped basil or parsley (or a combination- a couple of tablespoons of fresh dill is also delicious here)
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a jar, combine all of the dressing ingredients. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
- Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the tortellini, peas, kale, bacon, and herbs. Add about 2/3 of the dressing and toss to coat.
- Serve and drizzle remaining dressing over individual portions, if desired.
Notes
You can add all of the dressing to the salad at once, if you wish. However, I recommend starting with about 2/3 of the dressing and adding more as desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Cuisine: American