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Italian Grinder Tortellini Salad

Italian grinder tortellini salad with cheese tortellini, quartered deli meats, cubed provolone, and banana peppers tossed in Italian dressing. Cooked tortellini is chilled so the flavors meld like a sub sandwich, then crisp iceberg lettuce is added right before serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad base
  • 1 lb cheese tortellini Cook according to package directions.
  • 8 oz salami Quartered.
  • 8 oz pepperoni Quartered.
  • 8 oz ham Diced.
  • 8 oz provolone cheese Cubed.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved.
  • 1 cup banana peppers Sliced.
  • 0.5 cup red onion Diced.
  • 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce Add just before serving.
Dressing
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool tortellini
  1. Cook the cheese tortellini according to package directions, using boiling water, then drain and rinse with cold water until no longer hot.
  2. Spread the cooked tortellini on a sheet pan to cool slightly so it won’t steam the salad, then let it come closer to room temperature.
Build the salad
  1. Combine tortellini, salami, pepperoni, ham, provolone, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, and red onion in a large bowl.
  2. Stir Italian dressing, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a small container until evenly mixed.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every piece looks coated.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld, uncovered at first then covered once chilled.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add shredded iceberg lettuce and toss again so it stays crisp and bright in color.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the tortellini with cold water and cool it briefly so it doesn’t melt the provolone. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; lettuce may soften but the salad still tastes good. Freezing is not recommended because the lettuce and tomatoes lose crunch. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium Italian dressing and swap one deli meat (like pepperoni) for extra ham or turkey slices.