Chilled Italian Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Salad is loaded with shrimp, perfect for dining al fresco!
Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Salad
Shrimp Tortellini Pasta SaladThis delicious, light shrimp and tortellini salad can be served as a side or main dish. It’s perfect for summer potlucks, pool parties, or anytime you need a pasta salad because it isn’t weighed down with heavy mayo. It’s also great to make ahead as the flavors get better the longer it sits. Leftovers are perfect to pack for lunch!
To make the pasta salad I used my favorite brand of pasta, Delallo with their Ricotta and Spinach Tortellini. I LOVE a good tortellini salad in the summer, adding shrimp adds lean protein and keeps the calories low. It’s also delicious, every time I make it people ask me for the recipe.
As a main dish, the portions are generous, if you want to serve this as a side I would serve half the portions. You can also make half the recipe if you want to make this for less people.
Make ahead: You can make this tortellini salad a day ahead, keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
How To Make Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Salad
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Summer Pasta Salad with Baby Greens
- Macaroni Salad with Tomatoes and Zucchini
- Macaroni Salad with Tomatoes
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Summer Cavatelli
Chilled Italian Shrimp and Tortellini Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 fresh lemon
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook tortellini according to package directions. Using a large mesh spoon, transfer the pasta to a colander and rinse under cold water.
- Return water to a boil and add the shrimp, poach for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are just pink, rinse under cold water to stop them from cooking, drain and cut into large pieces.
- In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- In a large bowl, mix the onion, celery, capers and olives and pour the dressing over; mix well.
- Add the shrimp, tortellini and remaining ingredients. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and chill before serving.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
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I created this recipe in partnership with Delallo Foods. I only work with brands I LOVE and use in my very own kitchen. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Questions. Is 1 1/2 cup serving size 7 points on weightwartchers?
Also, can I use the anchovie flats instead og capers. Thank you. I use Rana brand fresh pasta in bag. A variety of pasta shapes and fillings and oh so good. It takes 4 minutes to cook. Boilwater, put desired pasta in and cook only4 minutes.Now that is fresh and easy. Its found inthe cooler section of market where the premade salads are sold. Gold bag with dark blue. Thankyou.
I’d add some chopped red pepper for a little color.
Just made this for a pool party I’m attending and let me tell you: This. Shit. Is. Bomb.
Light, not too acidic, the dressing MAKES IT. I chose to withhold the black olives and capers as those aren’t to everyone’s taste (god only knows why not) but even without them this is a great dish to make.
I doubled up on the recipe and it still came out as expected. 10/10
Thanks David!
I must say this is delicious. Didn’t have red wine vinegar and used rice vinegar instead. Definately one of my favs.
This looks so awesome! All my favorites! Definitely going to make this. THANKS A BUNCH
Made this a day ahead for a beach sunset dinner here on Maui. Soooop good! This is going into the rotation
If I make this on a Sunday for our lunches how long would it stay good for the week?
I baked my shrimp with onions instead and it came out even better! Yum!!
Amazing! The only changes, I had to use cheese tortellini and dried Basil. Wasn’t sure about the celery but it worked. The water leftover from the tortellini to cook the shrimp seasoned it and it was great. What a tasty idea! Served with corn as another reviewer suggested (thank you!). This will become a staple for sure!!
Live love love this – I make it often and it makes a great weekday lunch. Also made it for my dad and he loved it too. A regular for us!
Excellent but only 1 lb of shrimp is needed for 8.5 Oz of tortellini
I am a shrimp newbie, am I looking for cooked, peeled & deveined shrimp? Do I get that frozen or fresh at the deli counter??
Thank you for your help!
You can use any fresh or frozen…fresh and cooked from the fish counter would not require any poaching on your part. For frozen poach n until cooked. Rinse under cold water then peel. Shrjmp cooks fast. When shells turn pink done. Always have frozen shrimp in the freezer for quick meals.
My whole family loved this (even the picky eater, minus the red onions)! It tastes amazing the next day too. I used cheese tortellini and upped the amount used. I didn’t have capers and thought that might be too strong for this dish, so I used extra black olives. Served with toasted french bread.
Made this yesterday and served it over greens as a main course. Perfect for a hot day. Absolutely delicious. Only change I made was to add more garlic because we’re garlic lovers. You have it try it. You won’t be disappointed! Thanks Gina for another fantastic recipe! You’re the best!!!!
Love this recipe, made this for my daughter and son-in-law and it was a hit. I made half a batch but full amount of dressing ingredients.
One note the pasta really absorbs the dressing. So if you looking for a soggy salad this is not one of them. So refreshing and delicious, another Skinny Taste recipe was a hit💕
This was so good! I subbed marinated artichokes for olives (since I’m not a fan). I never really poach shrimp – and loved how it came out!
This is one of my favorite summer recipes, thanks for reminding me that I haven’t made it in a very long time! It’s perfection.
Thanks Martha! Glad you enjoyed it!
I absolutely loved this salad and it has now become a summer staple for my family. Don’t cheap out on the shrimp, the jumbo ones really make it a meal. We serve it with a side of corn on the cob. So delicious and filling!
Another great recipe! Followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious!
This recipe did not take 20 min….more like an hour after all the chopping, cooking, peeling and deveining but it does come out delicious. I also doubled the tortellini so I tweaked the dressing a bit.
Since I’m allergic to shrimp I substituted grilled chicken. It was wonderful! Before grilling, I used salt, pepper and paprika on the chicken. When cooked, I sliced the chicken into bite sized pieces. Then I followed your recipe. Yum!
This salad is soooo good! I had to sub dried herbs for fresh because I didn’t want to go to the store and it was delicious. I suggest making more of the dressing if your package of tortellini is a bit bigger than the amount in the recipe. This will be on permanent rotation.
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing it!
This is delicious! I didn’t have celery, but did have some zucchini that needed to be used so I went ahead and used that. Such a tasty dish. I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks!
I madr this last year when I was staying home from worwork. My hubby hates capers and olives sothis was my secret treat! Thank you for bringing this back to the front if my mind. For all those wondering about Dellalo: it’s not available where I am (Bay Area, Ca) but there are some excellent substitutes at Trader Joe’s and Safeway. Just because Gina suggests a brand, that doesn’t mean you HAVE to use it. Cooking is about being creative and using your tastes. Have fun and stop stressing out! 😉
Has anyone tried this with chicken? My son is allergic to shrimp but this sounds so yummy and perfect for lunch.
I’m eating this as I type and it is absolutely delicious. Very refreshing too ! Love it. I haven’t tried a Skinnytaste recipe yet that I didn’t like !!!!!
Did you use fresh lemon? It shouldn’t be bitter.
Simple, light and delicious! I roasted the shrimp in the oven. I felt like it had some really good dimension! Thank you!
Simple to make and looks impressive. Great for a summer gathering or potluck. You could also serve it as a light main meal. I couldn’t find spinach tortellini so I use three cheese. It really makes a lot. I cut it in half because there is only the two of us, but I used the full amount of dressing. I will make again.
great, one of my favorites!
We made crab legs for Father’s Day dinner. I used the left over crab in place of the shrimp. It was a winner, just like all of your other recipes! Thanks Gina!
I didn’t think I would like this recipe because of all of the conflicting flavors and textures. I happened to have all of the ingredients and I needed to get rid of package of tortellini. I was surprised that I love this salad and today is my second time making it. I guess it doesn’t hurt to try new things once in a while.
This is an amazing pasta dish for the summer! It’s light and flavorful And very easy to make! We omitted the olives because we’re not big fans of them, but it still came out perfectly! I will make this over and over again!
Loved the lightness and refreshing taste of this dish.As you noted, it was even better when having the next day. I will definitely make this again.
I tried it and it is a keeper. yum yum
Thanks Gina for this yummy recipe. Because there are only 2 eating at my household, I had this 3 times. I try to space my leftovers out and by the 3rd meal it seemed a little dry. So, I warmed it up quickly in the microwave! Moisture came alive again and it was delicious!
Hi Gina, is this better if it sits overnight? I want to make for a party tomorrow but I dont want it to get mushy if it sits too long
This looks delicious!
I’m highly allergic to gluten, I’m assuming that this yummy recipe can have gluten free pasta subbing for the tortellini??????
Of course!
I just tried this recipe last weekend. I loved it – so many ways you can go with it but I followed the recipe except for sautéing the shrimp with a bit of seasoning instead of boiling it and just covered it with foil until I finished the salad and we ate it warm instead of chilled. It was wonderful thank you so much and as you say perfect for bringing to a summer affair – love your recipes thanks again!
Jean
Thanks Jean! Glad you enjoyed it!
Could fully cooked Jumbo Shrimp be used here?
Just made this, it’s delicious!
Do you use a specific brand of shrimp? It always looks so good!!
No, not really.
I didnt have shrimp and substitued carb meat and it was really good.
I love this recipe. For some modifications: I used Bertolli pastas. I also subbed fully cooked chicken breast slices in for some of the shrimp (for my boyfriend). Turned out equally as yummy. Also, for an optional garnish, I added crumbled chèvre cheese (aka goat cheese: classic or herbed). Wouldn’t recommend that for those looking to steer away from cheese. But for the cheese lovers, it’s awesome.
I am eating my leftovers for lunch as I type! I came to read the comments to see if anyone had some cheese recommendations. Goat is one of my favorites! I’ll give it a try. Thanks!!
Could you carmelize the onions?
If you like. I haven’t tried it, let me know if you do!
What would be a good substitute for the celery?
Any substitute for red wine vinegar!?!? I don’t have any 🙁
White wine vinegar, rice wine, apple cider or balsamic would be acceptable subs.
I made this for dinner tonight, it was a hit all around! I have some leftovers, i can’t wait to try it tomorrow for lunch after it marinated over night!
I increased the parsley because we all love it here and i was out of capers but i threw in some marinated artichoke instead. I will make it again for sure!
Made this last night for my boyfriend and I, and it’s already gone today! So delicious we could not stop eating it! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! Will be making again!
Awesome!
I’m eating this right now and love it! Great combination of flavors with the fresh herbs and the briny olives and capers. Makes a great lunch over romaine for some extra crunch and bulk.
This recipe sounds great for a hot weather dinner. I’m going to try it with imitation crab meat. Can’t run to the grocery store today for shrimp. I think it would taste pretty good with crab meat. Thanks for the recipe idea.
hi Gina! this recipe was absolutely delicious! I have plenty leftover. how long do you think this would keep in the fridge? thanks in advance!
Made this for dinner tonight – what an awesome recipe!! Will definitely make again!
I prepared this dish as an entree for tonight, and it was chilled and waiting when I arrived home from a class @ 5 p.m. And no hot kitchen (heavenly on a late August day in Alabama)! I used only one pound of shrimp, which was plenty. And I substituted yellow and green bell pepper and a small diced cucumber for the celery. A couple of wheat rolls completed a delicious meal — this recipe is a keeper!
Made this tonight and it was a huge hit! I had eight adults and my picky picky four year old and all gave it two thumbs up. I used precooked shrimp I defrosted because they were on sale. Served it with a grilled flank steak (so kind of a surf and turf). Loved the video too, it really enticed me to give this a shot.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it! Love the surf and turf!
Making this tonight! I’m going to add in some feta because I have some in the fridge I need to use up. And also because, you know… cheese. Love your recipes! This looks great for a 90 degree day like today. 🙂
What’s a good substitute for the olives?
Roasted red pepper or fresh chopped tomato would be good.
please tell we where you buy delallo tortellini
If your local grocery store doesn’t carry it you can shop for it online.
What other type of tortellini can you use. Cannot eat spinach due to blood clotting factor?
You can use Delallo’s three cheese tortellini.
Looks fabulous. Making this tonight! But are you sure it’s 2 pounds of jumbo shrimp plus all that pasta for 6 people?
What if you don’t eat shrimp?
THEN DON’T MAKE THIS SALAD ?
I think adding garbanzo beans (or any type) would be delish!
OR just leave out the shrimp. Sounds great, to me! 🙂
?
Wow!
That was pretty rude.
I enjoy shrimp, but I think this would be great without. Maybe even grilled chicken that was chilled. Play around with it. I am going to use my olive garden light Italian dressing with it.
LOL! Great comment. I don’t mean to laugh but it’s funny what people say about recipes. “It didn’t turn out! But I used all different ingredients!” Have to see the humor in life!?
We have shellfish allergies in our home. I cut up chicken and marinated in low fat Italian dressing and sautéed in a pan, then substituted for the shrimp. Everyone loved it. Hope that helps.
I’m allergic to shrimp, but I liked the idea of this salad, so I used packaged grilled chicken and it was yummy.
Wow look at that serving size! Yes! Looms yummy. I may have to hit up Pastosa 😉
April, there is meat tortellini in supermarkets but it may not go well with shrimp and will also affect the smart points value.. Maybe just go with regular pasta, maybe orrechiette? There are small and firm like tortellini.
Sara, look for Seviroli brand. They are decent and are in the frozen section. There is also one called Italian Village- they are o.k. but not too cheesy.
This is a lot of pasta! How long do you think it would keep in the fridge? Thanks… Love your recipes!
Really into this recipe, Gina! Although Delallo is a wonderful brand, they do not sell their products anywhere near me :(. Any recommendations for a tortellini I could find at a basic grocery store?
Thanks!
Buitoni makes them.
I used Three Bridges Spinach and Cheese Ravioli because that was what I found that seemed close to what Gina was calling for. I really liked it AND when I put the recipe in WW recipe builder, it only came out to 7 Smart Points instead of 8! Don’t really know if that was because of the brand of pasta or not.
I don’t like cheese, but would love to try this! Any tortellini without cheese? Thanks!!
Not sure?
I would probably just use pasta..like a rotini or penne. 🙂
Aldi has mushroom tortellini.