This Easy 4-Ingredient Pasta Salad Is My Love Letter to Costco

This is the sort of recipe that is so criminally easy, I get a little embarrassed when people ask me how I made it. You see, I can be a bit much when it comes to cooking. I usually make pizza dough and ricotta from scratch; I have a beloved sourdough starter in my fridge; and more often than not, I make my lasagna noodles by hand. But I’m also wise enough to know when the store-bought version of something is much better than anything I could make. 

Case in point: tortellini. At my house, we go through far more cheese tortellini than I could ever imagine making by hand, so I always make sure I have a pack or two in the fridge for dinner emergencies. Our favorite is the Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni from Costco.

One day, while stocking up, I noticed the tortelloni was conveniently located right next to the Kirkland Signature Imported Basil Pesto. Pesto used to be the kind of thing I’d never imagine buying from the store, but then I had three kids.

Into the cart it went, and upon first taste, it quickly became a staple. I use it on everything from sandwiches to fried eggs to soups, but my favorite way to use it is in this simple pasta salad. 

The Easiest Pasta Salad Ever

The tortellini cooks in less than three minutes, then all you have to do is toss it with some store-bought pesto, fresh mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes and you are good to go. If I am making the salad ahead, I usually hold off on adding the tomatoes and mozzarella until just before serving. You can use whatever variety of tortellini and pesto you like, but I love the convenience factor and flavor of the Kirkland versions. 

How To Make My 4-Ingredient Pesto Tortellini Salad

To make six side dish-sized servings, you’ll need:

• Salt, to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds store-bought cheese tortellini or tortelloni 
• 1 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls, drained, patted dry, and halved (or 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, salt it generously, then add the tortellini. Cook to al dente according to the package directions, then drain well and place in a large mixing bowl. 

Add the pesto and toss to coat. Set in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, add the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, and season with black pepper to taste. Toss to combine, and serve cold. 

Once combined with the tomatoes and mozzarella, leftovers can be chilled for up to 12 hours, but it’s best to eat it immediately after assembling. 

Easy Tweaks

While this salad is perfect as is, the options for jazzing it up are endless. Add fresh basil leaves for a pop of color and flavor, drained and rinsed chickpeas for protein, or even a handful or two of shaved Parmesan for umami and texture. I also love dressing it up with chopped pistachios or toasted pine nuts for crunch.