With a high of 106 degrees today, I don’t really care what season the date says it is… it’s full-fledged summer out here!
With summer comes BBQ’ing and grilling season, cookouts and picnics. I bet you’ll be asked to bring a side dish to at least one event in the near future. Well… this is an awesome one! I was invited to a cookout for Memorial Day and this is exactly what I brought. It’s such a bright and fresh salad full of crisp and crunchy summer veggies. And it’s pretty too– so colorful! It’s great because there’s no mayo so it can sit out in the heat for a little bit if it has to. And obviously if it’s 106 here in June… we’ll be dealing with some heat.
This salad was a big hit and one I would definitely make again!!
Greek Tortellini Salad
(adapted from Slow Roasted Italian)
serves 8
- 2 bell peppers (orange, yellow or red), diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 16 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 (9 oz) package tortellini, cooked according to package directions, drained and cooled
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
for the dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
Combine veggies, feta, tortellini and chives in a bowl. In a small bowl (or jar), whisk (or shake) together dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Ta da! Easy-peasy!
Here are some more great summer sides to check out!
It is full fledged summer and so hot where I live too! We had a high of 109 last week and it was painful to just be outside. This salad looks like the perfect cure for the summer heat! Greek salads are my favorite and I love kalamata olives 🙂 Try to stay cool!
Oh my gosh, 106?! I would be in a puddle on the ground…my poor Canadian skin would be sizzling LOL! This pasta salad looks like the most perfect, cool dish for such a hot day!
Ugh! It was in the triple digits up here in N. California too. Melting! Thank goodness for swimming pools.
This pasta salad sounds delicious! Such a great idea to use tortellini! The more cheese the better : )
Thank goodness for air conditioner! 😉
Yum! This has everything I want for dinner, all in one! You would not want to be around me in 106, but you’re better about heat than I am! I made something similar, with a different twist. Stay tuned for next week!
I love tortellini salads and this one looks perfect for the summer! This dressing sounds delicious, too!
Aside from the olives (I just have a dislike for them I can’t get past… I know, there’s something wrong with me) this looks fantastic and perfect for a nice hot summer day! Definitely a perfect cookout companion!
This looks fabulous for summer!
Kathi
I know what you mean about the hot weather lately. I keep thinking that it’s too early in the summer for triple digit heat, and yet, here we are. Anyway, what I really wanted to say is that this looks so refreshing! I might have to put it on my weekly menu when I go grocery shopping this week!
Yummy! Looks tasty, and dressing seems good too! 🙂
I’ve come back to report that I made this, and I loved it! I wish I would have made twice as much so that I could have had leftovers. The day after I made it, I made the previous recipe (spiced dal), too! I’m on a Jess Fuel, kick. Haha! I really liked both recipes!
Yayyyy!! That’s so exciting!! I’ve already made the tortellini a second time. We’ve been trying to eat less meat lately so that when we DO eat it, we can eat good quality organic stuff and not feel bad about paying more for it… so yeah… hence they recent surge in meatless recipes ’round here. 🙂
For hot days try a salad jacket. Use a bowl, casserole, pan, Dutch Oven or yard sale find 1 ½ – 2 inches larger than your salad dish. Put 1 – 2 trays of cubes lying flat in the bigger bowl,run them right up the sides. Place salad bowl inside the ice bowl. Add ice water to ¾ way up sprinkle any salt you have on the ice and water mix. Use a glass or take out or yard sale find cover on the salad and ice bowl. Place utensils on a napkin next to bowl. Top off with some more cold water in the ice jacket. If you check to make sure it’s covered every once in awhile, your salad should stay cool and crispy for some hours. If you have fridge space, do the jacket just before you leave and hope the hostess has the food table in the shade. The ice jacket is how old fashioned ice cream makers work. Use a generous amount of salt. It allows the ice and water to get colder.