Tortellini Salad with Artichokes and Edamame

Tortellini Salad with Artichokes and Edamame ~  perfect for those busy nights when you want a nice healthy salad for dinner, but crave some protein and carbs along with it.

Let this serve as a reminder that some of the best meals result from a desperate raid of the pantry…

it’s how this tortellini salad recipe was born, and it went down like this ~ a random package of sausage tortellini stuffed in the cheese drawer meets a can of artichokes, an open jar of hearts of palm, some veggies from the crisper, a half bag of frozen edamame beans cinched with a hair clip, and a few fresh herbs from the motley collection in drinking glasses next to the sink.  Not a bad result for such a questionable pedigree.  It made a satisfying dinner and I didn’t have to run out to any store, yay!

Sharp readers probably noticed the pine nuts…pine nuts, specifically toasted pine nuts, make everything a thousand times better.  No exaggeration.  But I know they’re not always hanging around the kitchen because they’re ridiculously pricey  Use walnuts instead if you like.

I love this kind of random recipe where the ingredients aren’t planned, they’re just thrown together by necessity.   It’s the way most of us eat on a daily basis.  Since I like to bring a Mediterranean vibe to my salads I try to keep certain key ingredients in stock.

Here are my pantry/fridge secret weapons that really help bring my ‘random’ salad recipes together into delicious meals…

• black olives, I keep multiples so I never run out, my current favorites are kalamatas from the olive bar.
• artichoke hearts, both canned and marinated in jars.
• hearts of palm.
• roasted red peppers.
• anything marinated or pickled like mushrooms, beets, or giardiniera.
• Nuts, preferably pine nuts, but toasted walnuts or almonds will do in a pinch.
• beans, lots of types, canned or, in the case of this salad, frozen.
• a fabulous extra virgin olive oil, the kind you can really taste.
• a good variety of specialty vinegars.

Because of the tortellini, I consider this to be a  main course salad ~ I think hearty salads are such a great healthy dinner option, and I’ve explored all kinds here on the blog.  There’s always the classic CHOPPED SALAD, and mine comes with an bonus spicy tomato vinaigrette dressing that really makes it special.  You can turn leftover chicken into my GRILLED CHICKEN GREEK SALAD, or a can of tuna into THE PERFECT NIÇOISE SALAD.

The fresh tortellini (from the refrigerated section of your store) in this salad makes this salad hearty enough to be a meal in itself.  You can use any variety you like, but my sausage and cheese really hit the spot!

Make it your own ~

• You could use regular pasta in place of the tortellini.  I would use fusilli, bow ties, or some other compact shape.
• Tortellini salad with pesto is a great alternative to the vinaigrette dressing.
• Try frozen and thawed limas or chickpeas in place of the edamame.
• Other quick meals you can make with tortellini from around the web ~
  • 15 Minute Tomato and Tortellini Soup
  • Basil Pesto Cream with Tortellini
  • Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce
  • Crispy Tortellini with Peas and Prosciutto
  • One Pot Pizza Tortellini Bake

Thanks for pinning this Tortellini Salad with Artichokes and Edamame!