Description
Hawaiian Tortellini Salad is a creamy, sweet-and-savory pasta salad made with cheese tortellini, ham, pineapple, crisp bell peppers, and a tropical teriyaki dressing. Perfect for potlucks, BBQs, meal prep, or busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta Base:
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 cup pineapple tidbits, well-drained
- ½ cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
For the Tropical Dressing:
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions until tender but still firm.
- Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a large bowl and toss lightly with a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking.
- While the pasta cooks, finely chop the bell peppers and red onion into small, uniform pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together teriyaki sauce, honey, garlic powder, mayonnaise, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
- Add ham, pineapple, bell peppers, and red onion to the cooled tortellini.
- Pour half of the dressing over the mixture and gently fold until coated. Add more dressing as needed.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving for best flavor. Stir gently before serving.
Notes
- Drain pineapple very well to prevent watery dressing.
- This salad tastes even better after chilling 1–2 hours.
- For a lighter version, substitute half the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg