Spinach Pasta Salad
Tortellini gives this cold salad the substance of a pasta supper, while crisp cabbage and bacon bring the crunch. A chutney vinaigrette slips in a sweet-tangy note you don't expect at first glance.
Recipe link
Prep time20 min
Cook time10 min
Total time1 hr 30 min
- Course
- Pastas
- Cuisine
- Granny's Recipes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Est. calories / serving
- 100
Ingredients
Spinach Pasta Salad
- 7 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese-filled tortellini — refrigerated or frozen
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach — washed and dried; tear any large leaves
- 1 cup red cabbage or radicchio — very thinly sliced
- 6 slice bacon
- 4 green onions — thinly sliced, white and green parts
Chutney Dressing
- ¼ cup chutney — large pieces finely chopped
- ⅓ cup bottled red wine vinaigrette — bottled
Instructions
- Cook the Bacon: Arrange the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, turning as needed, for 8 to 12 minutes, until deeply browned and crisp with no soft fatty sections remaining. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Let it cool completely, then crumble it.6 slices bacon
- Cook and Cool the Tortellini: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions, usually 3 to 7 minutes, until tender but still firm enough to hold its shape. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until the tortellini is no longer warm. Shake the colander well and let the tortellini drain for 5 minutes, until no water is dripping from it.7 ounces cheese-filled tortellini
- Build and Chill the Salad: In a large salad bowl, gently toss together the completely cooled tortellini, spinach, red cabbage or radicchio, crumbled bacon, and green onions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until all the ingredients are well chilled.6 cups spinach, 1 cup red cabbage or radicchio, 6 slices bacon, 4 green onions
- Prepare the Dressing: Finely chop any large pieces of chutney. Place the chutney and red wine vinaigrette in a small screw-top jar. Secure the lid and shake for 15 to 20 seconds, until evenly blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.¼ cup chutney, ⅓ cup bottled red wine vinaigrette
- Dress and Serve: Immediately before serving, shake the dressing again. Pour it over the chilled tortellini mixture and toss gently with salad servers until the ingredients are lightly and evenly coated. Serve immediately while well chilled.
Notes
- Tortellini: Use 7 ounces by weight rather than relying on the package count. Package sizes vary considerably. Do not overcook the tortellini, and drain it thoroughly so excess water does not dilute the dressing.
- Chutney Dressing: The original formula does not specify a chutney variety. Use the family’s customary chutney and record the brand and variety during testing. Finely chopping large fruit pieces helps the dressing coat the salad evenly.
- Greens: Small baby-spinach leaves may remain whole; tear only the larger leaves. Red cabbage is mild, crisp, and economical. Radicchio gives the salad a more pronounced bitter contrast.
- Bacon: Cook the bacon slightly crisper than breakfast bacon so it retains some texture after it is tossed with the dressing.
- Make Ahead: The bacon, tortellini, vegetables, and dressing may be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate the components in separate covered containers. Assemble and chill the salad without the dressing, then dress it immediately before serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. The salad has its best texture within 1 to 2 days after it is dressed. Do not freeze.
- Food Safety: Keep the salad refrigerated until serving. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with Summer Lime Chicken Breasts, Busy Day Halibut, or Mustard Pork Chops.
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
12 servings — Serving size: About ¾ cup
Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.
- Calories
- 100
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Protein
- 4 g
- Fat
- 5.5 g
- Saturated Fat
- 1.5 g
- Cholesterol
- 10 mg
- Sodium
- 200 mg
- Fiber
- 0.9 g
- Total Sugars
- 1.5 g
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Colander
- Paper towels
- Large salad bowl
- Small jar with lid (Use a screw-top jar.)
- Salad servers
- Measuring cups and spoons