Broccoli and Tortellini Salad

SUBMITTED BY: AFMC PHOTO BY: jenathomas

"Crisp, fresh broccoli and cheese tortellini with a creamy dressing are the basis of this salad. Raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion dress it up. This recipe is most requested at potlucks."

PREP TIME	10 Min
COOK TIME	20 Min
READY IN	30 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 12 servings

USMETRIC

About scaling and conversions

INGREDIENTS

6 slices bacon
20 ounces fresh cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
3 heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 red onion, finely chopped

READ REVIEWS (366)

DIRECTIONS

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar to make the dressing.
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, tortellini, bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion. Pour dressing over salad, and toss.

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REVIEWS

MORE MEMBER REVIEWS

Reviewed on Dec. 23, 2003 by TLBRAN

I have made this dish over 3 dozen times (for catered events, family, parties, etc.) It always gets raves--no leftovers!! As recommended by others, I blanch the broccoli florets for about 30 seconds, plunge into ice water until cooled, then drain and dry. The broccoli stays a gorgeous green and is easier to eat. I usually omit the raisins, but have them on the side for sprinkling. Also, I usually make 1 1/2 times the dressing. Typically, I mix the salad together with about 1/3 of the dressing and leave covered tightly in the fridge overnight or for several hours-the pasta soaks up the dressing. About 30-60 minutes before serving, I add the rest of the dressing. This salad is always a hit!

31 users found this review helpful

Reviewed on Aug. 20, 2003 by X-NMAC

Loved this! Be careful with the tortellini. I hadn't cooked with it before and it tended to fall apart with too much stirring. (I may have overcooked it) I used tri-colored tortellini and craisins for a more festive look, used just less than 1/4 cup sugar and doubled the rest of the dressing ingredients. I blanched the broccoli for 30 seconds. I also followed the suggestion to mix salad with 1/3 of dressing and leave covered in fridge overnight. I added the rest of the dressing an hour before serving. Oh - and I do wish I would have chopped the onions more finely. Resulting taste was a bit more "oniony" than intended. Overall, it turned out wonderfully! I was concerned that the flavors wouldn't blend well, but this was great together!

19 users found this review helpful

Reviewed on May 25, 2005 by Foodie

I love this salad, but I find the the dry tortellini (found on the shelf in the pasta aisle) holds up so much better than the refrigerated (and it is a much better bang for your buck). I used Barilla cheese tortellini, and it was absolutely superb!

18 users found this review helpful

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