Tortellini Pasta Salad

My brother is blessing his baby tomorrow morning and my assignment is pasta salad. Now, I love the traditional pasta salad with the corkscrew pasta and lots of veggies dressed with Zesty Italian but I wanted to try something different.

This recipe has a warm lemon vinaigrette instead of the bottled dressing and it's yum. Not just a little yum but a lot YUM. Definitely a do again. This would be good with summer cucumbers and peppers too I think...

Tortellini Pasta Salad
Servings: 10

1 lb refrigerated tortellini
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
5 carrots sliced
1 can olives, halved
8 oz mozzarella chunked
1 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
2 lemons, zested
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 T. white wine vinegar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 bottle McCormick Salad Supreme
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1. Cook the pasta per directions on package.
2. Toss pasta, tomatoes, olives, mozzarella and carrots in large bowl. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan and add thyme, garlic, and lemon zest. Cook over low heat for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk together.
4. Pour vinaigrette over the pasta and toss.
5. Stir in grated Parmesan just before serving.

Calories: 422
Fat: 29.8
Carbohydrates: 24.9
Fiber: 2.6
Protein: 14.8