by Dot Vartan
from Delicious Salad Meals
(Dorothy Jean Publishing, 2005)
Makes 6 servings
Assemble this meal in the morning and refrigerate it on busy days so that dinnertime is a snap.—Dot Vartan
convert Ingredients
One 9-ounce package refrigerated spinach tortellini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 zucchini, peeled and cut into small chunks
One 7 1/2-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
Want it? Click it.
Directions
1. Prepare tortellini according to package directions and drain.
2. Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef strips and saute until slightly pink in the center. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon. Cut the strips in half.
3. Combine the tortellini, beef, zucchini, artichoke hearts, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, parsley, and basil in a large bowl.
4. Whisk together 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, thyme, oregano, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.
Tip: You can substitute any flavor of tortellini — dried or refrigerated — in this recipe. Spinach tortellini can be found in the refrigerated dairy section of your local supermarket.
Recipe © 2005 by Dot Vartan. All rights reserved.
LC
on 
LC to your 
[TeAntea Turner] This is one of those recipes that you’ll either commit to memory or want to laminate so it doesn’t get ruined from being used time and time again. Everything came together quickly and easily, so that by dinnertime my biggest effort was to slice up some crusty bread and pour two glasses of wine to go with the salad. This just begs to be experimented with, as well, from the flavor of tortellini to the choice of meat—roast chicken, perhaps? What little leftovers there were just needed a short amount of time to warm up and it was ready to go again! I can imagine this one doubled for a party or packed into a picnic basket for a lawn concert. Yum!
[Mary Capps] This was a delicious and easy-to-prepare meal. I almost wish I had doubled the recipe so we’d have some for leftovers. The tasty-but-simple combination of ingredients left us wanting more! Great if you have casual guests coming over for cocktails and you want to have something on hand, should it move into the dinner hour.
[Tracy Hahn Burkett] I found this salad to be very good and likely to have a broad appeal, as it was quite flavorful, but could not be considered spicy. The amount of balsamic vinegar and garlic were just enough to balance the salad’s flavor without overwhelming it. The salad suggested to me an elegant summer picnic, or perhaps a lazy summer dinner with good friends, served in the screened-in porch.