Okay. I admit it. The above photo certainly doesn’t look like it could possibly be Missy’s Fresh Spinach and Tortellini Salad, but rather a bowl of crumbled bacon with tortellini peeking through! But, here’s the thing: the completed salad had salad dressing all over it (see photo below) and you can’t see the fresh spinach in either photo, so you are just going to have to trust me on this {grin}!
Last month (has it already been a month?), I flew to western New York and spent a week with my brother’s (Glenn) family. My sister-in-law, Missy, made several great dishes during my stay and this one, made for their son’s, Ryan, birthday party (which was the night before I left to fly back to California) was a highlight. Here’s a picture of Glenn and Missy:
Aren’t they cute? Married 22 years with 4 amazing children, they’ve done a fabulous job as parents and have created a family that loves one another, respects one another, supports one another and likes spending time together! In our ‘”toot sweet” lives, to have a family like theirs is a blessing.
The above photo was taken at Chautauqua Institution on the day they took me to visit that fabulous, incomparable and indescribable place. If you missed that post, check it out – Chautauqua is magical; a peaceful, pedestrian Victorian village. A place to slow down and savor the moment, gain perspective and refresh your soul.
Anyway, back to Missy’s Fresh Spinach and Tortellini Salad…
Missy actually calls her salad “Chloe’s Mom’s Tortellini and Spinach Salad”. It’s a recipe shared by the daughter of one of Missy’s daughters. So, Missy’s daughter’s friend’s mother. Whew! That’s a pedigree if I’ve ever seen one!
So, thanks Chloe’s Mom!
Served cold, this salad is delicious and feeds a crowd. Plus, it is super easy to throw together quickly, with a little preparation forethought. Made with pre-made tortellini that’s boiled per package instructions and bacon fried to crispy bits, if you do these two tasks ahead of time, this salad comes together in a flash!
Not only does it feed a crowd, but it’s a crowd-pleaser. With fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes and green onions providing the nutritional base for this salad, the cooked tortellini delivers a satisfying toothsome bite. Topped with crispy bacon and drenched in ranch dressing, Missy’s Fresh Spinach and Tortellini Salad is not only a man-pleasing recipe, but a kid-friendly one as well.
Here’s a picture Missy’s Fresh Spinach and Tortellini Salad on the buffet table for Ryan’s birthday party. Topped with sliced cherry tomatoes, green onions and ranch dressing, the spinach and tortellini are barely discernible!
And the bacon is buried under all that creamy, white goodness, too! Aren’t you glad I led this post with the “bacon” shot? White dressing in a white bowl makes for a difficult food photography shot, so leading with the bowl of bacon was the right thing to do {grin}!
Because, after all, doesn’t the lead photo of bacon make you just want to dive right in? I thought so {grin}.
It is 112 degrees here today and yesterday. I’m sure that’s got to be a record! Missy’s Fresh Spinach and Tortellini Salad sounds like a fantastic dinner recipe to me on a hot summer night (even though it’s actually also fall!). Cool and refreshing…
Here’s the recipe:
Missy’s Garden Fresh Spinach and Tortellini Salad
Bacon and tortellini complement this salad made with fresh spinach leaves and juicy cherry tomatoes. This recipe feeds a crowd, so good for dinner as a main dish or as a special side dish to take to a potluck gathering.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 32 ounce package of cheese tortellini, cooked per package instructions and drained
- 1 pound of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
- 6 ounce bag of fresh baby spinach
- 2 green onions, sliced (green parts only; reserve the white parts for another use)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 – 16 ounce bottle favorite Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil tortellini per package instructions.
- Drain pasta and set aside to cool.
- In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy; remove from pan and drain on paper towels, then crumble or cut into large bits.
- Slice green onions and half tomatoes.
- In large serving bowl, layer fresh spinach, cooled tortellini, bacon bits, green onions and cherry tomatoes.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, drizzle with Ranch dressing.
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Tootles,
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(other posts about New York)
Missy’s Two Tomato Pasta Salad
Chautauqua Institution: Embracing Heritage, Culture and History
Erin’s Iced Sugar Cookie Cutouts
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Looks so yummy! I will definitely try this one of these days. Can I use celery instead of spinach?
★★★★★
I’m sure you could – then it would be your own unique recipe! However, the spinach is kinda like “lettuce” in this salad, so replacing it would definitely make it a different salad. But, you could add celery, too, if that is one of your favorite veggies. Thanks for dropping by!
Yum!!!! I can’t wait to try this! I know my family will love it, looks absolutely delish! How fun to have family recipes shared from the East Coast! Thanks Missy and Carole!
I’m sure your Princesses P will love it! Thanks for popping it and sharing the love!