Save A vibrant and crowd-pleasing appetizer featuring tender tortellini, aromatic pesto, and briny olives, all threaded onto skewers for easy serving.
This appetizer never fails to impress my guests and is always a hit at family get-togethers.
Ingredients
- Pasta & Cheese: 24 cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
- Pesto: 4 tablespoons basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- Vegetables: 12 cherry tomatoes, 12 fresh basil leaves
- Olives: 12 pitted green olives, 12 pitted black olives
- For Assembly: 12 wooden appetizer skewers (6-inch)
Instructions
- Step 1:
- Cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
- Step 2:
- In a medium bowl, gently toss the cooled tortellini with 2 tablespoons of pesto until evenly coated.
- Step 3:
- To assemble each skewer, thread one cherry tomato, one basil leaf (fold if large), one pesto-coated tortellini, one green olive, one more tortellini, and one black olive in any order you like.
- Step 4:
- Arrange skewers on a serving platter. Drizzle the remaining pesto over the skewers just before serving, if desired.
Save This recipe brings our family together every time we make it and sparks lots of fun conversations.
Required Tools
Medium saucepan, Colander, Mixing bowl, Wooden appetizer skewers
Allergen Information
Contains Wheat (tortellini), Milk (cheese in tortellini, pesto if made with cheese), Tree nuts (traditional pesto contains pine nuts). Check pesto and tortellini labels for specific allergens or substitute a nut-free pesto if needed.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 95, Total Fat: 5 g, Carbohydrates: 10 g, Protein: 3 g per serving/skewer
Save These skewers are a perfect blend of flavors and textures ideal for any occasion.
Recipe FAQ
- → Can I use store-bought pesto for the skewers?
Yes, store-bought basil pesto works well and saves preparation time while maintaining flavor.
- → What type of tortellini is best for this dish?
Fresh or refrigerated cheese tortellini are ideal for tender texture and quick cooking.
- → How can I prepare these skewers ahead of time?
Assemble the skewers up to 4 hours in advance, refrigerate, and bring to room temperature before serving.
- → Are there vegetarian-friendly ingredients in these skewers?
Yes, all components including tortellini, pesto, cherry tomatoes, basil, and olives suit a vegetarian diet.
- → Can I add other ingredients to enhance flavor?
Small mozzarella balls or sun-dried tomato pesto can add richness and variation to the skewers.