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Banh Mi Inspired Tortellini Salad
If you love both pasta and sandwiches, you’ll flip over this Banh Mi Inspired Tortellini Salad! The quick pickled veggies provide crunch and flavor, with tortellini and cilantro tossed in a perfect creamy dressing.
- Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield5 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the pickles:
- 2 x 1 inch chunks fresh ginger, OR 1/2 cup sushi ginger
- 1 cup sliced radishes (~1 small bunch, ends trimmed)
- 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
- 4 Persian cucumbers, unpeeled and sliced on the diagonal
- 3/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
For the salad:
- 19-20 ounce bag ham or chicken tortellini
- 1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise (see note)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce OR 1 TB chili garlic sauce + 1 TB granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 4 green onions, trimmed and sliced
Instructions
- Make quick pickles:
- Peel the ginger (2 x 1 inch chunks) then thinly slice or peel to make sushi ginger-style ribbons. Place in the bottom of a medium glass bowl with the prepared radishes (1 cup sliced, ~1 small bunch), carrots (2 small, peeled and sliced on the diagonal) and cucumbers (4, unpeeled and sliced on the diagonal).
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice vinegar (3/4 cup), water (1/2 cup), sugar (2 tablespoons) and salt (1 teaspoon). Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour over the vegetables and press them down into the liquid as much as possible.
- Leave the bowl on the counter to pickle for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes until the vegetables fit entirely under the level of the pickling liquid (this will happen as water is drawn out of the vegetables) before transferring to the refrigerator.
- This can be done up to 24 hours ahead of time.
- Cook the tortellini: Cook the tortellini (19-20 ounce bag) in a pot of boiling salted water as per the packet instructions. Drain and run under cool water, being careful not to break up the delicate pasta. Set aside in a strainer to drain as much as possible until the vegetables are ready.
- Make the dressing: In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (1/2 cup), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), sweet chilli sauce (1 tablespoon) (or alternate 1 TB chili garlic sauce + 1 TB sugar) and a generous pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon) until smooth.
- Combine everything: Add half the cooked tortellini to the mixing bowl, gently folding to coat, then repeat with the remaining tortellini. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pickles to the bowl. Add the chopped cilantro (1/2 cup), green onions (4, trimmed and sliced) and salt (1/4 teaspoon). Fold again until everything is just combined. Add more salt if needed, and a little pickling liquid if the salad needs more acidity. You shouldn’t need any if you’re using Kewpie mayonnaise, but you might if you’re using a different brand.
- Chill and serve: Chill for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld, then stir once again and top with additional chopped cilantro for garnish before serving. I liked this salad even better the day after making it. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.
Notes
Mayo: Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise is best for this recipe, but if you can’t find it your go-to brand of mayonnaise will also work.
Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Salads
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Vietnamese-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~2 cups
- Calories: 526
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 18g
Find it online: https://projectmealplan.com/banh-mi-inspired-tortellini-salad/