Description
These Tortellini Pesto Olive Skewers are a vibrant and easy-to-make appetizer perfect for parties and gatherings. Combining fresh cheese tortellini coated in aromatic basil pesto with juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and briny green and black olives, these skewers burst with Mediterranean flavors. Quick to prepare and visually appealing, they make a delightful finger food that can be served cold or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Pesto
- 24 cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
- 4 tablespoons basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
Produce and Olives
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 12 pitted green olives
- 12 pitted black olives
Other
- 12 wooden appetizer skewers (6-inch)
Instructions
- Cook tortellini: Prepare the cheese tortellini according to the package directions, typically boiling them in salted water until tender. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta.
- Coat pasta with pesto: Transfer the cooled tortellini to a medium bowl and gently toss them with 2 tablespoons of basil pesto until each piece is evenly coated with the flavorful sauce.
- Assemble skewers: Take one wooden skewer and thread on one cherry tomato, followed by one fresh basil leaf (fold it if it’s large), then one pesto-coated tortellini. Next, add one green olive, another tortellini, and finish with one black olive. Repeat this assembly for all 12 skewers.
- Serve: Arrange the completed skewers on a serving platter. Just before serving, drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of basil pesto over the top for extra flavor if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- If fresh basil leaves are large, fold them so they fit nicely on the skewers.
- Use fresh or refrigerated tortellini for best texture; avoid frozen as it may be too soft after cooking and cooling.
- For a vegan version, substitute cheese tortellini and pesto with plant-based alternatives.
- Skewers can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated; add pesto drizzle just before serving to keep fresh.
- Feel free to use other olives or substitute with marinated artichoke hearts for variety.
