This salad is just as pretty as it is delicious! I love all the beautiful colors that pop, making it one of those dishes that looks amazing on the table before you even take the first bite.
Even with the tortellini, it doesn’t feel like a heavy pasta salad. The fresh kale, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, feta, and flavorful salmon keep it fresh and satisfying. You can enjoy it as a main dish or serve it as a colorful side.
I don’t always add the tortellini when I make this for myself. Most of the time, I leave it out for a lighter version. But when company is coming over—or when I just want to make the salad a little extra special—I add the tri-color cheese tortellini. It gives the salad beautiful color and texture, and since the tortellini is stuffed with cheese, it makes every bite even better.
For me, the salmon on top is what really brings the whole salad together.
Pretty, fresh, flavorful, and perfect for a day by the lake!
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10–15 minutes
Ingredients
For the Salmon
- Salmon fillets, enough for 4 servings
- CRAVE Italian Seasoning, to taste
- CRAVE Smoked Seasoning, to taste
- Pinch of salt
- Olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 (12 oz.) bag kale
- 1 (9 oz.) package tri-color cheese tortellini
- 3 oz. dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Feta cheese, crumbled
For the Dressing
- Garlic vinaigrette, to taste
Directions
1. Prepare the Salmon
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season with CRAVE Italian Seasoning, CRAVE Smoked Seasoning, and a pinch of salt.
Drizzle the salmon lightly with olive oil and place the fillets on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish.
Bake for approximately 10–15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the salmon is cooked through. For food safety, the USDA-recommended minimum internal temperature for fish is 145°F.
Set the salmon aside while you prepare the salad.
2. Prepare the Tortellini
Cook the tri-color tortellini according to the package directions.
Once cooked, drain the tortellini and rinse it under cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking process. Drain well and set aside.
3. Prepare the Sun-Dried Tomatoes
If you're using dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, bring a small pot of water to a boil and remove it from the heat.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the hot water and let them soak for about 15 minutes. This will help them plump up and soften.
Drain well and pat dry. Cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces or halves using kitchen shears.
Lake Tip: If you're using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, you can skip the soaking step. Simply drain them well and cut them into bite-size pieces.
4. Build the Salad
Place the kale in a large serving bowl or platter.
Layer on the cooled tri-color tortellini, sun-dried tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion.
Place the cooked salmon fillets over the top of the salad and sprinkle generously with crumbled feta cheese.
Finish with a drizzle of garlic vinaigrette.
For an extra-pretty presentation, save a little feta, red onion, and sun-dried tomato to sprinkle over the top just before serving.
Say Your Grace & Enjoy! ❤️
For a lighter Lakeside version: Skip the tortellini and enjoy the seasoned salmon over the kale, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and feta. You still get all those wonderful flavors without the pasta.
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