Tortellini Pesto Olive Skewers

Featured in: Simple Home Meals

This flavorful dish features tender cheese tortellini gently tossed in fragrant basil pesto, complemented by juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and a mix of green and black olives. Each skewer combines these vibrant ingredients for an easy-to-serve, colorful bite perfect for any gathering. The assembly is simple and quick, allowing the pesto’s herbaceous notes to elevate the mild pasta and briny olives. Chilled or at room temperature, these skewers offer a fresh Italian-inspired experience that pairs wonderfully with light wines.

Updated on Fri, 12 Dec 2025 09:34:00 GMT
Appetizer Skewers: colorful tortellini, pesto-covered, with olives and tomatoes ready for guests. Save to Pinterest
Appetizer Skewers: colorful tortellini, pesto-covered, with olives and tomatoes ready for guests. | lovelyserena.com

A vibrant and crowd-pleasing appetizer featuring tender tortellini, aromatic pesto, and briny olives, all threaded onto skewers for easy serving.

This appetizer always gets compliments at our family gatherings because it combines fresh flavors with simple prep.

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.
Vibrant Appetizer Skewers showcasing pesto-infused tortellini, olives, and cherry tomatoes, perfect for sharing. Save to Pinterest
Vibrant Appetizer Skewers showcasing pesto-infused tortellini, olives, and cherry tomatoes, perfect for sharing. | lovelyserena.com

My kids love helping me thread the skewers together, making it a fun family activity before our dinner parties.

Required Tools

Medium saucepan, Colander, Mixing bowl, Wooden appetizer skewers

Allergen Information

Contains Wheat (tortellini), Milk (cheese in tortellini and pesto if made with cheese), and 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

Per serving (per skewer): 95 Calories, 5 g Total Fat, 10 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Protein

Serving suggestion: Delicious Appertizer Skewers with tender tortellini, zesty pesto, and savory olives for a party. Save to Pinterest
Serving suggestion: Delicious Appertizer Skewers with tender tortellini, zesty pesto, and savory olives for a party. | lovelyserena.com

These skewers are as versatile as they are delicious, perfect for any occasion or casual snack.

Tortellini Pesto Olive Skewers

Tender tortellini with pesto, olives, basil, and tomatoes threaded onto skewers for fresh bites.

Prep Duration
20 minutes
Cook Duration
10 minutes
Overall Time
30 minutes
Created by Serena Moore


Skill Level Easy

Cuisine Italian-Inspired

Makes 12 Portions

Dietary Details No Meat

What You Need

Pasta & Cheese

01 24 cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)

Pesto

01 4 tablespoons basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)

Vegetables

01 12 cherry tomatoes
02 12 fresh basil leaves

Olives

01 12 pitted green olives
02 12 pitted black olives

For Assembly

01 12 wooden appetizer skewers (6-inch)

How To Make It

Step 01

Cook tortellini: Cook cheese tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.

Step 02

Coat tortellini with pesto: In a medium bowl, gently toss the cooled tortellini with 2 tablespoons of basil pesto until evenly coated.

Step 03

Assemble skewers: Thread one cherry tomato, one basil leaf (folded if large), one pesto-coated tortellini, one green olive, one additional tortellini, and one black olive onto each skewer in any order.

Step 04

Serve: Arrange skewers on a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining pesto just before serving, if desired.

Tools You'll Need

  • Medium saucepan
  • Colander
  • Mixing bowl
  • Wooden appetizer skewers (6-inch)

Allergy Details

Review ingredients for allergens and speak to your healthcare provider if you have concerns.
  • Contains wheat (tortellini), milk (cheese in tortellini and pesto if made with cheese), and tree nuts (pine nuts in traditional pesto).
  • Check labels for specific allergens or use nut-free pesto alternatives.

Nutrition per Portion

Details are for reference and aren't a substitute for expert medical guidance.
  • Energy: 95
  • Lipids: 5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 10 g
  • Proteins: 3 g