Tortellini Pesto Olive Skewers

Featured in: Gather & Share

These skewers combine tender cheese tortellini with fragrant basil pesto and a mix of green and black olives. Cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves add brightness and color, creating a delightful bite that’s perfect for casual gatherings. The assembly is simple: pesto-dressed tortellini interspersed with olives and vegetables on wooden skewers make for an eye-catching presentation. For extra flavor, add mozzarella balls or use sun-dried tomato pesto. Serve chilled or at room temperature alongside crisp white wines like Pinot Grigio.

Updated on Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:36:00 GMT
Tender appetizers: vibrant Appetizer Skewers showcasing pesto-coated tortellini, tomatoes, and olives ready to enjoy. Pin
Tender appetizers: vibrant Appetizer Skewers showcasing pesto-coated tortellini, tomatoes, and olives ready to enjoy. | kitchenprairie.com

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

This appetizer has quickly become a favorite at our gatherings because it’s both colorful and delicious.

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.
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This recipe always brings smiles and conversation around the table during family get-togethers.

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), 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 per skewer, Total Fat: 5 g, Carbohydrates: 10 g, Protein: 3 g

Perfectly assembled Appetizer Skewers, each with tortellini, olives, and pesto, offer a fresh Italian bite. Pin
Perfectly assembled Appetizer Skewers, each with tortellini, olives, and pesto, offer a fresh Italian bite. | kitchenprairie.com

These skewers are a simple yet impressive appetizer that’s sure to delight your guests every time.

Tortellini Pesto Olive Skewers

Tender pasta, pesto, olives combined on skewers for a vibrant, easy-to-make Italian-inspired dish.

Prep duration
20 min
Cook duration
10 min
Complete duration
30 min


Skill level Easy

Heritage Italian-Inspired

Output 12 Portions

Diet specifications Vegetarian

Components

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)

Directions

Phase 01

Cook Tortellini: Boil tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.

Phase 02

Toss with Pesto: Combine cooled tortellini with 2 tablespoons of pesto in a medium bowl and toss gently to coat evenly.

Phase 03

Assemble Skewers: Thread one cherry tomato, one folded basil leaf, one pesto-coated tortellini, one green olive, a second tortellini, and one black olive onto each skewer in preferred order.

Phase 04

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

Necessary tools

  • Medium saucepan
  • Colander
  • Mixing bowl
  • Wooden appetizer skewers

Allergy details

Review each component for potential allergens and consult with healthcare professionals if you're uncertain.
  • Contains wheat from tortellini
  • Contains milk from cheese in tortellini and pesto
  • Contains tree nuts from traditional pine nuts in pesto

Nutrient content (each portion)

This data is offered as a general guide and isn't a substitute for professional medical guidance.
  • Energy: 95
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 10 g
  • Protein: 3 g