As summer approaches, and the weather gets warmer, you might find the thought of cooking over a hot stove and eating a hearty dinner each night unappealing. While the weather might be telling your stomach to skip a hot dinner and head out to your local ice cream shop, it’s important to maintain eating well-balanced meals all year long. We’ve found the perfect recipe for your whole family that’s hot, but quick, delicious and most importantly, nutritious!

Pesto Tortellini Salad combines flavorful vegetables, cheeses, meats and a light sauce that’s perfect both right off the stove and as a cold leftover salad the next day.

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2. Wash the brussel sprouts and cut in halves.

3. Blend 2 T of olive oil, a dash of chili powder and salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss brussel sprouts in this mixture.

4. Place brussel sprouts on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes.

5. Start boiling water for tortellini after placing brussel sprouts in oven. Once water is boiling, add tortellini and cook thoroughly. (Save 1/3 cup of water from this.)

6. Saute chicken sausage in 1 T of olive oil over medium heat for approximately 6 minutes.

7. Add garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.

8. Place sauteed sausage and garlic in a bowl.

9. Heat pesto sauce in the same pan you sautéed your chicken sausage and garlic.

10. Combine tortellini with sausage and brussel sprouts and pesto sauce. Add your 1/3 cup of saved pasta water to keep moist. Toss all ingredients in a serving bowl and enjoy!

For more great summer salad recipes, check out:

3 Simple Summer Salad Recipes

Photo credit: With A Red Bird On My Shoulder

Tags: brussel sprouts, cheese tortellini, chicken sausage, cooking with pesto, easy dinner, light dinner, pesto, pesto pasta, pesto pasta salad, quick dinner, summer dinner, tortellini