Green Goddess Tortellini Salad

Father's Day next week. I don't celebrate it. But this year something shifted in me. I thought about Kevin — who proposed to Crystal, who plays trucks with Jayden, who calls every week. I thought about Mr. Gerald — who tipped $3 a day for two and a half years and gave me $100 for the college fund. I thought about Dr. Patel — who held a position for me, gave me a raise, and said "write me a proposal." I thought about all the people who showed up in the spaces where a father should have been, and I realized: Father's Day isn't about the man who left. It's about the people who stayed. And I have people who stayed.

Chloe made a Father's Day card at camp. She brought it home and looked at it and said, "I don't have anyone to give this to." My heart. MY HEART. I said, "Give it to Uncle Kevin." She said, "But he's not my dad." I said, "He's the next best thing." She considered this. She wrote "Uncle Kevin" on the envelope and we mailed it. Kevin called me the day he got it. He said, "She sent me a card." His voice was thick. I said, "You earned it." He did. He earned every crayon stroke on that card, every dollar he sent, every FaceTime call, every game of trucks on Mama's floor. Kevin earned a Father's Day card from a niece who doesn't have a father but has an uncle who never stopped showing up.

Jayden made a card too. His said "I LOVE KEH-BA" in scribbles that the camp counselor helpfully translated. We mailed it with Chloe's. Kevin now has two Father's Day cards from children who are not his, and he is the proudest uncle in the United States Army, and that is enough. That is more than Danny ever was.

I made Kevin's favorite: Mama's potato salad. Not for Father's Day — just because. I made a batch and froze half and I'll bring it to the next family gathering and Kevin will eat three servings and say, "This is Mom's," and I'll say, "It is," and the food will say what the cards said: you are family. You are chosen. You stayed.

I don’t have Mama’s exact recipe written down anywhere — it lives in my hands and in my memory — but whenever I bring a big cold salad to a family gathering, it carries the same spirit: made in a big bowl, meant to feed people you love, better the next day after it’s had time to settle into itself. This Green Goddess Tortellini Salad is the one I reach for when I want to say something I can’t quite put into words. Kevin will eat three servings. I already know it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes (plus 1 hour chill time) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 green onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 English cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1/3 cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook the tortellini. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package directions until just tender, about 7—9 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
Make the green goddess dressing. Add basil, parsley, green onions, garlic, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and bright green, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Prep the vegetables. While the tortellini cools, slice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, trim and halve the snap peas, and halve the olives.
Combine. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled tortellini, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, and olives. Pour the green goddess dressing over everything and toss gently until evenly coated.
Add the cheese. Fold in the Parmesan, reserving a small handful to scatter on top for serving.
Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors come together. Give it a gentle stir before plating and top with reserved Parmesan. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days — it only gets better.

Nutrition (per serving)

Green Goddess Tortellini Salad — The Dish That Says You Are Family