While you're gathering ingredients, start with the dressing since it needs time to meld flavors. Mince the 4 garlic cloves finely and combine them in a small bowl with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until emulsified, then set aside. This allows the garlic to infuse into the oil and vinegar. Meanwhile, halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise, dice the red onion finely, roughly chop the spinach, tear or chop the basil, and cut the mozzarella into 1/2-inch cubes if using a block. I find that prepping everything before cooking the pasta keeps the assembly smooth and the salad fresh.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the 20 oz of tortellini and cook according to package directions until they float to the surface and are tender (usually 4-5 minutes for refrigerated tortellini). Once cooked, drain the tortellini in a colander and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them completely. This prevents them from becoming mushy and allows them to absorb the dressing better without turning into mush.

Transfer the cooled tortellini from Step 2 to a large serving bowl. Add the halved tomatoes, mozzarella cubes, chopped spinach, basil, and red onion. Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the mixture and toss gently but thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the vinaigrette. I like to let the salad sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to marry together, but you can serve it immediately if you prefer.