Description
A delightful and vibrant pasta salad featuring the flavors of feta cheese, dried cranberries, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for a light meal or a side dish at gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Rigatoni Salad:
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente and cooled
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Lemon Vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Salad Assembly: In a large mixing bowl, combine rigatoni, feta cheese, cranberries, spinach, cucumber, red onion, walnuts, and parsley. Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for 30 minutes before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- You can substitute rigatoni with penne or farfalle.
- Add grilled chicken for a heartier version or omit feta for a dairy-free option.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
