Feta & Cranberry Rigatoni Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Feta & Cranberry Rigatoni Salad featuring tender rigatoni pasta tossed with tangy crumbled feta, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy toasted walnuts, and fresh baby spinach, all brought together with a zesty lemon vinaigrette dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or a colorful side dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta & Salad
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Vinaigrette Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil rigatoni pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down for the salad.
- Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until well combined and emulsified.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rigatoni pasta, crumbled feta cheese, dried cranberries, chopped toasted walnuts, baby spinach, and thinly sliced red onion.
- Dress the salad: Drizzle the prepared lemon vinaigrette over the assembled salad and toss gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve & enjoy: Serve the salad immediately for a fresh taste, or chill it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and intensify before enjoying.
Notes
- To toast walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant.
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water stops cooking and cools the pasta quickly, perfect for pasta salads.
- Adjust the honey amount in the vinaigrette according to your preferred sweetness.
- This salad is best served the same day but can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- For a nut-free version, omit the walnuts or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Keywords: Feta salad, Cranberry rigatoni salad, Lemon vinaigrette pasta salad, Mediterranean pasta salad, Vegetarian pasta salad
