Feta & Cranberry Rigatoni Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe
A refreshing and vibrant rigatoni salad featuring tangy feta cheese, sweet dried cranberries, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. This easy-to-make pasta salad combines fresh herbs and a perfectly balanced dressing for a bright and satisfying dish ideal for lunches, potlucks, or light dinners.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad
- 2 cups rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Add the rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
- Drain and Cool: Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow it to drain completely before transferring to a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare Ingredients: Crumble the feta cheese into small pieces. Finely chop the red onion and fresh parsley.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the crumbled feta, dried cranberries, chopped red onion, and parsley to the bowl with the cooled pasta.
- Make the Lemon Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and gently toss everything together until the salad is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the salad and adjust salt or pepper as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- For best flavor, allow the salad to rest refrigerated for 30 minutes before serving.
- You can substitute rigatoni with other pasta shapes like penne or fusilli.
- To make it vegan, substitute feta with a plant-based cheese alternative and honey with maple syrup.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Keywords: rigatoni salad, feta cheese salad, cranberry pasta salad, lemon vinaigrette, easy pasta salad, Mediterranean salad, vegetarian pasta dish
