Description
This bright, addictive pasta salad combines creamy feta, sweet-tart dried cranberries, fresh herbs, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette tossed with chewy rigatoni. Ready in 20 minutes, it’s a crowd-pleaser perfect for potlucks, picnics, or easy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- Optional: 1 cup baby spinach
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
- While pasta cooks, crumble feta, chop parsley, dice red onion, and measure cranberries. If using walnuts, toast them in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Add cooled rigatoni to a large mixing bowl. Add feta, cranberries, parsley, onion, and any extras (walnuts, spinach). Pour dressing over the top.
- Gently toss everything until well combined. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.
- Serve immediately or chill for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Stir before serving.
Notes
Cool pasta completely before mixing to prevent feta from melting. Start with half the dressing and add more as needed. Toasting nuts adds extra flavor. Salad is flexible—swap pasta shapes, add veggies, or make it gluten-free/vegan with simple substitutions. Tastes even better after chilling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
Keywords: rigatoni salad, feta cranberry salad, pasta salad, easy salad, potluck recipe, Mediterranean salad, vegetarian salad, crowd pleaser, picnic salad