Description
A refreshing and zesty pasta salad featuring rigatoni, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and a lemon vinaigrette, perfect for a light meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled rigatoni, chopped spinach, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and red onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- For added crunch, consider tossing in some toasted walnuts or pecans.
- You can also substitute the feta cheese with goat cheese for a different flavor profile.
- For a heartier version, add grilled chicken or chickpeas for extra protein.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg