Description
This Rigatoni Salad with Feta and Cranberries is a bright, flavorful, sweet-and-salty pasta salad filled with creamy feta, tart cranberries, crunchy toasted nuts, and fresh herbs. It’s quick to make, perfect for meal prep, and delicious served warm or chilled.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: red pepper flakes for heat
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente, about 10–12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- Prep the Mix-Ins: Chop the parsley, cut the cucumbers into chunks, and toast the nuts in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Mix in cucumbers, dried cranberries, toasted nuts, and parsley.
- Add the Feta: Add feta cheese on top. For bigger chunks, fold gently; for a creamier texture, mix more vigorously.
- Toss with Dressing: Pour dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve: Enjoy chilled, warm, or room temperature. Add extra feta or nuts on top for presentation.
Notes
To keep nuts crunchy, add them right before serving. For extra brightness, add more lemon juice. This salad stores well for up to 3 days in the fridge—just add a drizzle of olive oil before eating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook After Boiling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 390mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg