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Cranberry Feta Pasta Salad with Spinach

A vibrant and easy cold pasta salad with rigatoni, tangy feta, sweet dried cranberries, and fresh spinach, tossed in a zesty lemon-dijon vinaigrette.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Fusion, Mediterranean
Calories: 410

Ingredients
  

Pasta Salad
  • 1 lb rigatoni pasta or penne, fusilli
  • 8 oz block of feta cheese crumbled by hand
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 5 cups fresh baby spinach or arugula
  • 0.5 cup pine nuts toasted (optional)
Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
  • 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice approx. 2 lemons
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Equipment

  • Large Pot (for pasta)
  • Colander
  • Large serving bowl
  • Mason jar (for dressing)

Method
 

  1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook rigatoni according to package directions for al dente.
  2. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking and remove starch. Shake off as much water as possible.
  3. In a mason jar or small bowl, combine all vinaigrette ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, minced garlic, salt, pepper). Shake or whisk vigorously until emulsified.
  4. In a large serving bowl, add the cooled pasta, hand-crumbled feta, dried cranberries, and optional toasted pine nuts.
  5. Pour about 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine everything well.
  6. Just before serving, add the fresh baby spinach and toss one last time to wilt the greens slightly.
  7. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 1 hour. Add remaining dressing if the pasta seems dry.

Notes

Make-Ahead: Prepare the salad base (pasta, feta, cranberries) and dressing, storing them separately in the fridge. Add the spinach just before serving to keep it crisp.