Description
Feta & Cranberry Penne Salad with Orange Vinaigrette is a delightful dish that effortlessly blends flavors and textures. This vibrant salad features tender penne pasta combined with creamy feta cheese, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy toasted walnuts, all tossed together with a zesty homemade orange vinaigrette. Enhanced by fresh baby spinach and thinly sliced red onions, this salad is not only visually appealing but also nutritious. Perfect for quick lunches, potlucks, or as a side to grilled meats, it’s ready in just 20 minutes. Enjoy this refreshing meal that’s sure to impress your family and friends!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz penne pasta
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente; drain and cool under cold water.
- In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper to make the vinaigrette.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked penne pasta with feta cheese, cranberries, walnuts, spinach, and red onion.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad; toss gently to coat.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for 15 minutes for enhanced flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (200g)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 10mg