Rigatoni Pasta Salad

pasta salad with rigatoni recipes easy homemade pasta salad with big noodles fun twist on cold noodle salad

5 from 3 votes

This rigatoni pasta salad recipe is a bright, fresh, and tasty appetizer loaded with chopped veggies, feta cheese, and an easy homemade red wine vinaigrette dressing. A favorite summer pasta salad recipe to bring to a cookout.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Appetizer, Pasta, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 442kcal

Author: Kelly Jensen

Cost: $2

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Large Pot

Ingredients

For the Rigatoni Pasta Salad

1 16 ounce box rigatoni
8 ounces cherry tomatoes sliced
1 medium carrot chopped into matchsticks
1 cucumber diced
1/2 cup kalamata olives drained
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1 cup feta cheese crumbled
1 cup fresh parsley chopped

For the Dressing

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

Instructions

Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook rigatoni according to package. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to stop them cooking. Set aside.
Dice the cucumber, slice the cherry tomatoes, cut the carrots into matchsticks, slice the roasted peppers into fine bite-sized ribbons, chop the parsley and olives, and add all veggies to a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together.
Add the pasta, and dressing - toss well to coat all the ingredients together. Garnish with extra parsley and feta cheese if desired.
For leftovers - I like to take a quart sized mason jar, fill half with pasta salad, and half with fresh spinach and enjoy for a quick and easy lunch!

Notes

Dietary Modifications

This recipe is vegetarian. To make vegan or dairy free, you can omit the feta cheese or use a plant-based substitute.
To make this gluten free, ensure you use a certified gluten free pasta and dressing ingredients. Always check labels to ensure all ingredients are certified gluten free before using.

Nutrition