Arugula Salad
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This simple Arugula Salad recipe is made with arugula, tomatoes and feta cheese. It pairs well with almost anything, comes together in about 5 minutes and will quickly become your go to side dish.
This arugula salad is such a simple side salad, and I realized I need more of those on this site!
I have plenty of sides that come together quickly — like this fennel salad and asian chopped salad — but I wanted to make something that pairs well with almost anything. Insert: this arugula salad.
Recipe features
- A simple salad recipe that will quickly become your go-to side dish or lunch.
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients, and can easily be customized to your liking.
- Can be prepped ahead of time so you can enjoy it throughout the week.
Ingredients
Arugula – The base for this salad is baby arugula; no substitutions (though technically you can use any sort of lettuce).
Tomatoes – Grape or cherry tomatoes. Or, use fresh garden tomatoes and dice them up!
Feta cheese – A block of feta is my personal preference, but a container of crumbled feta works well too. Other delicious cheese options include: shaved parmesan cheese, goat cheese or gruyere.
Sunflower seeds – For a little crunch and saltiness!
Fresh herbs – Like fresh parsley of chives, or a mixture of both.
Olive oil – No substitution, as this is the base of the vinaigrette. Try to use a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil if possible, since you’ll really be able to taste the olive oil.
Champagne vinegar – I love using champagne vinegar on a salad, but white wine vinegar would work well too. I personally wouldn’t recommend balsamic vinegar.
Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible, rather than a jar of pre-squeezed juice. Simply put, the flavor is better and generally less sour.
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the lemon vinaigrette. Whisk the olive oil, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together. Or, pour everything into a mason jar, seal the lid and shake until combined.
Step 2: Add salad ingredients. Place the arugula, tomatoes, feta, herbs, and sunflower seeds into a large bowl.
Step 3: Combine. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, then use kitchen tongs to gently toss together. Distribute onto plates and enjoy!
Variations
–Try mixing baby kale or baby spinach in with the arugula as the base.
-If you don’t love tomatoes, use fresh peas or cucumbers instead.
–Pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds or chopped walnuts would all be delicious in this salad.
–Add croutons — homemade or store-bought — for added crunch.
–Bulk up this salad by adding sliced avocado, cooked white beans, sliced red onion, and/or protein like shredded chicken or roasted chickpeas.
–Sprinkle fresh black pepper over the whole salad before serving for a peppery kick!
–Want to use salad dressing instead of vinaigrette? Try my homemade caesar dressing instead!
What goes well with arugula salad?
Honestly, this is the perfect side dish in my opinion because it’s simple and healthy, but not boring! Therefore, it pairs well with so many things, but I’d recommend serving it alongside my pan-seared salmon burgers, cajun chicken, air fryer shrimp, or avocado pesto pasta.
More healthy sides
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 5 oz. arugula
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
- 2 oz. feta, crumbled
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tbsp chives
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp champagne vinegar
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Add arugula, tomatoes, feta, sunflower seeds, parsley, and chives to a large bowl and toss together.
- Next add olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to a small bowl and whisk together. Then pour the dressing over top of the salad and mix everything together making sure to coat the arugula with the dressing.
- Transfer salad to bowls and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
