This arugula salad recipe is a fresh, quick, and easy side salad. I toss the peppery greens with Parmesan, pine nuts, and a bright lemon dressing.
This arugula salad recipe is my favorite simple side salad. When I say “simple,” I’m not kidding. It starts with a base of peppery arugula. Toasted pine nuts add crunch, and shaved Parmesan cheese supplies salty, nutty flavor. A bright lemon dressing ties it all together.
That’s it, friends! Ready in 5 minutes, this lemon arugula salad couldn’t be easier. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself making it all the time once it enters your rotation. I love to toss it together on weeknights for a quick, healthy side dish, and it’s also one of my holiday go-tos. It pairs well with lasagna at Christmas, quiche at Easter, and every classic Thanksgiving recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Arugula Salad Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this salad:
- Fresh arugula, of course! Also known as rocket, this spicy green is widely available at farmers markets and grocery stores. Pro tip: Look for it in a box instead of a bag. I find that the leaves in bags are often crushed.
- Shaved Parmesan cheese – For salty, nutty flavor. Pecorino is lovely here too.
- Toasted pine nuts – For crunch and rich, toasty flavor. Toast the nuts over low heat on the stovetop, or bake them at 325°F until fragrant and lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It gives the dressing body and richness. If you keep a fancier olive oil on hand, now’s a great time to use it! You’ll really taste it in this simple salad.
- Fresh lemon juice – For brightness.
- Dijon mustard – It emulsifies the dressing and deepens its tangy, peppery flavor.
- Honey – Its sweetness balances the peppery arugula and mustard.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Arugula Salad
This simple arugula salad recipe has three easy steps:
- Start by making the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the salad together. Add the arugula to the dressing and toss to coat. Add the nuts and cheese and gently toss again.
- Season to taste and serve. Season the salad with more salt and pepper as desired, and add more nuts and/or cheese if you like too.
Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
I’ve made so many twists on this salad over the years—there are all sorts of ways you can change it up! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Add extra vegetables. Toss in raw veggies like halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, chopped bell peppers, shaved fennel, cucumbers, and/or radishes. Blanched snap peas and asparagus are also great additions.
- Add fruit. Fresh grapes, strawberries, apples, and/or pears would add a wonderful sweet contrast to the spicy greens. Dried cranberries are delicious too!
- Change the cheese. Replace the shaved Parm with cubed white cheddar, crumbled feta, or goat cheese.
- Try another nut, like toasted almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pepitas.
- Swap the salad dressing. Use balsamic vinaigrette or poppy seed dressing instead of the lemon vinaigrette.
- Add a protein. My favorite is crispy roasted chickpeas!
Let me know what variations you try!
What to Serve with Arugula Salad
This lemon arugula salad is a lovely side dish for any meal. I love to serve it with a simply cooked protein on busy weeknights. It also pairs well with dishes like these:
- Pastas, like my penne alla vodka or pasta puttanesca. It’s delicious with baked pastas like stuffed shells and baked ziti too.
- Pizza, like this veggie pizza or this Margherita pizza.
- Egg dishes, like a frittata or crustless quiche.
- Soups and sandwiches, like my potato leek soup, creamy mushroom soup, or a classic grilled cheese.
How do you like to serve this salad? Let me know in the comments!
How to Store
This salad is best right after it’s tossed together, but if you have any leftovers, they’ll keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
If you’d like to get ahead, you can make the dressing in advance. It keeps well in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Simple Salad Recipes
If you love this arugula salad, try one of these simple salad recipes next:
- Simple Green Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Spinach Salad
- Or any of these 51 Best Salad Recipes!
Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 ounces arugula
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan or pecorino cheese
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Add the arugula and toss to coat in the dressing. Sprinkle with the cheese and pine nuts and gently toss. Season to taste and serve.
I made this salad over the summer, and I’m highly confident it included roasted grapes and almonds. The grapes and almonds were roasted in soy sauce with something else. I can’t remember the other ingredient. Did this recipe change, or is there another that includes the additional ingredients?
Great salad & one of the best dressings👍🏼🤗
This has been my recipe for Arugula salad
Hi Eileen, so glad you love it!
I made this salad for. Mother’s Day dinner party and it was such a crowd pleaser! I prepped it earlier in the day then assembled it just as I plated the salmon and asparagus…and YUM! It is light, colorful, and delicious. Thank you for sharing it!
I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Love how you kept this one simple. I too love arugula salads, and I think it would be a shame to hide it’s bold peppery flavor with a bunch of toppings. The lemon dressing would go great with the peppery taste, too.