Arugula Salad with Feta and Lemon Vinaigrette
Every great meal starts with a great salad. Peppery arugula is the base for this salad. Bright, crunchy carrots and parsnips, fresh tomatoes, the mild flavor of shallots, feta cheese, almonds, sweet currants, and tangy dill mix wonderfully with the flavor of arugula. A sweet and tangy lemon vinaigrette pulls it all together.
I can’t tell you how much I love arugula! It has such a bright, peppery flavor. I can eat it plain, that’s how much flavor it has. It makes a wonderful bed for the fresh vegetables, cheese, and nuts that make this salad what it is.
If you want to make it a complete meal, add chicken or salmon on top. To keep it vegetarian, add chickpeas or even slices of boiled egg. All would go really well with this salad
Did you know?….. Arugula is actually closely related to mustard and is not a lettuce. It has a variety of common names, including garden rocket (my favorite), colewort, and roquette. It was even mentioned in a poem.
Make It Brunch
This salad pairs perfectly with soup, such as my Easy One Pot Lentil Soup or my White Chicken Chili with Poblano for a perfect brunch. It would also make a great brunch paired with a Cubano or a Reuben Sandwich.
Why I love this salad
Easy It’s simply a matter of tossing a few vegetables, nuts, and cheese into a bowl with arugula, mixing up the dressing, and you have a fresh salad ready for any meal.
Pairs well This salad is simple enough for a weeknight dinner, as a side dish at a barbecue, or if you need something to impress people at a fancy dinner party.
It’s just plain good! I especially love the sweet currants in this salad. Their flavor is so good against the backdrop of the arugula and feta cheese. You won’t be disappointed if you make this salad.
Ingredients
- Arugula The bright, peppery flavor of arugula is such a great base for this salad.
- Tomatoes I love how fresh tomatoes taste in a salad. You can use a large slicing tomato or grape tomatoes, whatever you have on hand.
- Carrots Multi-colored carrots look really well in this salad, but you can use any kind. Pre-shredded or shred them yourself.
- Parsnip A little bit like carrots with a sweet, mild, and creamy flavor.
- Shallots Milder than onions with a bit of a garlicky flavor.
- Dill I love the fresh, herbaceous flavor of dill. It’s more than just for pickling! It tastes amazing in this salad.
- Almonds Sliced, chopped, slivered, any will work in this salad.
- Feta Cheese The smooth, creamy flavor of feta is a perfect partner for many salads. I highly recommend using whole feta in brine and crumbling it yourself over the pre-crumbled feta. It has so much more moisture and is much fresher.
- Currants The perfect amount of sweetness for this salad. Tastes so great with the arugula and feta.
Putting it All Together
A salad is pretty simple to make. Chop vegetables and toss together in a bowl. Not much to it. I like to use a large, plastic mixing bowl with a lid. Once I’ve added everything to the bowl, put the lid on and shake, shake, shake. If I’m serving it at a dinner party, I’ll put the salad in a fancy bowl. If it’s just for home, I leave it in the mixing bowl.
You can choose to either mix the dressing in or add it to each serving individually. I usually choose to add it to my individual serving. I find that the salad can get a little mushy if the dressing is added to the whole thing rather than each serving. Plus, some people may want less than what you have added to the salad. You really don’t need much dressing for this salad, it’s so flavorful.
Flavor Variations
You could use pine nuts, sunflower seeds, or even chopped hazelnuts in place of the almonds, if desired.
Don’t like feta? (What?) Try shaved parmesan, goat cheese, or one of my favorites-Manchego.
Lemon Vinaigrette
The dressing might be even easier to make than the salad. You’re adding the lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, pressed garlic, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste, to a small mason jar. Top with the lid and vigorously shake until everything has been emulsified. It’s quick and kind of fun!
The ingredients will layer themselves. A quick shake up will have everything mixed together; however, as the dressing sits, the oil and lemon juice will separate again, so you’ll have to shake it before each use.
Other Salad Recipes to Try
FAQ’s
Store arugula in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It is a pretty sturdy green, but it can become unappetizing if left in the fridge for too long. Salads are best eaten within a few days of being made, when they are at their freshest. If making ahead for a party, do not add the dressing until right before serving, or let individuals top their own salad with the dressing.
This is a personal preference, though it is used both ways, and equally good, in my opinion. If you’re looking for a delicious recipe that uses cooked arugula, try my Creamy Coconut Chicken with Thai Curry.
Arugula Salad with Feta and Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 cup diced tomatoes or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup shredded parsnips
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 2/3 cup currants
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes, shallot, and dill. Shred the carrot and parsnip. Add the arugula, vegetables, almonds, and currants to a large salad bowl with a lid. Crumble the feta over the salad. Add the top and shake the bowl to mix everything together.
Lemon Vinaigrette
- Add all of the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together; or, add them all to a small mason jar, cover with a lid, and shake vigorously until everything is mixed together. This is my chosen method as it is much easier than whisking.
- It's your choice if you want to add the dressing to the entire salad, or let people add their own dressing to their individual bowls. I choose to not add the dressing to the entire bowl.
Notes
- Store prepared salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Can use a mix of baby arugula and baby spinach if desired.
Nutrition
About Author
I love how light and fresh this salad is. The lemon vinaigrette is excellent, and the currants taste so good in this salad.