This Arugula Spinach Salad is the best simple side salad for practically any meal! It comes together in just 10 minutes with 9 simple ingredients. It's light, refreshing, and so easy to make! Serve it with anything from the grill in the spring and summer, and roasted chicken or heavier dishes in the fall and winter.
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Why You'll Love This Arugula Salad
The perfect side dish - The flavors of this salad are very simple but far from boring. You can use the salad as a base for rice or quinoa bowls, other salads, or serve it as a side with practically any kind of protein and other sides like roasted potatoes and grilled veggies. It goes with anything, and it's a great addition to dinner any time of the year! Try it with roasted chicken, salmon, or steak!
Easy to make and simple - This salad is made with fresh arugula, spinach, parmesan, pine nuts, and a very simple Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette. It comes together in as little as a few minutes, and it's totally fail-proof!
Ingredients
- Baby arugula - Arugula is spicier than other types of lettuce, and it's also a little heartier. Its peppery flavor goes really well with savory parmesan and tangy vinaigrette. The one most commonly used is actually baby arugula. You can usually find it prewashed in boxes in the refrigerated section next to other leafy greens. It's what I recommend using in this recipe.
- Spinach - To balance the spiciness of arugula, I added some baby spinach. The two pair really well together.
- Parmesan - You can use either Parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese if you prefer sheep milk. Pecorino is saltier than Parmesan and packs more flavor. You can use both pre-grated parmesan or grate it yourself using a box grater or a microplane. You'll generally need more of it if you use a microplane because it won't be as dense as the sand-like grated parmesan you buy at the store.
- Pine nuts - Toasted pine nuts are softer than other nuts, but they still add a nice crunch. Their creaminess pairs really well with the peppery arugula.
- Lemon vinaigrette - I did a variation of my Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, black pepper, and added lemon zest for extra flavor. I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can also use store-bought vinaigrette to save time, but I always recommend homemade.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different greens - You can use mixed greens or romaine lettuce instead for a different flavor and texture. Keep in mind that other greens might wilt faster. You can also make this salad with massaged kale if you want to store it for a couple of days and have it not wilt.
- More veggies - Add some finely diced red onion and halved cherry tomatoes to make the salad more colorful and to add more flavor.
- Roasted nuts or seeds - If you don't have pine nuts, you can oven toast slivered or sliced almonds or walnuts for a similar flavor. Sunflower seeds would also be a great addition.
- Make it vegan-friendly - You can use maple syrup in the dressing instead of honey and add vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast to make the salad vegan.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start by toasting your pine nuts.
- Add them to a small skillet over medium-high heat and toast them (with no oil) for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pine nuts are very oily, so they don't need any added fats.
- You want them to be golden brown, with some black spots. They can burn quickly, so keep a close eye on them. Take them off the heat and set aside.
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- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, and grated garlic until emulsified.
- Add arugula, baby spinach, and grated pecorino cheese into a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together gently until well mixed.
- Serve the salad sprinkled with toasted pine nuts. I don't like mixing them in because they tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl, but you can do that as well.
Serving and Storing
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The greens will wilt down as the salad sits with the dressing, but it's still safe to eat. For the best presentation, the salad is best enjoyed right away.
The easiest and best way to serve it is as a side. It goes well with practically anything! Serve it with steak and potatoes, chicken, fish, seafood, or tofu cooked however you like. You can also add other sides like roasted vegetables, fries, rice, or quinoa.
You can also use the salad as a base for bigger salads or bowls. Add rice, quinoa, feta cheese, olives, chickpeas, and fresh, roasted, or grilled veggies. Or anything else!
FAQs
Pecorino, feta, or soft goat cheese would be great options. If you use soft goat cheese, add it before serving instead of mixing it in because it would melt into the dressing.
You can use practically any greens for this salad. Romaine lettuce or mesclun greens are great.
Similar Side Salad Recipes
If you're looking for other similar salads to serve with any dinner or lunch, try any of the 5 salads below. To see all the latest ones, head over to Salads!
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Print📖 Recipe
Arugula and Spinach Salad
This Arugula Spinach Salad is the best simple side salad for any dinner! It can be ready in just 10 minutes with just 9 simple ingredients. It's light, refreshing, and so easy to make!
- Total Time10 minutes
- Yield3-4 1x
- DietVegetarian
Ingredients
- ¼ cup raw pine nuts
- 4 cups arugula
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ¼-½ cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp honey
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Instructions
- Start by toasting your pine nuts. Add them to a medium skillet over medium-high heat and toast them (with no oil) for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want them to be golden brown, with some black spots. They can burn quickly, so keep a close eye on them. Take them off the heat and set aside.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add arugula, baby spinach, and grated pecorino cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, and grated garlic until emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together gently until well mixed.
- Serve sprinkled with toasted pine nuts.
Notes
Storing: Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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Veronika Sykorova says
If you're looking for the most simle and refreshing side salad, this is it! It goes with everything!
Bronwyn says
A good, basic salad to get in leafy greens. Was surprised that my friend (a teenage boy with an aversion to vegetables) went back for seconds.
Very easy to make, the only involved task was the toasting of the pine nuts.
Veronika Sykorova says
I'm happy to hear you both liked it! Thanks for the review!