Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (2024)

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Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese is a quick and easy salad that is peppery, sweet and satisfying. Arugula is tossed with cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and parmesan cheese and finished off with a lemony, olive oil dressing.

Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (1)

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LEMON ARUGULA SALAD RECIPE WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

We all need a delicious simple salad in our back pocket for those busy nights.

Today’s Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese is one of those salads for me. It is a simple arugula salad using simple ingredients.

When it comes to a delicious salad I don’t discriminate.

I love so many different kinds from a big Greek Village Salad, to an Easy Lebanese Salad, to a tabbouleh salad, to a fattoush salad.

But sometimes simple is best, and this is one of those times.

I am a lover of arugula. That peppery flavor is just so good.

You can almost always find a bag of it in my fridge for salads, pizzas or wraps.

I love adding a handful to my weeknight dinners like this pizza along with parmesan cheese, prosciutto and olive oil.

I love the crunchy pine nuts and the creamy Parmesan cheese paired with the light lemony dressing and peppery arugula.

One tip when using arugula is to let it come to room temperature before making the salad. This helps it to release more flavor.

This truly is one of the best arugula salad and one you can make in under 10 minutes and pairs perfectly with so many meals.

Forget those boring green salad recipes and try this lemon arugula salad!

Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (2)

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN THIS LEMON ARUGULA SALAD?

FRESH BABY ARUGULA

CHERRY TOMATOES

PINE NUTS

SHAVED AND SLICED PARMESAN CHEESE

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

FRESH LEMON JUICE

HONEY

GARLIC

SALT & PEPPER

Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (3)

HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS LEMON ARUGULA SALAD WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

TO TOAST THE PINE NUTS:

Heat a dry large skillet over medium-low heat and toast pine nuts, stirring frequently, until pine nuts are golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

FOR THE DRESSING:

In a small bowl or mason jarwhisk together the dressing ingredients : olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

FOR THE SALAD:

Toss the arugula, tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan cheese slices together in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the salad dressing over this easy arugula salad and gently toss.

Finish the salad off with the shaved Parmesan cheese and a bit more black pepper. You also can add lemon zest for an extra zesty flavor. Serve immediately.

Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (4)

WHAT OTHER ADDITIONS CAN I PUT IN MY ARUGULA SALAD?

  • CRUNCH: I love adding crunchy to my salad. Try adding roasted chickpeas, pistachios, sliced almonds or walnuts.
  • BEANS: Beans would be a great addition to this salad. Try chickpeas or white beans.
  • PROTEIN: There are a variety of protein options you could serve with this salad. Try this Mediterranean Chicken, Air Fryer Salmon, Mediterranean Beef Kabobs or this Easy Pan Fried Fish. This is the perfect side dish for a protein.
  • VEGETABLES: I like to add additional vegetables to salads like this. Some good ones are cucumbers, roasted beets, carrots, radish, celery, bell peppers and chopped red onion.
  • CHEESE: I really like the Parmesan cheese in this salad but you can swap that for mozzarella cheese, goat cheese or feta cheese.
  • DRESSING: Other dressing ideas you could use are a balsamic vinegar dressing or a honey mustard dressing or your favorite homemade salad dressing.
  • FRUIT: Add your favorite fruit. I love adding fresh apple, pear or even mandarin oranges. You also can add dried fruit like dried cranberries, raisins or apricots.
  • GRAINS: If you like grains in your salads tryquinoa, couscous, or farro can turn your arugula salad into a heartier meal and provide extra fiber and texture.
  • AVOCADO: You can add sliced avocado to the salad for added healthy fats.
Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (5)

WHAT TO SERVE THIS ARUGULA SALAD WITH?

This arugula salad is a nice side salad that goes with your favorite main dish. Here are a few of my favorites to pair it with:

MOROCCAN CARROT RED LENTIL SOUP

MEDITERRANEAN TURKEY MEATBALLS

SLOW COOKER PORK SHOULDER ROAST

EASY CHICKEN SLIDERS

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN

EASY PINEAPPLE PORK CHOPS

OTHER SALADS YOU MIGHT LIKE:

SUMMER ORZO PASTA SALAD

MEDITERRANEAN BEAN SALAD

GREEK QUINOA SALAD

EASY LEBANESE SALAD

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT SALAD

MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SALAD

Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (6)

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Lemon Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts is a quick and easy salad that is peppery, sweet and satisfying. Arugula is tossed with cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and parmesan cheese and finished off with a lemony,olive oil dressing.

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 4 cups arugula, washed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, cut into thin slices

For the dressing:

  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons honey {or natural sweetener}
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

To toast the pine nuts:

  1. Heat a dry large skillet over medium-low heat and toast pine nuts, stirring frequently, until pine nuts are golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

For the dressing:

  1. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the salad:

  1. Toss the arugula, tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan cheese slices together in a large bowl. Pour the salad dressing over the salad and gently toss.
  2. Finish the salad off with the shaved Parmesan cheese and a bit more black pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

Other ideas for this salad:

    CRUNCH: I love adding crunchy to my salad. Try adding roasted chickpeas, pistachios, sliced almonds or walnuts.
    BEANS: Beans would be a great addition to this salad. Try chickpeas or white beans.
    PROTEIN: There are a variety of protein options you could serve with this salad. Try this Mediterranean Chicken, Air Fryer Salmon, Mediterranean Beef Kabobs or this Easy Pan Fried Fish.
    VEGETABLES: I like to add additional vegetables to salads like this. Some good ones are cucumbers, roasted beets, carrots, radish, celery, bell peppers and chopped red onion.
    CHEESE: I really like the Parmesan cheese in this salad but you can swap that for mozzarella cheese, goat cheese or feta cheese.
    FRUIT: Add your favorite fruit. I love adding fresh apple, pear or even mandarin oranges. You also can add dried fruit like dried cranberries, raisins or apricots.
    GRAINS: If you like grains in your salads tryquinoa, couscous, or farro can turn your arugula salad into a heartier meal and provide extra fiber and texture.
    AVOCADO: You can add sliced avocado to the salad for added healthy fats.

Related Posts:

  • Arugula Salad with Capers
  • Arugula Orzo Salad
  • Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad
Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese (2024)

FAQs

What pairs with arugula? ›

With its peppery bite, arugula salads pair well with creamy soups like Potato Leek Soup and cheesy soups like French Onion Soup. Grilled Entrees. Arugula salad go well at cookouts alongside grilled meat or seafood, like Grilled Chicken Thighs and Grilled Swordfish.

What's the difference between arugula and baby arugula? ›

Arugula and baby arugula come from the same plant but are harvested at different stages of maturity. Baby arugula is picked when the leaves are still small and tender, and baby arugula tends to have a less pronounced peppery bite than mature arugula, which has large, full-size leaves.

What is arugula salad made of? ›

Arugula Salad- baby arugula tossed in a fresh olive oil lemon dressing and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. This simple salad goes great with any meal and only takes a few minutes to make. I try to make a salad to go with all of our meals.

Do you cut arugula for salad? ›

Should I cut arugula right before serving it in a salad? It is best to cut arugula right before serving it in a salad to preserve its freshness and crunch.

What should not be planted next to arugula? ›

Most plants in the nightshade or solanum family are incompatible with arugula plants. This is because nightshades prefer a more acidic soil pH of 5.5-6.5 while arugula prefers a more neutral soil pH of 6.5-7. It is not recommended to grow arugula next to eggplant, peppers, potatoes, or tomato.

Does arugula cleanse the liver? ›

Arugula is rich in chlorophyll, which can help to prevent liver and DNA damage from aflatoxins, a family of toxins produced by certain fungi. Arugula is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which can help cleanse the liver. Arugula is a bitter green, which can stimulate the liver to help with detoxification.

Is arugula just as healthy as spinach? ›

Spinach contains over three times the amount of Vitamin K as arugula, which is essential for keeping bones strong and supporting the production of red blood cells. Both spinach and arugula contain high levels of nitrates, yet arugula contains considerably more.

Which is healthier kale or arugula? ›

Did you know that arugula has more calcium and zinc than kale? It's also nutritionally equal to kale in iron and magnesium and has fewer carbohydrates and naturally occurring sugars.

Is arugula the healthiest lettuce? ›

Arugula (sometimes called rocket) Arugula's distinct peppery taste doesn't quite correlate with a high nutritional content. While it does have some vitamins, it lacks other nutrients that other greens boast.

Can I eat arugula salad everyday? ›

Arugula is low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, calcium, and potassium. There is no specific recommended daily intake of arugula, but consuming moderate amounts as part of a balanced diet is generally safe for most people.

Which is healthier arugula or iceberg lettuce? ›

Iceberg Lettuce

It's very low in calories—a chopped cup clocks in at a paltry 8 calories (compared to 28 for arugula and 33 for kale)–but you don't get much in those calories, since iceberg is mostly water and nutritionally neutral. You'd be better off building your salad with another option on this list.

How do you take the bitterness out of arugula? ›

Make an ice bath in a bowl with chilled water and ice cubes. When your pot of water boiling, place the arugula into it for 20 seconds. Remove the arugula leaves from the boiling water using the help of a small spoon and put it straight into the cold bath. The arugula can be left in the ice bath for at least 2 minutes.

What is the healthiest way to eat arugula? ›

If you eat arugula raw, the body absorbs the healthy isothiocyanates. But, if you lightly cook it, the arugula will provide your body with more nutrients and carotenoids. However, overcooked arugula is not more nutritious than raw ones.

Does arugula grow back after picking? ›

Arugula will grow back once cut, so don't pull the stems. Remember, arugula bolts (goes to flower) quickly in the heat. If this happens, strip the stem of its leaves and use both the leaves and flowers in your salads.

Should you wash arugula? ›

Arugula bunches can trap soil and grit, so wash them well before serving. Immerse the leaves in cold water and then lift them out, letting the grit settle at the bottom. Repeat as necessary. Dry thoroughly in a salad spinner or gently shake them in a kitchen towel.

When can you not eat arugula? ›

There could be possible arugula side effects for individuals who are on blood thinning medication. This is because arugula, like other dark leafy greens, is high in vitamin K, which can reverse the effects of anticoagulant drugs if suddenly increased in the body.

Who might need to avoid eating arugula? ›

For those with existing health conditions, particularly those related to blood clotting, it's important to talk to your doctor before making arugula a staple in your diet. Its high Vitamin K content can affect blood thinners like warfarin.

Is arugula as healthy as spinach and kale? ›

They're both healthy in their own ways. Spinach provides a good amount of zinc and a high amount of protein for a leafy green. Arugula is high in many vitamins and minerals as well such as iron and magnesium. If its a leafy green it's good for you and you should eat it.

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