Looking for an exciting twist on your greens? Don’t hesitate to give this arugula salad recipe a try!
With every bite, you’ll taste peppery arugula, refreshing orange, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy cashews, and juicy pomegranate seeds, all dressed in a delicious honey-mustard sauce. For that briny, tangy finish, don’t forget to sprinkle some feta cheese.
Ingredients You'll Need
There are a total of 12 ingredients for the salad and the dressing—quick and easy! Here’s what you need:
1. For the Salad
- Arugula: Arugula has a unique peppery taste and a slightly crispy texture that combines beautifully with other mild-tasting ingredients.
- Orange: The citrusy aroma of orange works perfectly with arugula. Its sweet and tangy flavor gives a nice complement to the overall taste.
- Pomegranate seeds: These pinkish-red seeds are sweet and juicy to bite into, plus, they give our dish a pop of color.
- Dried cranberries: Sweet dried cranberries add a nice firm and chewy texture to our salad mix. You can opt for dried cherries if prefer.
- Cashew nuts: We add delicious roasted cashew nuts to our salad for a nice crunch. Pecans or almonds also work beautifully for this recipe.
- Feta cheese: A sprinkling of briny creamy crumbled feta cheese on top makes our salad more desirable.
2. For the Dressing
Simply put together these 5 ingredients:
- Olive oil: We use cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt: To taste.
- Lemon juice: To give our dressing tangy citrusy notes.
- Ground black pepper: To add a slight pungency.
- Honey: To give a natural sweetness.
- Dijon mustard: To thicken the dressing and deepen the flavor.
3. For the Topping
Sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese on top before serving. You can also try shaved parmesan cheese for another tasty alternative.
Is Arugula Salad Healthy?
Yes, it is. Our arugula salad is low in fats and calories and high in vitamins. Let’s take a closer look at the health benefits.
First, with arugula as the salad base, our dish offers a healthy boost of dietary fiber. According to research, sufficient consumption of dietary fiber is beneficial for weight management, as well as lowering the risks of severe diseases such as diabetes, obesity, strokes, etc. On top of that, arugula packs a bunch of essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins C, K, A, calcium, and potassium, bringing many health benefits. Its aroma can also freshen up your breath, just like parsley!
Besides arugula, our salad also includes wholesome fruits, namely oranges and pomegranate seeds, which adds to the amount of antioxidants needed to protect your body from cell damage.
Last but not least, we use olive oil, an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fats, to toss the salad ingredients.
So, with only around 200 calories per serving, this arugula salad can offer you tons of goodness.
How to Store the Leftovers
For an already-dressed arugula salad, it’s best to eat it right away so that the greens will not be wilted.
If you haven’t drizzled the sauce over the salad, then you can keep the ingredients in separate containers in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days.
Arugula Salad Recipe
Today’s arugula salad makes a refreshingly delicious snack or side dish to complement your meals. In less than 10 minutes, you’ll have a satiating salad dish with a colorful twist.
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 5 mins
- COURSE Side Dish
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 206 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 4 oz arugula
- 8 oz orange (cut into wedges)
- 4 oz pomegranate seeds
- 1 oz dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 oz cashew
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Cut the orange into wedges.
Finely chop the parsley.
Cook:
Make the dressing: Add 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine.
Assemble the salad ingredients: Line the bottom of the serving plates with 4 oz arugula, then add 8 oz orange, 4 oz pomegranate seeds, 1 oz cashew, and 1 oz dried cranberries.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped parsley on top and drizzle with the sauce before serving. Enjoy!
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author