Fresh, fast, and full of flavor - this spinach and arugula salad goes with everything. The arugula balances perfectly with the mild earthiness of spinach and a bright homemade lemon vinaigrette. Best of all, it comes together in minutes, making it the ideal addition to any weeknight dinner.
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My arugula spinach salad is the perfect summer salad and a great way to use fresh garden produce. It's ideal for pairing with a variety of meat, seafood, vegetable and pasta based main dishes.
It's also easy to customize and makes a great light lunch. Boost the protein content with toppings like some cold cuts, leftover grilled chicken breast, or crumble over some feta cheese.
This versatile salad is great any time of the year. Serve it as a healthy side salad at get togethers with family and friends. It's the ideal side for cookouts and backyard barbecues too.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Spinach & Arugula Salad
- Simple Spinach Arugula Salad Ingredients
- How to Make Spinach Arugula Salad - Step-By-Step
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions
- Tips & Tricks For Making
- How To Serve
- Pin This Spinach & Arugula Salad with Simple Lemon Dressing Recipe For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Easy Salad Recipe Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Spinach & Arugula Salad Recipe with Simple Lemon Dressing
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Spinach & Arugula Salad
- Spinach arugula salad and the lemon salad dressing can be whipped together in just 5 minutes.
- This healthy side dish is packed with iron, vitamins C & K, antioxidants, and fiber.
- My easy salad recipe serves 4 as a side, but can be easily increased to feed a larger group of diners.
- The arugula and spinach leaves, and also the homemade salad dressing, can be prepared in advance then all you need to do is dress the leaves before serving. This makes it a great prep ahead salad for the holiday table.
- Try some of these great tasting salad recipes:
Simple Spinach Arugula Salad Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Salad Leaves - I use fresh spinach and fresh arugula in this salad. You could also use fresh baby spinach or baby arugula which has a more intense flavor. Arugula is known as rocket in the UK. Both names come from the Italian rucola
Olive Oil - I like to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil in the homemade salad dressing as it has a great fruity, nutty flavor.
Lemon Juice - for the best flavor I always use freshly squeezed lemon juice in my salad dressing.
Mustard - I use Dijon mustard in the salad dressing.
Honey - runny honey adds sweetness to the salad dressing. For a plant based dressing swap the honey for maple syrup.
How to Make Spinach Arugula Salad - Step-By-Step
Find the full printable recipe card below.
Make the Dressing
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard (if using), honey, sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a well sealed jar and shake to combine.
Prepare any Additional Toppings
You can use all, some of none of the suggestions toppings or add your own. I love to toast pine nuts or slivered almonds, finely sliced red onion, shaved Parmesan and sliced fresh avocado.
Dress the Salad
Toss the spinach and arugula together in a large bowl. Drizzle with the lemon dressing just before serving and toss gently. Top with any optional add-ins you like and serve immediately
Frequently Asked Questions
Do spinach and arugula go together?
When it comes to leafy greens, spinach and arugula are a perfect flavor combination. Spinach has a milder flavour which pairs really well with the peppery, slightly spicy flavor of arugula.
Is arugula as healthy as spinach?
Yes, these fresh greens are both healthy with just a few nutritional differences. Spinach is high in iron while arugula has higher amounts of vitamins C and K.
Variations & Substitutions
This simple spinach arugula salad is easily adapted and here are some easy suggestions:
Leafy greens - add some other leafy greens, try romaine lettuce, watercress, kale, chard or chicory.
Salad fruits & vegetables - add other fruits and vegetables - try raw bell pepper (red or green), cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, fresh strawberries, apple slices, creamy avocado slices, or pomegranate arils.
Fresh herbs - add some fresh herbs to the mix, try fresh basil, parsley, chives or dill.
Cheese - I like to add some shaved Parmesan cheese (use a vegetarian alternative if required) or try a different cheese, like blue cheese, crumbly feta cheese, or creamy goat cheese.
Seeds & nuts - add texture and crunch with some toasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts or almonds.
Salad dressing - in the lemon vinaigrette swap lemon juice for fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.
Tips & Tricks For Making
Always check the salad dressing for seasoning and balance. Add a little more salt or lemon juice if you think it needs it. The best way to try a salad dressing is by dipping in a leaf!
Only dress the salad when you are ready to serve, otherwise the acid in the salad dressing will cause the fresh salad leaves to wilt.
Leftover salad dressing can be stored in an airtight container, or mason jar, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just give the dressing a good stir to emulsify again before using.
How To Serve
This healthy side salad is great alongside a variety of main dishes, great with grilled steak, pork, lamb, chicken, or seafood. Try serving it with my Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin, Bavette Steak, 15 Minute Lemon Caper Chicken Breasts, or my Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs.
I also like to serve this simple salad with pasta main dishes. Try it alongside my Easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta, Pesto Prosciutto Pasta, Penne Napoli, Penne Pomodoro, or Smoked Salmon Creme Fraiche Pasta.
Pin This Spinach & Arugula Salad with Simple Lemon Dressing Recipe For Later
What Do You Think?!
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More Easy Salad Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Spinach & Arugula Salad Recipe with Simple Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
For the Salad Base:
- 3 cups Baby Spinach
- 3 cups Arugula (Rocket)
Optional Add-Ins
- Pine Nuts - toasted
- Toasted Sliced Almonds
- Red Onion - finely sliced
- Parmesan or Vegetarian Alternative - shaved
- Avocado - sliced or diced
For the Lemon Dressing:
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice - freshly squeezed
- ½ tsp Dijon Mustard - optional but adds depth
- ½ tsp Honey - or maple syrup
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard (if using), honey, sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a well sealed jar and shake to combine.
- Toss the spinach and arugula together in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with the lemon dressing just before serving and toss gently.
- Top with any optional add-ins you like and serve immediately
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