Arugula Strawberry Salad Recipe

Arugula Strawberry Salad is a healthy and colorful salad full of peppery arugula, juicy strawberries, radishes, red onion, feta cheese, and walnuts tossed in a homemade balsamic dressing. It’s an easy and delicious meal to enjoy during hot summer days.

This salad has so much going on, you will taste something different in every forkful. Of course, there is fresh, peppery arugula and sweet, tangy strawberry slices. But there is also sliced red onion, cubes of creamy avocado, crunchy toasted walnuts and pine nuts, crispy and refreshing radishes, and pieces of green onions combined with milky crumbled goat cheese. It is all mixed with a light coating of a sweet balsamic vinaigrette with its array of flavors like lemon, maple syrup, garlic, and crunchy poppy seeds.

Not only does this salad taste incredible, but it also looks good enough to post on Instagram. It is full of colors that draw your eye before grabbing your appetite’s attention. But once you take your first bite, you are going to be so busy enjoying how good it is you may not even realize how many different flavors are in there. Besides all of the different salad ingredients, the homemade dressing has its own unique taste that coats every piece and adds a whole other level of sweet and savory yumminess.

Balsamic vinegar is the main ingredient, with its thick and gooey cherry-vanilla sweetness blended in with maple syrup and the tanginess of garlic and lemon juice. This combination is like an explosion of sweet and sour umami blasts like you have never tasted. Then, there are tiny crunches of nutty poppy seeds that give you a nice little surprise. 

Even though this salad seems to be everything you need, you can always add it to something to make it a fuller meal. For example, I like serving it with a grilled chicken Caesar sandwich, a glass of iced tea, or a strawberry banana smoothie for a hearty lunch or light dinner. No need for dessert with all the strawberries but a bowl of sorbet would be nice.

Why you will love this recipe 

• So many flavors: You get so many flavors without too much work.
• No cooking: No need to turn on the stove to make a delicious meal that everyone will love.
• Kids love it too: It may be a salad, but kids love it with all the sweet flavors.
• Make it a meal: Hearty enough to be a light meal but you can add meat or beans to make it dinner.

What you’ll need to make arugula strawberry salad

Special items:

• Mixing bowls
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients:

Salad ingredients:

• Arugula – Washed, dried, and spun so it is entirely water-free before using.
• Strawberries – Rinsed and dried as well. Then, slice thinly with a sharp knife.
• Red onion—I prefer a thinly sliced red onion, but you can use yellow or white.
• Cheese – My first choice is goat cheese because it is creamier than feta but feta crumbles better if that is what you want.
• Avocados – Diced avocados add a rich creaminess to your salad.
• Pine nuts – When raw, they have a buttery and creamy taste but toasted, they taste similar to bacon.
• Walnuts – Toasting walnuts removes any bitterness and adds a sweet nuttiness. I like to toast mine with pine nuts in butter or oil.
• Radishes – Three or four radishes thinly sliced for added bites of spiciness throughout your salad. Chop them up for smaller bites.
• Green onions – Adds color and mild onion taste with a crisp peppery tang.

For the poppy seed balsamic vinaigrette dressing:

• Extra-virgin olive oil – Get a high-quality oil like Kollias since it is the main ingredient.
• Balsamic vinegar – Same here, Giuseppe Giusti is the number one choice for balsamic vinegar but Bertolli is a good one if you do not want to spend $50. The thick, sweet flavor is like cherries and vanilla with hints of smoke.
• Lemon juice – Speaking of price, squeezing your own lemon juice is cheaper than buying bottled and it tastes so much better.
• Maple syrup – You could also use honey if you want.
• Garlic – Mince your own garlic for the best flavor without a bitter aftertaste.
• Poppy seeds – Not just for looks but for crunch and a nutty flavor. They also add calcium, antioxidants, and fiber.
• Salt
• Pepper

How to make make a arugula strawberry salad?

1. Rinse the greens: First, rinse the greens under cold water. Then, pat dry them with a paper towel to remove any excess water. 
2. Combine: In a large salad bowl, combine arugula with sliced strawberries, chopped red onion, goat or feta cheese, avocados, pine nuts, walnuts, radish, and green onions.
3. Make the dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette together. Then, add the rest of the dressing ingredients to it.
4. Toss and combine: Lastly, combine the rest of the fresh ingredients in a large serving bowl. Then, pour it with the dressing mixture in a large bowl and gently toss them together. 
5. Refrigerate: That’s it! Chill it in the refrigerator then, enjoy it fresh.

Expert tip

How to choose the best arugula

If you have read any of my posts before, you probably already know I like to buy organic produce from farmers’ markets. Also, I wouldn’t say I like to buy plastic containers or clamshells if I do not have to. I want to be able to pick up and feel the produce. Being able to smell it and see how the texture feels between my fingers is important to me. Those clamshells may look pretty, but they may be hiding something.

The first thing to look at is the leaves. They should be bright green with no yellowing or browning. Avoid any bruises or spots. The leaves should also be long and firm with no sliminess or wilting. You should not see any holes, tears, or wet leaves. Any signs of slime are a warning for you to keep going and pass them up. Regular arugula leaves should be about three inches long, while baby arugula is about half that size.

Speaking of baby arugula, you can use it in this salad, too. It has a milder taste than regular arugula, and according to Rutgers University, they are more nutrient-dense than the older ones. However, the more mature ones have more fiber if that is what you want. Either way, arugula is a delicious way to enjoy a salad when tired of the same old lettuce or spinach.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Add some meat: Add your favorite meat to turn this into a hearty meal. I love it with cubed brown sugar-glazed ham, but turkey or grilled chicken would also be delicious.
• Different cheese: If you dislike goat or feta cheese, use buratta, cheddar, or shredded mozzarella. 
• More veggies: You can only have a few veggies if you ask me. I like to add chopped bell peppers, celery sticks, carrot coins, cucumber rounds, and grape tomatoes.
• Protein: Instead of meat, add beans for protein and heartiness. I love this salad with kidney beans and black beans.
• No nuts: If you do not like nuts, you can still have some crunch. Use granola, sunflower seeds, pepitas, or crushed crackers.
• Other fruit: If strawberries are not available or you do not like them, you can use blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
• Dressing: Try it with a different dressing homemade Italian dressing or Greek salad dressing. 
• Add grains: Make it heartier by adding cooked lentils, buckwheat or cooked quinoa. 
• Crunchy: Add some croutons, or French fried onions for a nice crunch.

Serving suggestions:

Arugula strawberry salad can be served with various meals or on its own as a meal. It also makes a nice snack or healthy lunch. Try some of these ideas, which I have enjoyed.

• Serve with a side of homemade breadsticks so you can use them to dredge the bottom of the bowl for the leftover balsamic dressing. It is so delicious; you will not want to waste any of it!
• Triple the recipe and take this to the family picnic in the park, but do not add the salad dressing. Please keep it on the side so people can add what they like.
• Looking for a bottle of wine to serve with this salad? My favorites are Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
• This salad goes great with any main entrée, including lobster, steak, burgers, and fries.
• It is the perfect side dish that goes with pretty much anything. Feel free to pair it with roasted pork loin, bbq pork chops, or garlic butter swai fish. 
• Make it for your next backyard BBQ party, and serve it along  grilled chicken wings, maple soy grilled Salmon, grilled pork chops, salmon skewers.

Frequently asked questions

What is arugula?

Also known as rocket or roquette, arugula is a Mediterranean green often used in cooking or making salads. It has a tart and bitter flavor with a slightly spicy and peppery taste. It is not related to lettuce but to cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts instead. However, you are more likely to see it in a salad or used as an herb than on a plate as a vegetable. I love it in this salad because it adds a peppery and tangy taste and has so many vitamins and minerals to the dish.

How do I get the bitterness out of arugula?

Arugula can be bitter like many other green vegetables like kale, radicchio, collards, and mustard greens. But there are ways to tone that bitterness down a bit. My favorite is to blanch it. This will get rid of the glucosinolates that cause the bitterness. Put the arugula in a sieve and boil water in a large pot. Plunge the sieve into the boiling water for 30 seconds and then put it in an ice water bath for 30 seconds before laying it out to dry on paper towels or in a salad spinner.

Do I have to use this vinaigrette?

No, you can definitely use a different kind of dressing if you like, or no dressing at all. If I am serving guests instead of immediate family, I usually leave it bare and set out various dressings. Then, they can choose to use what they like. Or to eat it without dressing. Honestly, with so much flavor from the strawberries, cheese, onions, nuts, and avocados, I like to pick at it without any dressing. Sometimes, I dip it into one or more of my favorite sauces, too, such as ranch, honey mustard, or teriyaki sauce.

Why is my salad watery?

In a salad with so many different ingredients, it is common to have this problem. That is why you must carefully drain and dry each ingredient well before adding it to the salad. The arugula is the main culprit. If you blanch it, you must carefully dry it thoroughly. I like to lay mine flat on paper towels and press them with another layer. Then, I put it through the salad spinner. It takes longer, but I wouldn’t say I like watery salad. The strawberries are another leading cause of excess water. Dry, slice and pat dry again.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Dressed salad can be kept for two days in a sealed container in the fridge. If it is unsealed, it will stay fresher longer, up to four days.   
• Freezing: Freezing is not recommended.   

More salads to try:

Recipe tips:

• I like this as a summer salad because of the strawberries and arugula, but you can quickly turn it into something warmer with some cherries, grapes, apples, persimmons, and cranberries.
• If you serve people you do not know well, do not dress the salad. Let them do it themselves and give them a variety of choices.
• Also, leave the salad bare if you are still determining if it will all be eaten. Once it is dressed, it will get soggy faster.
• Blanch the arugula for 30 seconds to remove the bitterness before drying it and using it in the salad.
• Please do not wash your strawberries until right before you are ready to use them.
• Ensure you dry all your ingredients well so your salad is not watery.