Strawberry Arugula Salad
Not only does this Strawberry Arugula 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. I love that it comes together in a flash – no fuss, no cooking required. Just chop, toss, and serve! The salad is an explosion of flavors and textures, with juicy strawberries, crunchy nuts, and creamy goat cheese!
Even though this salad seems to be everything you need, you can always add it to something. 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. What I love the most about this salad is the sweet and savory combination; it makes it feel fancy and gourmet, yet it takes only 10 minutes to prepare.
Table of contents
Every forkful of this summer strawberry arugula salad is a play of juicy, crunchy, creamy, and tangy. Light and healthy, it’s the ideal choice for a lazy weeknight dinner on the porch that still looks pretty and tastes like it’s from a fancy restaurant. Whether it’s for a quick lunch or dinner party, this salad is bound to impress everyone and make you look like a kitchen pro. I guarantee you that the flavor combinations and the homemade poppy seed vinaigrette make it unforgettable.
Why you will love this recipe
- So many flavors: You get a variety of flavors with minimal effort. This salad is packed with all my favorites: juicy and sweet strawberries, peppery arugula, creamy avocado, and goat cheese, all coated in a sweet and tangy homemade balsamic vinaigrette with poppy seeds.
- No cooking: No need to turn on the stove to make a delicious meal that everyone will love. During hot summer days, I avoid turning on the stove or oven at all costs. This salad is so hearty on its own that it can serve as a main course.
- Kids love it too: It may be a salad, but kids love it with all the sweet flavors. It’s a win-win here; my kids love the sweet strawberries, and they’re huge fans of this delicious salad.
- Versatile: Hearty enough to be a light meal, but you can add meat or beans to make it dinner. I like adding pineapple grilled chicken to it, chickpeas, or lentils to make it heartier.
What you will need
- Arugula: Washed, dried, and spun so it is entirely water-free before using.
- Fruit: Ripe but still firm strawberries, which I rinse and dry before slicing them thinly. I also add avocado for a rich, creamy texture.
- Cheese: My first choice is goat cheese because it is creamier than feta, but feta crumbles better if that is what you want.
- Veggies: I prefer a thinly sliced red onion, but you can use yellow or white. Three or four radishes, thinly sliced, for added bites of spiciness throughout your salad. Chop them up for smaller bites. Additionally, green onions add color and a mild onion flavor with a crisp, peppery tang.
- Nuts: Buttery and creamy pine nuts, and tasted walnuts. Toasting walnuts removes any bitterness and adds a sweet, nutty flavor. I like to toast mine with pine nuts in butter or oil.
- Poppy seed balsamic vinaigrette: Is one of my favorite homemade salad dressings made with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, a bit of garlic for that savory flavor, salt, pepper, and poppy seeds for a light crunch and nutty flavor.
How to make
Rinse the greens: First, I rinse the greens under cold water. Then, I pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water.Ā
Combine: In a large salad bowl, I combine arugula with sliced strawberries, chopped red onion, goat or feta cheese, avocados, pine nuts, walnuts, radish, and green onions.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, I whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Then, add the remaining dressing ingredients.
Toss and combine: Lastly, I combine the remaining fresh ingredients in a large serving bowl. Then, pour the dressing mixture into a large bowl and gently toss it together.Ā
Refrigerate: That’s it! Chill it in the refrigerator, then enjoy it at room temperature.
Expert tip
How to choose the best arugula
If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you probably already know that I like to buy organic produce from farmersā markets. 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 avoid them. Regular arugula leaves should be about three inches long, while baby arugula is about half that size.
More tips to consider
- If you serve people you do not know well, do not dress the salad for them. Let them do it themselves and give them a variety of choices.
- Also, leave the salad bare if you’re still unsure if it will all be eaten. Once it is dressed, it will become soggy more quickly.
- Blanch the arugula for 30 seconds to remove the bitterness before drying it and using it in the salad.
- Please do not wash the strawberries until right before you are ready to use them.
- Ensure you dry all the ingredients well so the salad is not watery.
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 cheeses:Ā If you dislike goat or feta cheese, consider using burrata, cheddar, or shredded mozzarella.Ā
- More veggies: You can only have a few veggies, in my opinion. I like to add chopped bell peppers, celery sticks, carrot coins, cucumber rounds, and grape tomatoes.
- Protein: Instead of meat, add beans for a protein-rich and heartier option. I love this salad with kidney beans and black beans.
- No nuts: If you don’t like nuts, you can still enjoy some crunch. Use granola, sunflower seeds, pepitas, or crushed crackers.
- Other fruits:Ā If strawberries are not available or you prefer not to use them, you can substitute with blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
- Dressing: Try it with a different dressing, homemade Italian dressing or Greek salad dressing.Ā
- Add grains: Make it heartier by adding cooked lentils, buckwheat, or cooked quinoa.Ā
- Crunchy: Add some croutons or French fried onions for a nice crunch.
Serving suggestions:
Serve it with a side of homemade breadsticks so you can use them to dredge the bottom of the bowl for the leftover balsamic dressing. It’s so delicious; you won’t want to waste any of it! This salad is the perfect accompaniment to a light summer meal, such as lemon zucchini pasta. Looking for a bottle of wine to serve with this salad? My favorites are Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
This salad pairs well with a variety of main entrĆ©es, including lobster, steak, burgers, and fries. I enjoy it with roasted pork loin, or garlic butter swai fish.Ā Make it for your next backyard BBQ party and serve it alongside grilled chicken wings, maple soy grilled salmon, grilled pork chops, and salmon skewers.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: A dressed salad can be stored for up to two days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Ā
- Freezing: Freezing is not recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Arugula can be bitter like many other green vegetables, such as 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 eliminate the glucosinolates that cause the bitterness. Place the arugula in a sieve and bring water to a boil in a large pot. Plunge the sieve into boiling water for 30 seconds, then place it in an ice water bath for 30 seconds before laying it out to dry on paper towels or in a salad spinner.
In a salad with numerous ingredients, it is common to encounter this issue. 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 dry it thoroughly afterwards. I like to lay mine flat on paper towels and press them with another layer of paper towels. 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.
This salad is best served fresh, but it can be made up to 8 hours in advance. In that case, I mix the salad ingredients in an airtight container, add the arugula on top, and the strawberries too. I don’t add the avocado, as it tends to turn brown, so I sliced it right before serving the salad. I mix the salad dressing in a mason jar and refrigerate the salad and the dressing until ready to serve. Right before serving, I add the dressing and the sliced avocado.
More salads to try:
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Arugula Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
- 1 small package arugula washed
- 1 pound strawberries thinly sliced
- 1 red onion sliced
- 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
- 2 ripe avocados diced
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 cup radishes halved and thinly sliced (about 3-4 medium)
- 1/2 cup green onions
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- Pinch of fine sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry the arugula well using a salad spinner or paper towels. Also, prep the other veggies and fruits.
- Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
- In another small bowl, combine the Vinaigrette ingredients.
- Pour the vinaigrette dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Refrigerate and serve.
Video
Notes
How to choose the best arugula
If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you probably already know that I like to buy organic produce from farmersā markets. 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 avoid them. Regular arugula leaves should be about three inches long, while baby arugula is about half that size.More tips to consider
- If you serve people you do not know well, do not dress the salad for them. Let them do it themselves and give them a variety of choices.
- Also, leave the salad bare if you’re still unsure if it will all be eaten. Once it is dressed, it will become soggy more quickly.
- Blanch the arugula for 30 seconds to remove the bitterness before drying it and using it in the salad.
- Please do not wash the strawberries until right before you are ready to use them.
- Ensure you dry all the ingredients well so the salad is not watery.