This Strawberry Arugula Salad is simple yet versatile enough for a light dinner or a crowd-pleasing side dish, topped with homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
This arugula fruit salad pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, chicken wraps or seafood and is perfect for summer picnics!
Easy Strawberry Arugula Salad Recipe
This awesome recipe has all the best summer flavors: juicy and sweet strawberries, peppery arugula, toasted pine nuts, creamy feta cheese, and a simple sweet balsamic dressing.
We love summer salads the most here! You should try these favorites next: easy Caesar salad, tomato mozzarella basil salad or this yummy dill pickle pasta salad with chicken!
Jump To
- Easy Strawberry Arugula Salad Recipe
- 🛒 Ingredients
- 🥗 How To Make Strawberry Arugula Salad + Step-by-Step Photos
- 📋 Expert Tips For Making The Best Salad Bowl
- 🍱 Storing Leftovers
- Strawberry Arugula Salad Substitutions & Ideas
- More Side Salad Recipes
- Did You Try This Recipe?
- 📖Recipe
- 🤷 Strawberry Arugula Salad: FAQ's
- 💬 Comments
🛒 Ingredients
- Arugula - For salads, it's best to use baby arugula. Baby arugula has a milder, less peppery taste and tender leaves, making it perfect for fresh, tasty salads. Or you can also use spinach.
- Strawberries - Fresh strawberries add just the right sweetness to the salad and dressing.
- Dressing - This easy arugula salad dressing includes fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and a touch of sweetener. It's simple yet delicious, and you can use it in other summer salads like lemon orzo salad, strawberry salad or strawberry chicken salad.
👩🍳 You'll find the complete list of ingredients below the recipe card.
🥗 How To Make Strawberry Arugula Salad + Step-by-Step Photos
- Start with fresh arugula: Wash it thoroughly to remove dirt and dry it well - either with a salad spinner or by gently patting it dry to avoid a watery salad. Set it aside.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they smell fragrant and turn a beautiful golden brown.
- Next, make the dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar.
- Then, pour it over the salad and toss everything gently. To put the salad together, transfer the dressed arugula to a large serving bowl.
- Top it with strawberries, crumbled feta cheese, avocado, and the toasted pine nuts. You can also mix all the ingredients gently and then sprinkle on the feta cheese.
- Finish by squeezing fresh lemon juice over the salad just before serving to keep it tasting fresh!
- Taste the salad and add salt and pepper as needed to suit your taste buds.
Tip: Keep strawberry tops in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days or freeze them for a few months. Use them to flavor water, infuse spirits, or add a pink hue and strawberry flavor to smoothies while boosting nutrition.
📋 Expert Tips For Making The Best Salad Bowl
- Extra boost of flavor: Drizzle with balsamic glaze for extra flavor.
- This recipe serves 4 large or 8 small portions; nutrition info is per serving if divided into 4 small portions.
- Enjoy the salad within 1 hour to preserve freshness; refrigerate the dressing for up to a week.
- To reduce bitterness in arugula or spinach, use the acidity and sweetness in the dressing. You can also blanch the leaves in ice water for 5-10 minutes, then pat dry before using.
- Prepare the dressing in advance and refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 3 days. Store the arugula separately in a bowl for up to 3 days, then toss with other ingredients just before serving.
🍱 Storing Leftovers
- 🍱To Store. Enjoy this salad soon after preparing, ideally within 1 hour, as the dressing's acidity can cause the arugula to wilt and strawberries to soften.
- To Make Ahead. Prepare the dressing and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the arugula leaves separate from other ingredients in a bowl, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.Combine the dressed salad with strawberries, avocado, pine nuts, and feta just before serving.
Strawberry Arugula Salad Substitutions & Ideas
- Try these swaps for a diverse salad:
- Use spinach, kale, or mixed greens instead of arugula.
- Swap feta for creamy goat cheese or blue cheese, or add avocado for creaminess.
- Try sliced pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts.
- Boost protein with grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon fillets, or crispy tofu.
- Experiment with peaches, blueberries, or raspberries instead of strawberries.
- Add red onion for a zesty kick.
How to Get the Bitterness Out of Arugula?
To reduce arugula's bitterness, soak the leaves in ice water for 5-10 minutes before patting them dry.
This blanching method helps mellow the flavor without cooking the leaves, making them perfect for salads or other dishes.
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📖Recipe
Strawberry Arugula Salad With Feta
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4-5 cups arugula or baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 + ½ cup strawberries, sliced or quartered
- 2-3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- lemon wedges for serving
Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Start with fresh arugula. Wash it thoroughly to remove dirt and dry it well—either with a salad spinner or by gently patting it dry to prevent a watery salad. Set it aside.4-5 cups arugula or baby spinach leaves
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they become fragrant and turn a lovely golden brown.¼ cup pine nuts
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl, then toss them with the arugula leaves.1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- To assemble the salad, transfer the dressed arugula to a serving plate. Top it with strawberries, crumbled feta, and the toasted pine nuts. Alternatively, gently toss all the ingredients together and then add the feta cheese.1 + ½ cup strawberries, 2-3 ounces feta cheese, ¼ cup pine nuts
- Finish by drizzling fresh lemon juice over the salad just before serving for a delightful burst of freshness!lemon wedges for serving
Notes
- This recipe serves 4 large or 8 small portions. Nutrition information is estimated per serving if divided into 4 small portions.
- Store this salad for up to 1 hour; the dressing's acidity may wilt the arugula and soften the strawberries. The dressing itself can be refrigerated for up to a week.
- To reduce bitterness in arugula or spinach, the acid and sweetness in the salad dressing help. You can also blanch the leaves by soaking them in ice water for 5-10 minutes, draining and patting them dry before using.
- To prepare ahead: Store the dressing in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the arugula leaves separate in a bowl for up to 3 days before mixing with other ingredients and serving.
Nutrition
🤷 Strawberry Arugula Salad: FAQ's
To make a delightful strawberry arugula salad with feta, start by combining fresh strawberries and arugula in a bowl.
Add in some toasted pecans for crunch and flavor, and crumble some feta cheese on top. Drizzle it with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and toss gently to mix all the ingredients well.
The essential ingredients for a tasty strawberry arugula salad recipe include fresh strawberries, peppery arugula, pecans, feta cheese, and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.
You can also add goat cheese or blueberries for extra flavor.
To elevate the taste of your summer salad with sweet strawberries, consider adding ingredients like grilled chicken, walnuts, and sunflower seeds for added texture and protein.
To dry strawberries without a salad spinner, rinse them under cold water to remove dirt, then gently pat each berry dry with paper towels.
Spread them on a clean kitchen towel to air dry for 15-20 minutes; using a fan can hasten drying.
Use or store the strawberries in a container lined with paper towels in the fridge for freshness.
To dry arugula without a salad spinner, rinse it under cold water to remove dirt, then shake it in a colander to remove excess water.
Next, spread the arugula on a kitchen towel, patting it dry gently with another towel on top.
Optionally, allow it to air dry briefly before using immediately or storing in the refrigerator with paper towels to maintain freshness.
Strawberry leaves are considered safe to eat. But you typically don't eat strawberry leaves in salads because they're tough and slightly bitter.
People usually remove them before eating the sweet, juicy berries, which are the main part used in salads and other dishes.
Kendra
delicious salad, perfect for summer. We make it all the time!
Rita
thank you Kendra!