This healthy Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette recipe has a delicious combination of peppery greens and dressing with a touch of sweetness from the maple syrup. Our contribution to today’s Sunday Supper Winter Salads event. Click here to jump down to the recipe.
When I heard the #SundaySupper group was going to focus on winter salads today, I knew I’d need to share a recipe. I have a knack for making salads that have been taking seconds and asking, “What’s in this salad?”.
Today I’m sharing Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette. The sweetness of maple syrup in the vinaigrette is a nice contrast to the pepperiness of the arugula. I also added a bit of radicchio, which has a bitter quality to it that also gets picked up by the maple vinaigrette. I always like to add a bit of cheese to my salads, and top it off with some toasted pumpkin seeds for some crunch. Both of those tasty items are part of this arugula salad with maple vinaigrette recipe.
When I’m ordering salad out somewhere, I like to order the dressing on the side, as otherwise the greens can get doused with too much dressing. However, when making salad at home, I like to toss the salad with just enough dressing so that the greens are consistently covered. Making a fresh, homemade dressing and then making sure ever leaf in the salad has a bit of that good taste is definitely one reason people love my salads!
I’m not sure if there’s a strict definition of winter salads, but I thought this Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette qualified for a few reasons. The baby arugula I use for this is available fresh in ready to use packs pretty consistently throughout the winter, so it strikes me as being less tied to the spring or summer season than some salads. Plus I associate maple syrup with colder winter days, perhaps because it can top waffles or pancakes for a comforting breakfast. And next month the maple trees around here will be producing the sap again that gets turned into syrup.
Another reason to make this arugula salad is that the tasty little green packs a lot of nutrition! I learned while researching for my Collards & Kale Cookbook that arugula provides a lot of vitamins and minerals. If you want to try an arugula salad with a different flavor, try my Tuscan Arugula Salad.
This salad is pretty easy to put together. I wrote the recipe to serve three, but it is easily scaled up to serve more. Give our Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette a try, and I suspect your family will want to know what’s in it, too!
Time to check out the Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette recipe details!
Recipe card
Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Sweet maple vinaigrette provides a nice contrast to the peppery arugula salad greens and radicchio.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: toss
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- pepper to taste
- 3 ozs baby arugula
- ½ head of radicchio, chopped into thin slices
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette: combine the syrup, olive oil, soy sauce and vinegar in bowl.
- Whisk in the mustard. Add pepper to taste. Set aside to toss with the arugula salad.
- Add the arugula to a large salad bowl, then add the radicchio and bell pepper.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top of the sald.
- Gradually pour the maple vinaigrette over the greens. Toss to coast the leaves thoroughly with the dressing.
- Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top of the salad. Serve and enjoy!
Wendy Klik
All the components of a great salad David, savory, sweet, spicy, crunchy and salty.
Cooking Chat
That’s true, Wendy, it does hit all those points!
Caroline
A delicious-sounding but simple salad – looks great.
Cooking Chat
Thanks Caroline, it is simple!
Deanna Samaan
Ohh Im in love with the flavors on this one!
Laura Dembowski
Those pumpkin seeds are calling my name! So healthy and yummy!
Terri Steffes
That is a gorgeous salad.
Liz
A simple, yet flavorful salad! Perfect side for almost every meal!
cheri
HI David,arugula is one of my favorites, love the maple viniagrette…they sound perfect together.
Cooking Chat
Thanks cheri, we are big arugula fans here too!
Lynne @ MyGourmetConnection
Between the arugula and radicchio there’s a lot of flavor going on here – looks wonderful!
Cooking Chat
Thanks Lynne, that is true! all comes together nicely.
Sue Lau
The maple in the vinaigrette sounds so perfect!
Cindy Kerschner
I like the crunch of pumpkin seeds in here!
Jeff the Chef
I like the color. Seems like a wintry pallet. I think maybe black raisins or toasted walnuts might be pretty in there, too,
Cooking Chat
I be you are right, Jeff, that walnuts be a nice addition. We avoid them due to a nut allergy in the house but otherwise I’d be all in! (I’m not the one with the allergy)
Renee @Reneeskitchenadventures
Currently wishing this was on my table for lunch today! Love all the flavors!
Cooking Chat
Thanks Renee!
Monica
This looks so elegant! The perfect starter for a dinner party.
Cooking Chat
Thanks Monica!
Anonymous