Arugula salad recipe inspired by the flavors of Tuscany. The peppery green gets tossed with radicchio, cheese and a tasty dressing.
This arugula salad recipe is inspired by the flavors of Tuscany. The peppery green is popular in Italy, though as I understand it you might be more likely to have it tossed with other greens for flavor rather than served as the main salad green.
Radicchio, which has a bitter quality, provides contrasting flavor and taste. Some good quality Parmigiano cheese, and a dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, and you’ve got a great salad to serve along with a pasta or other Italian entree.
There’s also a cost benefit to this arugula salad, too. I cringe a bit when I pick up the small containers of greens, as they can be around $4. But they are so convenient they often find their way to our fridge.
The good news with the baby arugula is you get so much of the little greens packed into the container, you can easily use one container for two meals, which makes the price more economical.
If you like the taste of arugula, there’s more good news when it comes to health. Arugula is more nutrient dense than many other leafy vegetables, as described in this article. Another reason to give this arugula salad recipe a try, and add it to your repertoire!
Recipe card
Tuscan Arugula Salad
Arugula salad recipe inspired by the flavors of Tuscany. The peppery green gets tossed with radicchio, cheese and a tasty dressing.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: tossing vegetables
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 ozs baby arugula
- ½ cup or so chopped red bell pepper
- ½ cup or so radicchio, chopped into thin slivers
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted (almond slices would work well, too)
- generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp mustard
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: whisk the olive oil, vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.
- Rinse the arugula and dry well, using a salad spinner if you have one. Place the greens in a large salad bowl.
- Top the arugula with the chopped peppers and radicchio, and sprinkle a bit of cheese on top.
- Add your salad dressing to the salad, toss well to get the salad well coated. This proportion is enough to cover the leaves and add good flavor without making it overly saturated.
- After tossing with the dressing, sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and a bit more cheese on top of the salad. You are ready to serve and enjoy!
Notes
- We use pumpkin seeds on top as we don’t use nuts in our house. You could use toasted almond slices instead if you like.
Looking for another nutrient-dense salad? Try this Baby Kale Salad with Maple Vinaigrette!
Sarah
I love all the bitterness in arugula and radicchio. The bell pepper is the perfect balance. What a great idea!
Cooking Chat
Thanks Sarah!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
Such a beautiful salad. I love the pumpkin seeds. Was also interested to learn about the high nutrient content of arugula! Look forward to trying this salad!
Cooking Chat
I was pleasantly surprised to find out how nutritious arugula is, because I love the taste!