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Sautéed Arugula with Red Bell Peppers

Published: Apr 2, 2021 · Modified: Feb 19, 2023 by Cooking Chat · This post may contain affiliate links

Sautéed Arugula with Red Bell Peppers and plenty of garlic is a tasty and easy vegetable side dish. Delicious with chicken, fish or burgers. Some of the wine suggested here was provided as a complimentary sample.

arugula sautéed with red peppers and served on a white plate.

Baby arugula is so handy to have in the fridge. It’s great in salads, and sautéed arugula can be a nice addition to a pasta dish. Arugula can also be the star of a simple side dish, as in today’s Sautéed Arugula with Bell Peppers recipe.

I tend to put most of my cooking energy into the main course, and sometimes the side dish is a bit of an after thought. I gravitate toward the same salads and simple sides.

But it can be a nice addition to give more attention to that side dish, to round out a special dinner, or spruce up a simple entree. Today’s sautéed arugula is one simple side you can try if you haven’t already cooked up something like this in your kitchen.

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Tips for making this recipe
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What to serve with this dish
More arugula recipes
Wine pairing
Recipe card

Tips for making this recipe

I like to cut the red bell pepper for this recipe into long, thin slices. Sauté the pepper until it starts getting nice and soft with a bit of brown, quickly add the garlic before stirring in the arugula.

The recipe calls for baby arugula, as I tend to have it on hand a lot. But you could definitely use one bunch of fully grown arugula if you like. You still cook that until it starts to wilt, just might take another minute or two.

You can use a yellow or orange bell pepper instead of red if you like. I wouldn’t suggest using a green bell pepper.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What does cooked arugula taste like?

Arugula has a peppery flavor profile, making it a welcomed addition to salads and other dishes. Arugula retains the peppery flavor when cooked, although it does get slightly milder. In this recipe, the peppery flavor combines with the garlic and sweet tasting sautéed peppers for a nice variety of tastes.

What happens when you cook arugula?

Like most greens, arugula cooks down a lot when you cook it. The 4 cups of loosely packed arugula quickly cooks down to 2 modest side dish servings.

Is arugula healthy?

Arugula is a very healthy green. Arugula is nutrient dense, high in fiber and antioxidants.

Is arugula the same thing as “rocket”?

Yes, arugula is the same vegetable as rocket. The term arugula is used more in the US, I have come across the term rocket more in Europeans sites.

What to serve with this dish

burger plated with sautéed red peppers and greents.

This Sautéed Arugula with Red Bell Peppers makes a nice side dish for chicken or fish; perhaps along with some couscous to round out the meal. We also enjoyed it with burgers recently. Here are a couple of recipes that this arugula would complement:

More arugula recipes

If you are looking for more arugula recipes, I have you covered! Try some of these ways to use this healthy green.

And for another sautéed veggies dish, try our Sautéed Spinach and Mushrooms!

Wine pairing

Typically I am more focused on the entrée than the side dish when coming up with the wine pairing for a meal. But this arugula recipe does bring a lot of flavor to the table, so does become a factor for picking the wine.

A crisp white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling can cleanse the palate nicely, and could work here. Italian white wines could be a great choice here, such as the Cococciola we served with the baked haddock.

When making this recipe again recently, I was serving the arugula alongside veggie burgers and some rosemary fries. So a red wine came to mind.

cooked arugula and red peppers on a white plate with a burger, served with a red wine. — *Pedroncelli Cabernet Sauvignon with sautéed arugula and peppers*

I intended to open a Zinfandel, but after popping the cork noticed I had actually opened a Cab from Pedroncelli. My first association with this producer is their good Zinfandels, thus my confusion. A happy accident!

The 2017 Pedroncelli Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon ($28, 14.4% ABV) from Dry Creek Valley worked nicely with our burgers and side of arugula. Violets on the nose, cherry, camphor and rosemary on the palate (good with the fries!). Notes of graphite, and supple tannins. A pleasant Cab to sip and food friendly.

Recipe card