Arugula Salad (with Lemon Vinaigrette)

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This arugula salad is the one you’ve been looking for! Peppery arugula mixed with bright tomatoes, parmesan, and dressed with fresh lemon vinaigrette. Perfection!

This salad recipe is one of my favorites. It’s the perfect side dish for any kind of protein and goes well with pretty much anything. Think grilled chicken, fish or shrimp. It goes just as well alongside big fat juicy steak with Twice Baked Potatoes on the side!

It’s one of those no-brainer salads to me. I add fresh baby arugula to a bowl, cut up some tomatoes, grab my bowl and whisk and make a vinaigrette dressing. I then finish with salt and pepper and parmesan.

Then I devour it. This recipe should serve 4, but every time I halve the recipe for The Husband and me, I end up using the rest of the bag of arugula and quickly making more dressing. I’m at the point where I just don’t bother to halve it now – I know we’ll eat it!

It’s so easy and yet, so fabulous. The lemon flavor from the homemade salad dressing is super fresh and bright!

I kind of lick the bowl when all the salad is gone. I should be ashamed, but I’m not.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

If you love salad, you’ll enjoy this Kale Salad as well as this Southwestern Pasta Salad!

Why this recipe works:

Simple ingredients. Using simple easily found ingredients, this a great recipe to throw together at any time.

Balance. Peppery arugula, bright tomatoes, sharp parmesan cheese, combined with a fresh lemon vinaigrette (made with fresh lemon juice dijon mustard) – makes this a perfect.

Kylee’s Notes & FAQs

ADDITIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• If you don’t have fresh lemon juice you can use vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar, but balsamic vinegar goes well in this too!)
• Add some toasted pine nuts when you add the cheese. Trust me, it kicks it up to uber-fancy!
• If you REALLY love lemon flavor – add a pinch of lemon zest to the dressing.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

• Large bowl
• Knife
• Whisk
• Plane grater

Ingredients:

How to make the Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe

Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, dijon, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until smooth and creamy. It might look separated at first – so you need to whisk fast to get it to emulsify. You can make this in a blender or food processor if you need to!

Use as much as you like on your salad – store the rest for later in the refrigerator. If it separates, just shake it up to it re-emulsifies.

I like to make several of my favorite salad dressing ahead and keep them in the fridge to use over the following week. My basic mustard vinaigrette is a favorite, too!

MORE SALAD RECIPES

• Classic Coleslaw – with a Creamy Coleslaw Dressing, this side will be a welcome addition to any table.
• Summery White Bean Salad – Served chilled or at room temperature, this one is great to make ahead, or to grab and go! A short prep time means you can have it on the table fast!
• Greek Salad – from Or Whatever you Do
• Chayote Squash Salad – from Aubrey’s Kitchen
• Cucumber Salad – from a Simple Pantry

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