Arugula Salad with Lemon, Olive Oil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano
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Peppery greens, bright lemon, nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano, and extra-virgin olive oil make this simple arugula salad a classic—serve it as a starter or pile it onto crispy chicken cutlets, a white pizza, or grilled steak.
You’ll find variations of this arugula salad on restaurant menus, sometimes jazzed up with extras like cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, or a balsamic vinegar reduction. But the classic version really needs no improvement: heaps of crisp, peppery arugula, brightened by a squeeze of fresh lemon, a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, nutty shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to bring it all together. Serve the salad as a first course to any Italian meal or as a side dish with crispy fried fish fingers, Parmesan crusted chicken, grilled flank steak, or a margherita pizza. It also works well with a hearty soup, like pasta fagioli or zuppa toscana.
“All this needs is a crispy chicken cutlet. What a fantastically simple salad! I love it.”
What You’ll Need To Make Arugula Salad
- Arugula: Serves as the foundation of the salad. Also known as rocket or rucola, arugula is a leafy green with a peppery, sharp bite. It is sold in bunches or in pre-washed, ready-to-eat bags or containers. Most arugula sold in grocery stores is baby arugula, which is more delicate and mild than mature arugula. (Arugula can also be used to make pesto, like in my linguine with creamy arugula walnut pesto recipe.)
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Provides a bright, acidic component that enhances the arugula’s natural flavors, adding freshness and zing and cutting through the richness of the oil and cheese.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Balances the acidity of the lemon juice, adding richness and smoothness to the dressing, while highlighting the salad’s fresh ingredients.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese: Adds a nutty, salty dimension that contrasts beautifully with the fresh arugula and tangy lemon. Be sure to use imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy. Our domestic Parmesan is an imitation and pales in comparison. You can tell an authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano by looking at the rind; it is embossed with the name over and over.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large salad bowl, combine the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Place the arugula in the bowl and toss with the dressing.
Run a vegetable peeler along one of the flat sides of the Parmigiano Reggiano to create about 1/2 cup cheese shavings (you can also use the slicing blade of a box grater or a cheese planer).
Toss the cheese shavings with the salad and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This arugula salad serves as a versatile base that you can personalize to your taste. Consider adding grilled chicken, grilled shrimp with pesto, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, or even a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction.
If you can’t find arugula, you can substitute it with fresh spinach, mixed greens (which often include arugula), or even baby kale. While the peppery flavor of arugula is unique, these alternatives will still provide a delicious base for your salad.
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Arugula Salad with Lemon, Olive Oil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano
Peppery greens, bright lemon, nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano, and extra-virgin olive oil make this simple arugula salad a classic—serve it as a starter or pile it onto crispy chicken cutlets, a white pizza, or grilled steak.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces (or 5 generous handfuls) arugula
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, from one lemon
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Lucini
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Big hunk Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, combine the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the arugula in the bowl and toss with the dressing.
- Run a vegetable peeler along one of the flat sides of the Parmigiano Reggiano to create about ½ cup cheese shavings (you can also use the slicing blade of a box grater or a cheese planer). Toss the cheese shavings with the salad and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 173
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 266 mg
- Cholesterol: 13 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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We make this salad frequently, and add lightly crushed toasted hazelnuts. Delicious!
Hi Jenn:
I’m making this salad tomorrow night to go with your spaghetti and meatballs. Will be excellent. Thanks for a great recipe.
My favorite way to eat Arugula!!
Funny story, with a triumphant ending…we were at Whole Foods but skipped on the Arugula as we were then going to T.J.’s. As fate would have it, T.J.’s was out of Arugula. I subbed baby spinach. Loved this simple salad like all get out. I will never again have an excuse, for not having yummy salad at my beck and call. Thank you Jenn.
So delicious!
Made this last night to enjoy with your smoky lentil soup and the three of us polished it off. It was delicious. Will try the arugula with manchego and apples next because we have a lot of apples fresh from the Berkshires on hand and a little sweet to go with the salty and peppery flavors sounds so good!
A weekly staple in our house. Takes just a few minutes to prepare and is a fresh addition to any dinner!
I’ve made a version of this wonderful salad for years. I usually use Manchego instead of Parmesan cheese and add toasted crushed hazelnuts.
This salad and dressing were beautifully simple and tasty….it achieves a nice restaurant quality flavor an finesse with just a few simple ingredients…this was fantastic..the arugula is a must have with this salad even if its not your favorite..
WARNING! Please be careful when eating arugula. A small dish is best. If you eat too much, there is a chemical in arugula that results in moderate to extreme stomach pains, gas, and an extended stomach. It usually starts within 30 minutes of eating and lasts about 90 minutes. I literally had the cold sweats for about 90 minutes after indulging in a “big” salad of arugula. Tasty but there is a limit. ✌️🙂
Made this along with the crusted parmesan chicken. So simple and so tasty. Thanks.