This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
This Arugula Salad is a show stopper! It’s topped with an easy & delicious raspberry vinaigrette, which perfectly balances this spicy green lettuce. Paired with sweet pears, crunchy pecans, and creamy goat cheese, this salad is addictive.
Benefits of Arugula
Arugula is a dark leafy green that most of us probably don’t eat often enough. Which is why this salad should be added to your weekly rotation!
Here’s what I love about arugula:
- It’s a good source of calcium, which may help to promote bone health and muscle function.
- It contains folate, which is a B vitamin that supports DNA production, and is especially important during pregnancy.
- Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable, so it’s a good source of phytonutrients, which may help to lower inflammation in the body.
- One study suggests that it may have anti-cancer properties.
Plus, the peppery flavor of arugula makes a nice change in your regular salad routine!
How to Make the Best Arugula Salad
To make this delicious salad, you’ll need to prepare the dressing. It’s what brings all of these flavors together, and it tastes so much better than a store-bought bottle of salad dressing.
Tart raspberries brighten up this easy recipe, and also allow you to use less oil than a traditional salad dressing. I like to add a touch of shallot to the dressing, but you can use red onion, if that’s easier.
The great thing about making your own salad dressing is that you can taste it as you go– so feel free to adjust the sweetness to your preference.
You can make this dressing up to 2 days in advance, so feel free to do that and keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve this salad. It’s best to dress it right before serving, so it doesn’t get soggy.
Arugula Salad Toppings
Below you’ll find some of my favorite toppings for this salad, but keep in mind that you can swap them out for whatever happens to be in season and available to you.
Fresh raspberries make a great topping when they are in season, but you can use pomegranate arils in the late Fall and Winter months. They add beautiful color for a holiday meal.
Need another way to use arugula? Try my Creamy Arugula Soup!
Ingredients
Raspberry Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup raspberries (fresh, or thawed from frozen)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallot (or red onion)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Arugula Salad
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 1 pear (red or green), cored and sliced
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 3 ounces soft goat cheese
- 1/4 cup pecans , chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh raspberries (or pomegranate arils)
Instructions
- To make the dressing, combine the raspberries, oil, vinegar, maple syrup, shallot, and salt in a blender, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the flavor, as needed.
- To assemble the salad, arrange the arugula in a large serving bowl, and top it with the sliced pear, goat cheese, pecans, and raspberries or pomegranate arils. Drizzle half the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and add more dressing, as desired. Serve right away.
- This dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to dress this salad right before serving it, so it doesn't get soggy.
Video
Nutrition
Arugula Salad Nutrition (with 2 tablespoons dressing): Calories: 217, Fat: 15g, Carbohydrates: 14g, Fiber: 4g, Protein: 6g
Recipe Notes:
- If you don’t have red wine vinegar on hand, feel free to swap it for apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar. Both should work well with this combination, flavor-wise!
- To make this recipe vegan or Paleo-friendly, leave off the cheese.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it. And if you make any modifications, let me know how it works out! We can all benefit from hearing about your experience.
–
Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite salad combination? This holiday salad is my usual go-to for bringing to parties, but I think I’m going to bring this arugula one this year to switch things up!
I loved this recipe so much! We had fresh arugula and radishes that were perfect for the base of this salad! I substituted apple cider vinegar for red wine vinegar in the dressing, because that was all we had, and it still turned out delicious:) thank you for the recipe!
I made the Raspberry Vinaigrette with a little balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar and it’s delicious!! I used romaine for the lettuce, as I like crispy! This was a hit with the family!
Made this for a thanksgiving appetizer and it was a major hit! Many people commented how good it was and my dad who rates every dish and is brutally honest gave it a 10/10. Will make this again!! The pears are a must too, they balance everything out! Used lemon juice instead of vinegar in the dressing
The dressing is amazing! I kept the salad simple–just arugula and pecans—incredible! Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Brought this for Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house, and it was a big hit. It was the perfect counterpoint to all of the heavy food, and it was really easy to make. Will definitely make it again…probably for Christmas dinner.
This dressing is so good! I’m going to bring this for Thanksgiving next week. I just served it with pears and candied pecans as toppings, because that’s what I had, but the dressing really brings it all together!