Simple Spinach and Arugula Side Salad
This simple spinach and arugula side salad is fresh, peppery, and bright, made with tender greens, shredded carrots, juicy tomatoes, pickled red onions, shaved parmesan, and crunchy croutons or breadcrumbs. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but flavorful enough to feel like the kind of salad you’d happily pay extra for at a restaurant.
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Equipment
- 1 salad spinner for washing and thoroughly drying the lettuce
- 1 microplane grater or box grater for shredding carrot
- 1 vegetable peeler for peeling carrot + shaving parmesan
- 1 cutting board + knife for chopping tomatoes
- 1 large salad bowl for serving salad
Ingredients
- 44 g spinach about 1.5 cups, or half a 5-ounce container
- 70 g arugula about 1.5 cups, or half a 5-ounce container
- 60 g carrots about 1/2 cup, peeled + shredded, from 3 medium-sized carrots
- 85 g tomatoes about 1/2 cup, sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
- 30 g pickled red onions about 1/4 cup, or garnished to taste
- 25 g parmesan about 1/3 cup, shaved
- coarse breadcrumbs about 1/3 cup breadcrumbs or croutons, for topping
- salad dressing of choice about 1-2 ounces, or 2-4 TBSP per serving
Instructions
- Prep greens. Wash your spinach and arugula in a salad spinner or colander, then spin to dry or gently dry between a tea towel or layers of paper towel. Get the lettuce as dry as possible to keep it from getting soggy or wilted.44 g spinach, 70 g arugula
- Shred carrot. Peel + shred your carrots using a box grater or microplane grater. You can use pre-shredded matchstick carrots as a shortcut, but freshly grated carrot will be juicier!60 g carrots
- Chop tomatoes. Wash, dry, and chop the tomatoes into halves or quarters.85 g tomatoes
- Drain onions. Scoop pickled red onions from their brine and drain excess moisture from them. This helps to keep the salad dry!
- Shave parmesan. Shave strips of parmesan cheese off the block using a veggie peeler.25 g parmesan
- Assemble salad. Combine the spinach and arugula leaves, tossing gently to mix them well, then layer on the carrots, tomatoes, onions, and parmesan.60 g carrots, 85 g tomatoes, 30 g pickled red onions, 25 g parmesan
- Top with croutons or breadcrumbs. Sprinkle on a few spoonfuls of coarse Italian breadcrumbs or croutons.coarse breadcrumbs
- Dress + serve. Add just enough dressing to gently coat the leaves, then toss gently and serve immediately. Add more dressing if desired.salad dressing of choice
Notes
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- revive your greens - adding ice to your soaking bowl when rinsing the lettuce helps to revive your greens if they’re a bit wilted. Allow them to soak for 5-10 minutes, then scoop the ice cubes out before draining and spinning!
- dry dry dry - the single biggest tip for success is fully drying your greens. All too often I’ll see slightly damp greens going into a bowl to be built into a salad. Wet lettuce won’t hold on to dressing as well, and when you’re working with more delicate greens like tender spinach and arugula, it’s more likely to wilt quicker, too.
- dress to impress - don’t add dressing until you’re ready to serve the salad, otherwise things can get soggy!
- get the right mix of greens - too much spinach on its own can end up tasting sort of mineral-y, thanks to its high oxalic acid content (that’s right, NOT related to the iron content 🤯). Unless you have a preference for one or the other, stick to a 50-50 balance of spinach with arugula to create a blend of flavors that is peppery and slightly bitter, but also tender and slightly sweet!
- chop veggies evenly - always try to keep toppings around the same size, too, so that they mingle well and don’t overpower each other. Keep your toppings small enough to get a bit of everything in each bite, but not so tiny that they get lost in the mix.
♻️ customize your side salads
- make it a main dish - add a baked, roasted, or grilled protein of your choice and this salad becomes a main dish in an instant! I also love to add a few homemade chicken tenders to top salads that would otherwise be a side dish for a quick meal.
- choose your dressing - pick a dressing with a little bite of acidity to help highlight and balance the bold flavors of this salad. Any sort of vinaigrette would work fine, from a basic balsamic vin to a seasonal fruity salad dressing! Add your dressing just before serving to keep everything fresh + crisp!
Nutrition
Calories: 44kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 125mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 4179IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 1mg
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Keyword: autumn, fall, spring, summer, The Balancing Act, The Intrigue, The Pop, winter