Green Salads

Arugula Parmesan Salad

This arugula Parmesan salad is the restaurant side dish you can make in five minutes flat — peppery arugula, shards of aged Parmesan, lemon juice, and good olive oil. There is no real recipe, just balance: sharp greens, salty cheese, bright acid, and a slick of fruity oil. It is the perfect partner to pasta, pizza, or roast chicken, and it proves that the simplest salads are often the best.

Arugula Parmesan Salad
5 minPrep time
5 minTotal time
4Servings
180Kcal / serving

Ingredients

  • 5 oz baby arugula
  • 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • Handful toasted pine nuts (optional)
  • Salt and coarse black pepper

Instructions

  1. Dress the greens

    Pile the arugula in a wide bowl. Squeeze over the lemon juice, drizzle with olive oil, and add a small pinch of salt.

  2. Toss lightly

    Toss with your hands just until every leaf glistens — arugula bruises easily, so be gentle.

  3. Add the Parmesan

    Scatter over the shaved Parmesan and pine nuts if using.

  4. Finish

    Crack over plenty of black pepper and serve immediately, before the leaves wilt.

Finish it with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette, or pair it with our Simple Garden Salad for a bigger spread. New to building bowls from scratch? Start with our How to Keep Salad Fresh All Week guide.

The MakeSalads secretUse a vegetable peeler on a wedge of Parmesan for wide, dramatic shards — they taste better than the pre-grated stuff and look far more elegant.

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