Last Updated on May 2, 2025 by Sabrina Currie
I love peppery arugula and this quick and easy arugula salad with lemon dressing is the perfect summer salad. With just 6 simple ingredients and only 10 minutes, you'll have a delicious salad with homemade salad dressing on the table in no time.
Why I Love This Salad Recipe
I'm a huge fan of arugula and this salad is honestly my go-to salad to pair with grilled steak on a Friday night. It always gets rave reviews. The peppery taste of the arugula paired with fresh lemon vinaigrette is an elegant and classic combination ideal for easy entertaining. You can dress it up with hard-boiled egg, fruit or nuts, or just enjoy the simplicity of this salad as is.
Also known as rocket, arugula grows well in my garden, both returning as a perennial and self seeding too. It starts in early spring, gets spicier during the warmer weather of summer and continues growing until heavy frost hits. It's popular in French and Italian cuisine so I always feel fancy serving it to guests 😉 (You may also like easy arugula spinach salad or arugula burrata salad with roasted grapes, YUMMY!)
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Recipe Ingredients
I've taken inspiration from Italy for this simple arugula salad. It's the perfect side dish for pasta, seafood, grilled meat, roast chicken and more.
- Arugula - Use your favorite type. Fresh baby arugula, spicy Italian heirloom arugula (what I grow in my garden), quick growing and delicate Astra, colorful purple and green Dragon's Fire or any other variety you like.
- Lemon - As usual, when lemon is a main ingredient I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice. Additionally, you'll get the extra lemon flavor of the lemon zest which really makes this the best arugula salad.
- Parmesan Cheese - With it's creamy, salty and nutty flavor, shaved parmesan cheese is a simple and refined garnish over the top of the salad. ⅔ of a cup sounds like a lot but once grated with a micro plane grater, it only takes about 1-2 ounces to make that much. If you shave it with a vegetable peeler, you may need a little more. You can use other cheese if you prefer. Crumble goat cheese, feta cheese or other grated dry cheese like Grana Padano are all tasty in this recipe.
- Oil - Good quality, fresh and fruity olive oil pairs well with the peppery flavor of the arugula but you can use lighter flavored vegetable oil if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
I use my microplane grater almost daily. For parmesan cheese, lemon or lime zest, garlic or ginger, it is one of my most used tools. The original Microplane brand is sharp and lasts a long time.
Substitutions + Variations
Arugula is a versatile and flavorful leafy green that makes an excellent side salad for almost any meal. The best part is the zesty lemon vinaigrette. Because this salad is so simple, it lends itself well to extra additions if you want to dress it up more.
- Crunch - To add some extra crunch, add ½ a cup of toasted and cooled pine nuts, chopped hazelnuts or pecans. Or go with 2 cups of crispy croutons or 1 cup of thinly sliced fennel.
- Color - To add extra color to this lemon arugula salad, throw in some halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced bell peppers, slivered red onions, kalamata olives or radishes.
- Main Dish - To make this into a main course salad, top it with hard or soft-boiled eggs, cooked and sliced chicken breasts or grilled steak.
Step-by-Step Instructions
A great salad for any arugula lover and a tasty, healthy side dish for almost any meal. This recipe comes together fast with simple, garden or grocery store ingredients.
Step 1. Using a fine cheese grater or lemon zester, zest the lemon, taking care not to grate the bitter white pith in.
Step 2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a mason jar or small bowl. Shake or whisk the lemon dressing recipe until it is emulsified. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Step 3. Wash the arugula in cold water and dry it in a salad spinner or wrapped gently in a clean tea towel. Place the cleaned arugula in a large serving bowl.
Step 4. Pour enough dressing over the greens to just barely coat them once tossed. Taste and add more dressing if you like.
Step 5. Grate or shave fresh parmesan cheese over the top and grind a little fresh black pepper over. Serve right away while cool or at room temperature.
Leftovers will wilt but can be stored safely in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tip For Leftovers
While the greens from this arugula salad with lemon dressing will wilt overnight, they are still delicious and nutritious. Toss the dressed, wilted greens through freshly cooked hot pasta and top with fresh cracked pepper and a generous dusting of parmesan cheese for a quick and delicious meal. Or stir the wilted leftover salad into soup or beans.
Expert Tips
To keep greens crisp, keep them loosely wrapped in plastic in the crisper of your refrigerator until ready to use. If your arugula is starting to wilt, put it in a large bowl of ice cold water for 15 minutes before draining and drying. Wrap it loosely in a tea towel and place in the fridge if not using right away.
More Salad Recipes
Love this arugula salad with lemon dressing but want more? Check out these fun, refreshing and flavorful salad recipes!
- Greek Spinach Salad With Feta + Fresh Lemon Dressing
- Beetroot and cucumber salad with creamy dill dressing
- Easy Arugula Spinach Salad With Quick Pickled Onions
- Easy Arugula Burrata Salad With Oven Roasted Grapes
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Quick And Easy Arugula Salad With Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
- 10 c Arugula
- 4 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tsp Lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- ½ c Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ⅔ c Grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Wash arugula in cold water and spin or drain it and place the arugula on a tea towel and gently roll it to absorb the water. Add the cleaned arugula to a large salad bowl.
- Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, herbs, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a mason jar or small bowl. Shake up the lemon dressing recipe in a mason jar or whisk it in a bowl until it is emulsified. Season to taste with extra salt and pepper.
- Pour enough dressing over the greens to just barely coat them once tossed. Taste and add more dressing if you like.
- Grate or shave fresh parmesan cheese over the top and grind a little fresh black pepper over. Serve right away while cool or at room temperature.
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