Spinach and Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
This Spinach and Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette will become your new favorite side salad! With only 5 minutes of prep time and a handful of simple salad ingredients, this delicious spinach arugula salad recipe is a quick and flavorful addition to any meal.
Looking for simple salads and sides? Try my Easy Caesar Salad Without Anchovies, Simple Arugula Salad, or this TikTok Green Goddess Salad!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this simple spinach and arugula salad:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Baby Greens (Spinach and Arugula): Spinach adds a nice leafy green base while arugula offers a peppery kick! Spinach and arugula together complement each other so well and I love this combo!
Lemon vinaigrette: A simple homemade salad dressing of extra virgin olive oil, lemon, mustard, honey, and salt and black pepper coats the spinach arugula salad, adding a burst of refreshing flavor.
Nuts: Though they are optional, I like to add chopped nuts like walnuts for crunch! You can use any type of nut you like.
HOW TO MAKE SPINACH AND ARUGULA SALAD: STEP-BY-STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the printable recipe card below!
Step 1: Place baby greens in a large salad bowl or on 4 individual plates.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey mustard, honey, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Drizzle the dressing over the greens and toss gently. Top the salad with Parmesan cheese and nuts, if using. Serve right away.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Make the dressing in a mason jar. Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a pint-size jar to avoid extra dishes to wash. Seal the lid tightly, and shake vigorously to combine everything well.
- Add toppings last. Avoid tossing the cheese and nuts with the greens to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the bowl. Instead, garnish the salad with them for a contrast in color and texture.
- Serve immediately. Fresh baby spinach and arugula will begin wilting as soon as they are tossed, so dress the salad just before serving.
Confidence Tip
Double the salad dressing for an easy marinade that will go great with blackened chicken or air fryer chicken breast.
STORAGE & REHEATING
Storage: For the best flavor and texture, keep this spinach salad undressed until ready to serve. Store the leafy greens in an airtight container and the homemade dressing separately in a jar in the fridge for 5 days.
When ready to serve, just shake the dressing to redistribute all the flavors, assemble the salad, toss, and serve.
ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
ADDITIONS:
- Other veggies: Consider adding slices of red onion, cherry tomatoes, or avocado slices to change up this easy recipe.
- Add some sweetness: Try adding apple slices, dried cranberries, or some pomegranate arils to give this simple salad a subtle sweetness.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Change the greens: The combination of spinach and zesty arugula makes this vibrant salad irresistible. But try it with green-leaf or romaine lettuce.
- Nutty substitution: Instead of walnuts, try lightly toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds.
- Swap out the cheese: Parm is always a classic choice for a green salad, but creamy goat cheese complements the peppery arugula well, too. Try different cheeses to find your favorite. Blue cheese or feta cheese crumbles would be delish!
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Honey mustard has a slight hint of sweetness but you can use Dijon mustard and a little bit of additional honey for a similar effect.
Absolutely! This salad dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend you pull it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature first, as it’s easier to redistribute the ingredients. Shake to combine well again and drizzle over salad.
The good thing is that most bagged fresh spinach and arugula are already pre-washed and ready to go. If they are not, rinse the greens thoroughly in cold water and use a salad spinner, or pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. You want the leafy greens to be completely dry before tossing with the dressing.
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I hope you love this Spinach and Arugula Salad. If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Spinach and Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups baby spinach 1-2 large handfuls
- 2-3 cups baby arugula 1-2large handfuls
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp honey mustard See Note 1
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp salt, more to taste + a freshly ground pepper
- 3 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese Parmigiano Reggiano works best!
- 3-4 tbsp chopped nuts, optional walnuts work well!
Instructions
- Prep Greens: Place baby greens in a large salad bowl or on 4 individual plates.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl (or jar with a tight-fitting lid), whisk or shake olive oil, lemon juice, honey mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Drizzle: Drizzle dressing over greens. Top with Parmesan cheese and nuts (if using). Serve right away!
Such a lovely light green salad. So many different ways to serve it too.
Oooh, arugula is my favorite. It sounds so good paired with the lemon vinaigrette. Such an easy and delicious salad.
What an absolutely delicious salad! I wish I’d made more so I could have more leftovers!
This salad and dressing was simple, yet so flavorful. It was the perfect side salad to our chicken dinner last night – a keeper!
I just made this for lunch to take in today. Excited for this freshness!