Say goodbye to summer and hello to winter citrus season with this bright lemon arugula salad topped with lots of cracked pepper and parmesan.
This post may contain affiliate links; this means if you purchase an item linked, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Click here to learn more about my disclosure policy.
The easiest salad for any season
Any salad that comes together in 5 minutes is an automatic winner in my book. That said, this lemon arugula salad really goes the extra mile!
It's mad with just arugula, shaved parmesan and a lemon dijon dressing that is sure to brighten any meal. This dish is especially fun to make during the cold winter months, when citrus of all kinds are in season.
It's wonderful served with red meat, on top of veggie bowls or on its own with some croutons.
Super simple lemon dijon dressing
The best part about this salad is definitely the lemon dijon dressing. With grated garlic, sharp dijon mustard, and the juice of an entire lemon, it packs a serious punch.
The bright lemony flavor of this dressing is the perfect pair with the peppery bite that arugula is known for. Topped with freshly shaved slices of parmesan and it's good enough to make you forget you're eating a salad.
Make ahead tips
As with most dishes, this lemon arugula salad can be made ahead of time. The trick? Waiting to add the dressing until the last minute.
Start by prepping arugula and plating in your salad bowl, then shave your parmesan on top and cover with plastic wrap. Next, grate the garlic, juice your lemon and assemble your dressing. Set in an air tight jar in the fridge.
From there, it's as easy as dressing your salad when you're ready to serve! This dish can be made up to 3 days in advance following these steps.
Vegan & dairy free adaptation
- Share any helpful allergen information
- if you wanted to make a baking recipe vegan you could link to how to make a flax egg to sub for the egg
- link to my oat milk recipe to sub for the milk
- Share my favorite gluten free flour (bob’s red mill) as an easy gf substitute
What to serve it with
I can't give you an awesome salad recipe like this and not tell you what to pair it with! So here are some of my personal favorites:
Allergen tags
This recipe does not contain the following allergens (read more about this on my disclosure page):
Click on the Allergen Icons above to find more allergy friendly recipes in each category.
Happy cooking!
Salima
PrintLemon Arugula Salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
- Category: Raw, Salad
- Method: Raw, Tossed
- Cuisine: Italian, American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 cups arugula
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
- ½ cup shaved parmesan
Instructions
- In a small jar combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well to make your dressing.
- In a large bowl, toss the arugula with the dressing. Top with shaved parmesan and enjoy!
Keywords: Lemon Arugula Salad