This Spinach Arugula Salad will soon become your go-to summer green salad. Utilising fresh summer produce tossed in a simple black garlic vinaigrette, it pairs with just about everything for any occasion.
This vibrant green salad is wonderfully herbaceous and full of crunchy summer vegetables such as snow peas and crisp cucumbers. The black garlic vinaigrette adds a note of liquorice sweetness to make it a bit more interesting.
For other green salad recipes, why not try our Romaine Avocado Salad with its oh-so decadently creamy vegan dressing or our ever-popular French Green Salad? For something super simple, our Greek Lettuce Salad would be ideal.
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What Makes Arugula or Rocket Spicy?
It is the glucosinolates in rocket/arugula that give it its spicy taste because of its high sulphur content. And it is for this reason I have used it in this salad for its herbaceous, peppery flavour.
Should I Wash My Bagged Salad?
The Food Safety Information Council in Australia and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US recommends washing all fruit and vegetables in plenty of running water and then drying them thoroughly.
Though bagged salad may state that it is pre-washed, in my opinion, it can’t always be trusted to be completely clean. Supermarket produce may contain bacteria and traces of pesticides and chemicals that were used to grow and ship to stores so that they can remain fresher for longer.
Consider investing in a quality salad spinner as this makes drying your leaves much easier and makes for a tastier salad as your salad dressing is not diluted by the water in your leaves.
What Can I Use Instead Of Black Garlic?
Black garlic can be found in large supermarket chains such as Coles and Woollies in Australia or Trader Joe’s in the US.
If you are unable to find it, then simply roast regular garlic with some balsamic vinegar until it softens.
How to Make It
1WASH LEAVES
Wash your spinach and arugula/rocket leaves, remove any wilted or damaged leaves and either pat or spin dry in a salad spinner.
2PREP REMAINING INGREDIENTS
Wash your snow peas and remove the strings. Then slice on the diagonal.
To do this, pinch the stem end of the pod with either your fingers or a knife, then pull the string down towards the other end and discard.
More mature pods may need stringing on both sides; often, you can do this from both sides at once – by cutting the stem carefully and pulling down both sides at once.
Wash, trim and peel your cucumber, leaving alternative green strips. Remove the seeds and then slice them on the diagonal.
Wash, remove the pit, peel your avocado and then dice.
3SHAKE UP DRESSING & ASSEMBLE
Finely dice your black garlic carefully as it is sticky.
Place in a glass jar with all the remaining vinaigrette ingredients, season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Shake well to combine.
How to Make This Salad a Meal
While this salad is light and refreshing, you can make it more substantial by adding..
- Shaved Parmesan or crumbled feta
- Grilled bacon or chicken
- Seared lamb or steak
- Sliced olives
- Cooked chickpeas or beans
- Your favourite nuts
Serving Suggestions
This is a great basic summer green salad that you can serve with just about anything, from red meat, poultry, fish or seafood. Try it with grilled or roasted meats, a whole barbecue fish, a Moroccan summer vegetable tagine, harissa chicken or pepper steak.
Can I Make It Ahead?
While this salad is best served soon after making it, here are some make-ahead tips…
- Make sure your salad ingredients are completely dry before making up the salad.
- Either squeeze plenty of lemon juice on top of the avocado or add it just prior to serving.
- Make up the vinaigrette separately to add to the salad just before serving.
- Keep the dressing and the salad separately and toss them together just before serving.
Some More Green Salad Recipes...
Recipe Card
Equipment
- Salad Spinner
Ingredients
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups rocket/arugula
- 250 grams snow peas (approximately 9oz)
- 1 medium Lebanese or Persian cucumber
- 1 large avocado
- 1 cup mixed soft herbs
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves black garlic
Instructions
- Wash your spinach and arugula/rocket leaves, remove any wilted or damaged leaves and either pat or spin dry in a salad spinner.
- Wash your snow peas and remove the strings. Then slice on the diagonal.
- To do this, pinch the stem end of the pod with either your fingers or a knife then pull the string down towards the other end and discard.
- More mature pods may need stringing on both sides, often you can do this from both sides at once – by cutting the stem carefully and pulling down both sides at once.
- Wash, trim and peel your cucumber, leaving alternative green strips. Remove the seeds and then slice on the diagonal.
- Wash, remove the pit, peel your avocado and then dice.
- Finely dice your black garlic carefully as it is sticky.
- Place in a glass jar with all the remaining vinaigrette ingredients, season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Shake well to combine.
- Arrange in a salad bowl and serve immediately.
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