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Home » Summer Salads

Arugula Salad Recipe with Squash Flowers

Made by Anastasia Papapetros - Serves 4 Filed Under: Green Salad Recipes, Low Carb Salads, Paleo Salads, Quick Salad Recipes, Salad Index, Salad Recipes By Ingredient, Salads by Diet, Salads by Season, Summer Salads, Vegan Salads, Vegetarian Salads

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This Arugula Salad Recipe has it all! Delicious, nutritious and ready in less than 10 minutes - what more can you ask for? Its delicate flavour comes from peppery arugula, sweet pumpkin flowers and crunchy pistachios, all packing a nutritional punch that you'll love. And it's effortless to make, so why settle for a boring salad?

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Close-up of arugula salad with squash flowers with zucchini flowers on the side.
ARUGULA SALAD

You may be thinking, what on earth possessed me to add pumpkin flowers to a salad? To be honest, it was purely by accident; I found myself absent-mindedly munching on them while I was stuffing them (a Cretan delicacy).

I just loved the taste so much and immediately thought they would work well in a salad, and how right I was.

Raw pumpkin flowers have a gentle sweet yet slightly earthy taste, pairing well with the peppery rocket, crunchy pistachios and simple lemon olive oil dressing in this salad.

In This Post:
 [hide]
  • You Will Need
  • How To Make It
  •  Serving Suggestions  🍽
  • Tips and Questions
  • If You Are Keen to Try More Cucurbit Flower Recipes Then Try Our:
  • Recipe Card

You Will Need

Labelled ingredients needed to make an arugula salad recipe with squash flowers.

How To Make It

Step 1 - Prepare Your Ingredients

Wash your rocket, remove any damaged or wilted leaves, and then either pat dry or spin dry in a salad spinner to remove excess water.

Arugula or rocket being dried in a salad spinner.

Remove the papery skin from your French shallot (eschalot) and cut it into fine dice.

FINELY DICING ESCHALOT ON WOODEN BOARD

Step 2 - Prepare Your Flowers

First of all, make sure that you choose flowers that are brightly coloured with no shrivelling or wilting. 

Use kitchen scissors to cut off the stem.

Hands cutting of the stems of a squash flower with scissors.

Then gently remove any spiny leaves around the blossom as they can sting. 

REMOVing THE SPINY LEAVES from a zucchini flower

Gently open up the blossom and cut off the pistil with your kitchen scissors or you can gently reach into the flower to remove the pistil and stamen. The flower is very delicate, so take care not to break it. 

cut pumpkin flower stamen

As these delicate blossoms tend to close up soon after picking we keep them, one inside the other and stack them. We then wrap them in paper towels so that they stay fresher for longer and store them in a plastic bag in the fridge.
It is very difficult to stuff them once the flowers have closed up.

placing pumpkin flowers inside each other to store

Gently cut your flowers into strips with a small sharp knife.

CUTTING SQUASH FLOWERS INTO STRIPS

Step 3 - Shake up Your Vinaigrette

Add the lemon juice and olive oil in a glass jar, season with sea salt and cracked black pepper then shake until emulsified.

Step 4 - Assemble Your Salad

Place all your prepared ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

ARUGULA SALAD INGREDIENTS IN A WHITE BOWL

Then toss gently to combine.

MIXING ARUGULA SALAD INGREDIENTS IN A WHITE BOWL

Arrange the salad in a salad bowl, then scatter the extra crushed pistachios on top to garnish.

Pour the dressing into a small jug to serve on the side. Serve your salad, then pour the dressing on top and toss just before eating.

Arugula salad with squash flowers in a black bowl with pistachios in a small black bowl and zucchini flowers on the side.

 Serving Suggestions  🍽

With such simple flavours, this salad pairs well with almost everything, it is such a pretty salad that you could serve it at your next dinner party to impress your guests.

We had it with Mum’s stuffed calamari with tall glasses of iced ouzo. But we have also served it at a special dinner that we paired with a whole roasted snapper recipe by Neil Perry.

Tips and Questions

So Where Do I Find Flowers for My Arugula Salad Recipe?

We are lucky enough to have a neighbour with an endless supply during the summer months, but you may be able to find them at a farmers market or some greengrocers, otherwise, zucchini or squash flowers are a great alternative as they are all closely related cucurbits.

What Else Can I Do With the Flowers?

If you are wondering what else you can do with your pretty little blossoms, you could...

  • Roll them in pancake batter and fry them just like you would your pancakes then serve them with fresh berries, maple syrup, whipped ricotta or fresh cream as a sweet treat.
  • Stuff them with rice or ricotta and goats cheese as a great starter or light lunch.
  • Snack on them raw, they are low cal and delicious!

Some Tips for Your Arugula Salad Recipe

  • Make sure that you store your flowers one inside the other otherwise, they will close up quickly and won’t look as attractive.
  • Assemble your salad and leave the dressing in a separate container to add to at the last minute at the dinner table. This is a delicate salad that should be eaten soon after you make it.

To Meal Prep This Salad for Your Lunches

  • For meal prep, make up the salad and put it in a container with the dressing on the side to add to at the last minute.
  • I would prepare this salad the day before eating and not any longer than that, the flowers are just too delicate.
  • For additional protein, you can add pretty much anything that takes your fancy, from meatballs to grilled chicken, pulled pork, flaked salmon, baked ricotta, and crumbed and fried tofu all work well.

If You Are Keen to Try More Cucurbit Flower Recipes Then Try Our:

ZUCCHINI SALAD
ZUCCHINI SALAD WITH GREEN MANGO
An angled close-up of middle eastern salad.
MIDDLE EASTERN SALAD WITH FLOWERS

Recipe Card

Arugula salad with squash flowers in a black bowl with pistachios in a small black bowl and zucchini flowers on the side.

Arugula Salad Recipe with Squash Flowers

This arugula salad recipe has it all - it is delicious, nutritious and effortless! No need to settle for a boring salad it is ready in less than 10 minutes.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
* Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Easy
Servings: 4 as a side
Calories: 202kcal
Author: Anastasia Papapetros
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Equipment
  • Salad Spinner
Ingredients
For the salad...
  • 120 grams wild rocket (arugula) (approximatel 3 cups)
  • 8 zucchini flowers
  • 1 small French shallot
  • ¼ cup pistachios, crushed
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
For the dressing...
  • 2 tbsps lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
  • 4 tbsps olive oil
For the garnish...
  • 2 tbsps pistachios (crushed)
Metric - Imperial
Instructions
  • Wash your arugula (rocket) and pat dry. Trim your eschalot and cut into a fine dice.
  • Prepare your zucchini flowers by cutting off the stem, any outer green leaves and inner pistil and stamen with kitchen scissors.
  • Take care not to tear the blossoms and place them one inside the other so that they stay open for longer.
  • Gently cut your flowers into strips with a small sharp knife. Then place everything in a large mixing bowl with the crushed pistachios.
  • Add the lemon juice and olive oil in a glass jar and shake until emulsified.
  • Place the rocket, zucchini flowers, eschaots and the pistachios in a mixing bowl and toss gently to combine.
  • Arrange the salad in a salad bowl, then scatter the extra crushed pistachios on top to garnish.Pour the dressing into a small jug to serve on the side.
  • Serve your salad and pour the dressing on top and toss just before eating.

Video

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 837IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @salads_with_anastasia or tag #salads_with_anastasia!
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About Anastasia Papapetros

Anastasia has been passionate about cooking since she was eight years old, and hasn't left the kitchen since! With over a decade of experience running her own coffee shop and catering business, Anastasia has developed a true love for salads - especially for family get-togethers and friends' functions. She's the go-to for bringing the perfect salad to any occasion!

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