Arugula Salad with Feta and Tomato

This salad is for all the arugula lovers out there! The distinctively peppery taste of arugula is sometimes a surprise, if you expect your greens to be tasteless. But treat it with the right combination of flavors and you will love every bite!

I put a lot of my favorite salad flavors in this one: arugula, tomato, feta cheese. Those ingredients all have sharp flavors, so the dressing is highlighted by the sweetness of balsamic vinegar. This with the basil almost gives the salad a caprese quality, which is another of my favorites!

And for a final finishing touch: walnuts. I love the meaty crunch the walnuts give to this salad, giving it a little more texture and contrast.

It’s a fantastic combination!

Why I love this recipe

When making a salad, I usually start with romaine lettuce. Which is perfectly yummy, but it is better to get a little variety in your life!

This salad starts with arugula, the dark green leafy plant sometimes called “rocket”. I like to develop salads with arugula because not only is it yummy, but it’s also the only green I can grow myself.

The local bunnies will eat any other lettuce, and many of my other green plants. But they don’t appreciate the peppery quality of arugula. So I plant some in a patio container every summer and enjoy having it at my disposal. 😀

In the winter, I can find this green at any of my local grocery stores.

Ingredients

How to make this Arugula Feta Tomato Salad

This salad is easy and fast, which is really the best kind!

Prep your ingredients by halving the grape tomatoes, chunking up the feta cheese, cutting the basil into slivers, and washing the arugula.

An optional step is to remove the stems from the arugula. I sometimes do this when the arugula seems really “leggy”, for lack of a better term.

When that’s the case, I will spend a few minutes trimming off the excess stems so I have a higher proportion of tender leaves in my salad. Purely a personal preference so this is of course optional.

Place the salad ingredients into a bowl.

Then, whisk the dressing in a small cup until the ingredients emulsify, forming a smooth and slightly cloudy liquid.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.

The final touch are walnuts, which provide a meaty taste and texture to round out the salad. If I’m making the salad up a little ahead of time, I like to add the dressing and walnuts just before serving to preserve all the textures.

Sula’s Tips

This salad is best on the day it is made. The dressing will cause the arugula to wilt if kept overnight.

To make ahead, simply prep all the ingredients and refrigerate the un-dressed salad separate from the dressing. Then, you will be able to add the dressing, toss, then finish with the walnuts just before serving.

More salad recipes to explore

Arugula lovers might also want to check out this sprouted lentil salad for another delicious variation!

📖 Recipe