Sep 05 2026

Arugula Recipe

Time15m
Serves2

Arugula Lettuce Fresh Avocado Feta Cheese Kalamata Olives Cherry Tomatoes Lemon Basil Dressing

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Ingredients

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Salad

Finishing (optional)

Method

Salad

  1. 1

    Prepare greens and vegetables

    Place 5 cups of arugula in a large salad bowl. Rinse under cold water if needed, spin or pat dry thoroughly so dressing will cling.

  2. 2

    Prep cherry tomatoes

    Wash 1 cup cherry tomatoes and slice each in half. Scatter over the arugula.

  3. 3

    Prep olives

    Pit (if not pitted) and halve 1 cup Kalamata olives. Add to the bowl with tomatoes.

  4. 4

    Prepare avocado

    Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern without cutting through the skin, then scoop out with a spoon. Either slice or dice and gently add to salad to avoid mashing.

  5. 5

    Add feta

    Crumble 3 oz feta cheese over the assembled salad evenly.

Lemon Basil Dressing

  1. 6

    Combine dressing ingredients

    In a blender or food processor, combine 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey or agave, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

  2. 7

    Emulsify

    Blend until smooth and bright green, about 20–30 seconds. If the dressing is too thick, add up to 1 tsp water and pulse to reach a pourable consistency.

  3. 8

    Taste and adjust

    Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning: add more salt, pepper, lemon, or a drizzle (tsp) of olive oil if desired.

Assembly & Finish

  1. 9

    Dress the salad

    Drizzle roughly 3–4 tbs of the lemon basil dressing over the salad (start with less; you can add more). Gently toss the arugula, tomatoes, olives, avocado and feta until evenly coated, using tongs or clean hands to avoid mashing the avocado.

  2. 10

    Add finishing touches

    If using, sprinkle 2 tbs toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts and 1 tsp lemon zest over the top for extra crunch and aroma.

  3. 11

    Serve

    Divide the salad among plates or serve family-style immediately so the greens stay crisp. Pass remaining dressing on the side.