Welcome summer with this simple spinach and arugula salad! With a light and citrusy vinaigrette dressing, this salad is the perfect side for a barbecue or outdoor cookout. Roasted almonds give it a much needed crunch and texture, and crumbled Greek feta with its salty, tangy taste complements the salad and makes it oh so satisfying!
Another cold summer salad with a light dressing is the three-bean salad with pickled onions.
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About Spinach and Arugula Salad
When it comes to cold salads for summer, nothing beats a salad with arugula and spinach in it! There's a lot going for it:
- Both these leafy greens have a high water content, keeping you hydrated on hot days.
- It comes together with the minimum of fuss... just toss the ingredients together (no stove or oven required).
- And, it is light and refreshing with no mayo or cream to make it heavy. All good reasons to make it when the warm weather hits.
More light and easy summer salads: Strawberry cucumber salad, Italian tomato salad, and butter lettuce salad.
Ingredients + Notes
1. Baby greens: Choose pre-washed baby spinach and arugula. Makes life easier plus the leaves are not bitter.
2. Feta: I always go for a block of feta made with sheep milk for that authentic creamy taste. It takes a moment to crumble with your hand or cut into small cubes if that's how you like it. Authentic Greek feta cheese has a red and yellow PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) logo on it. Look for it, and you'll be assured that it's the real deal.
3. Cherry tomatoes: Add a pop of colour and a juicy burst to the salad.
4. Toasted almonds: Indispensable to this salad, in my opinion. I love the crunch and texture of toasted nuts in a leafy green salad. You can go with toasted walnuts too if you wish.
5. Orange zest (optional but highly recommended): For more citrusy flavor and colour, zest the orange that you will juice for the salad, and add a little bit of the zest with the other ingredients.
6. Dressing ingredients: Every single ingredient in the picture adds a depth of flavour to the salad, so try not to skip any (except the garlic perhaps, if you're not a fan). This is a slightly sweet and citrusy dressing that goes like gangbusters with the peppery arugula and spinach. It helps tone down the slight sharpness of the raw leaves, so drizzle it generously over the salad before serving it.
- Choose a navel orange for sweet orange juice. You can use canned or bottled juice if that's all you have, but freshly squeezed juice is incomparable. Ditto for lemon juice.. squeeze half a lemon for that fresh lemony taste.
- Substitute honey for the maple syrup if you like. I personally better like the taste consistency of maple syrup, tbh.
How to make the dressing
- Prep: Zest the orange and keep the zest separately in a small bowl. You will use it later for adding to the salad. Squeeze the zested orange into a small cup or bowl. Squeeze the lemon as well. Mince or finely chop the garlic (if using).
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing is well combined. This helps distribute the oil evenly for a smoother dressing.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
How to make the salad
1. Toast the almonds: Heat a small skillet to medium-hot and tip in whole almonds with skins on. Stir for a minute or two constantly until the nuts turn darker and smell nutty. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool (they can burn quickly if left in the hot pan). Slice them into slivers with a sharp knife when cool.
2. Assemble the salad: Arrange all the salad ingredients in a large and shallow bowl or platter and pour the dressing over it. Toss and enjoy!
Top Tips
1. You can make the dressing a day or even two days in advance, and keep it in the fridge until ready to use. Then, all you need to do is give the dressing a good shake and drizzle over the salad greens. Your salad is ready already!
2. Do not mix the dressing with the greens in advance though as the leaves will soften and wilt if kept wet for too long. This salad is best served fresh.
3. Use freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice for the best experience. Do not rely on bottled or canned juices if you can help it.
4. Go for pre-washed baby greens to save yourself the trouble of washing and drying them. Baby greens also taste better in a salad.
Serving Suggestions
- Chicken drumsticks with gravy (Instant Pot)
- Chicken stroganoff with egg noodles (Instant Pot)
- Sour cream pasta
Did you try this spinach and arugula salad recipe? Do leave a recipe rating and review in the comments section below.
Spinach and Arugula Salad
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 small bowl or jar for dressing
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 4 oz baby spinach
- 3 oz baby arugula
- ⅓ cup cherry tomatoes
- 3.5 oz Greek feta cheese
- ¼ cup toasted almonds
- 1 tsp orange zest optional
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup orange juice or one navel orange, squeezed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or half lemon, squeezed
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic 2 cloves garlic (optional)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Prep: If using fresh fruit for the juice - zest the orange and keep the zest aside for now. Squeeze the orange into a cup. Squeeze half a lemon. Mince or finely chop the garlic.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing is well combined. This helps distribute the oil evenly for a smoother dressing.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Assemble the salad
- Prep: Toast the almonds - Heat a small skillet to medium-hot and tip in whole almonds with skins on. Stir for a minute or two constantly until the nuts turn darker and smell nutty. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool (they can burn quickly if left in the hot pan). Slice them into slivers with a sharp knife when cool.
- Assemble the salad: Arrange all the salad ingredients (spinach, arugula, cherry tomatoes, feta, almonds, orange zest) in a large and shallow bowl or platter and pour the dressing over it. Toss and serve.
Notes
- You can make the dressing a day or even two days in advance, and keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Do not mix the dressing with the greens in advance though as the leaves will soften and wilt if kept wet for too long. The salad is best served fresh.
- Use freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice for the best experience. Do not rely on bottled or canned juices if you can help it.
- Go for pre-washed baby greens to save yourself the trouble of washing and drying them. Baby greens also taste better in a salad.
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