This EASY Arugula Salad Dressing recipe is made with just 5-simple ingredients – most of which you probably have on hand already! The slight sweetness of the dressing is a perfect match for peppery arugula.
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This Arugula Salad dressing recipe is my go-to when I want a simple salad that pairs with a variety of dishes. The arugula has a nice peppery bite, but the dressing has a sweet taste that balances out the flavors perfectly.
I top off my salad with some shaved parmesan and toasted pine nuts for added crunch.
The dressing for this arugula salad couldn’t be easier to make. You only need five ingredients. Plus, it stores nicely in the fridge, so it’s great to keep on hand for dinners throughout the week. Often, I’ll make a double or triple batch just for that reason.
Ingredients needed
There are just 5 ingredients in this delicious dressing for arugula salad:
- Olive Oil – I like to use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil since the flavor really shines through.
- Shallot – Or you can grate in a clove of garlic.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Or swap in some fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
- Honey – Maple syrup, sugar or agave will also work.
- Dijon Mustard – Adds a nice tang. Feel free to leave it out or add in some whole grain mustard.
How to make it
- To make the red wine vinaigrette, just add the ingredients to a small mason jar and shake well to emulsify. Or, you can add the ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.
What to serve with arugula salad
This Arugula Salad recipe pairs really nicely with rich, hearty meat dishes. It also pairs well with pasta. Here are some great dishes that go well with arugula salad:
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
- Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri
- Caprese Tomato Risotto
- Instant Pot Pork Chops & Gravy
- Spinach & Artichoke Orzo with Chicken
- Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
- Easy Roasted Chicken
- Roasted Fennel Pasta with Ricotta
FAQ
Yes. Arugula will become soggy when it sits with the dressing. That’s why it’s best to dress your salad just before serving.
No. Arugula is a tender green, so unlike kale, you do not need to massage arugula. It’s best to just gently toss it with the dressing.
Yes! Arugula is delicious when added to soups or pasta dishes. Try swapping it in when a recipe calls for spinach.
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Arugula Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 shallot (finely minced)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted, for topping)
- 1/4 cup shaved parmesan (for topping)
Instructions
- Combine the shallot, oil, vinegar, mustard, honey and salt and pepper in a small mason jar and shake to emulsify.
- In a large bowl, toss the arugula with enough of the vinaigrette to just coat the leaves.
- Season with additional salt and pepper and top with toasted pine nuts and parmesan.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2014. It was updated in 2022 to revise the content, and again in 2023 to add new photographs. The arugula salad dressing recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
I made this salad for a potluck this past weekend (with Erin’s help). It went over SO well! I even had people ask for my recipe, something that rarely happens. You gotta try it!
This arugula salad looks incredibly delicious, healthy and flavoursome. Definitely a salad I will be making for myself this week!
This is definitely my kind of salad: simple but packed with flavor. Love the arugula + pine nuts combo. So yummy any time of year!
This is such a terrific blend of flavors and very easy to throw together. I will definitely make again and again. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome – I’m glad you liked it!
I love baby arugula but have never found a perfect dressing for it. Until now. This is it! Perfectly balanced. (They don’t have shallots where I live in Greece so I used finely minced red onion instead. ) Wonderful. Thanks so much.
You are so welcome! This dressing is definitely on regular rotation in our house!
I used Pistachios last time because Pine Nuts were so expensive. They were delicious in the salad.
This is a delightful dressing. I’m currently obsessed with an arugula, baby beet, dried cranberry, toasted pecans and crumbled goat cheese. This dressing is the perfect compliment to these ingredients. Thanks for posting!
You’re welcome Carol!
A whole shallot, which was about 1/3 cup, was way too much. I strained out at least half. I also thought the dijon taste was a little on the strong side so I added more honey. Probably will look for another recipe.
Made this last night for a dinner party and got SO many compliments on the dressing! Definitely going to make again 🙂 Thanks!
Thanks Mika!
Delicious. I like the idea of trying pastiche nuts, I will next time. The recipe was perfect just as it was.
Simple, easy and delicious! Everyone loves it and wants the recipe.
Thanks Barbara!
Simple and delicious! I used chopped pistachios in place of the pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese and tossed everything together. I probably used less than the arugula amount in the recipe – about two-thirds? So tasty! I made it again with chopped red onion because I didn’t have shallots on hand, and it was still awesome! This salad is going into regular rotation at our house. Thank you!
Thanks Teresa! It’s one of our favorites!