Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan
Peppery arugula tossed with lemon, olive oil and shaved Parmesan and scattered with sliced almonds. Four servings in 5 minutes.
Photograph credit: Arugula and treviso salad, fennel, parsley, parmesan, lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper by T.Tseng · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
Make Ahead and Storage
Best eaten straight away, since dressed arugula wilts.
Making Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan
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Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
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Add the arugula and toss gently until just coated.
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Divide between four plates and top with the Parmesan shavings and almonds. Serve straight away.
A Few Pointers
- Wash and dry the arugula well; wet leaves dilute the dressing.
- If the arugula is very peppery, mix in a handful of milder leaves such as baby spinach.
- Shave the Parmesan from a cold block with a vegetable peeler.
Why the Method Is What It Is
It is a Caesar without the croutons, the egg or the anchovy: peppery leaves, salty Parmesan and a sharp lemon dressing. Five ingredients and 5 minutes. The leaves do the work, so the dressing only has to wake them up. Wash and spin the leaves dry, since water thins the dressing.
Arugula wilts quickly once it is dressed. Dress it late. Toss it at the last moment, gently and in a wide bowl, and serve at once. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan into thin curls, which spread the flavour over more leaves than grated cheese does. Lemon zest as well as juice gives the dressing a fragrance that juice alone lacks.
Almonds add crunch. Add them just before serving, so they stay crisp. The salad is good next to grilled fish, roast chicken or a bowl of soup, and it takes the place of a heavier side. Serve it on cold plates for extra crispness.
Serving Ideas
Grilled fish · Roast chicken · A bowl of soup
Quick Answers
How long does Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan take to make?
About 5 minutes in total — 5 minutes of preparation and of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan?
Wash and dry the arugula well; wet leaves dilute the dressing. If the arugula is very peppery, mix in a handful of milder leaves such as baby spinach. Shave the Parmesan from a cold block with a vegetable peeler.
What should I serve with Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan?
Grilled fish; Roast chicken; A bowl of soup.
Is Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, weight-loss friendly, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan?
About 149 kcal per serving, with 5 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate and 13 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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