A spinach and arugula salad is one of the fastest ways to get a crisp, peppery green bowl on the table without turning on the stove. The two leaves play off each other well: spinach gives a soft, mild base while arugula adds a sharp, mustard-like bite that keeps the bowl from tasting flat. This version uses a simple lemon-olive oil dressing, toasted almonds, and shaved parmesan so you get crunch, fat, and acid in every forkful.
The recipe below is built for a weeknight side or a light lunch. You won’t need special equipment, and the whole thing comes together in about ten minutes if your greens are already washed. If you like a heartier plate, the variations section shows how to add protein without changing the basic method. Making this spinach and arugula salad at home is surprisingly straightforward once you know the key steps.
Why You’ll Love These Spinach And Arugula Salad
- Ready in 10 minutes with zero cooking beyond toasting nuts
- Balances mild spinach with peppery arugula so the bowl isn’t one-note
- Uses a 3-ingredient dressing you can scale for bigger batches
- Holds up better than a single-leaf salad because the stems stay crisp
- Easy to adapt with pantry items like chickpeas or olives
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 4 cups fresh spinach, stemmed and torn (about 120 g)
- 3 cups fresh arugula, roughly chopped (about 90 g)
- 1/3 cup raw almonds, sliced
- 1/4 cup parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, cracked
Ingredient Substitutions
Raw almonds: Replace with an equal volume of toasted sunflower seeds for a nut-free version. Sunflower seeds give a similar snap but a milder, grassier taste and they brown faster, so toast them for only 3 minutes. The salad will read slightly less rich because seeds carry less oil than almonds. The spinach and arugula salad works well for weeknight cooking when time is limited.
Parmesan: Use 1/4 cup crumbled feta instead if you want a saltier, creamier finish. Feta breaks down quicker in the dressing and won’t give the same thin shavings, so add it right before serving to keep some texture. Expect a tangier bowl that pairs better with tomatoes than lemon alone.
Extra-virgin olive oil: Swap for an equal amount of avocado oil if you need a more neutral fat. Avocado oil won’t add the peppery fruit note of olive oil, so bump lemon juice to 1.5 tbsp to keep the acid balance. The dressing will look clearer and feel lighter on the tongue.
Fresh lemon juice: Replace with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar plus 1/2 tsp honey for a rounder sourness. Vinegar is sharper than lemon, so the honey buffers it and keeps the greens from wilting too fast. You’ll get a darker dressing with a faint apple edge rather than citrus brightness.
Spinach: Use 4 cups chopped romaine if spinach isn’t available; romaine is crunchier and less tender, so tear it smaller than you would spinach. The bowl loses some mineral softness but gains a longer fridge life of up to 2 days dressed. Arugula then carries more of the flavor weight.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the sliced almonds in a dry 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Stir every 30 seconds until they turn light golden and smell nutty, about 4 minutes, then immediately pour onto a plate to stop cooking.
- Add the spinach and arugula to a wide mixing bowl. Use your hands to lift and separate the leaves so no clumps remain at the bottom.
- Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small jar until the liquid turns cloudy and slightly thick, about 20 seconds by fork.
- Pour the dressing over the greens and toss with both hands for 15 seconds until every leaf looks lightly coated but not soggy.
- Scatter the toasted almonds and shaved parmesan across the top. Serve the spinach and arugula salad right away while the leaves are cold and the nuts warm.
Pro Tips
Dry your greens completely with a spinner or towel; water on the leaves dilutes the dressing and makes the bowl slippery instead of coated. For a faster version you can prep the simple salad dressings method and store it for the week.
Toast nuts in a single layer so they color evenly; stacked almonds steam and stay pale. If you build the bowl ahead, keep the caesar dressing separate and add at the table.
Shave parmesan with a peeler rather than grating it; thin ribbons melt slower and give a chew that grated cheese loses. A chilled pasta side works if you want a fuller spread.
Chill the mixing bowl for 10 minutes before tossing in summer; cold glass keeps the arugula from going limp during the toss. The strawberry salad uses the same chill trick with fruit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Overdressing is the main error; a soggy spinach and arugula salad tastes heavy and the nuts go soft. Start with half the dressing, toss, then add more only if patches of dry leaf remain.
Skipping the almond cool-down step lets residual heat burn the slices on the plate. Always move them off the hot pan within 30 seconds of toasting.
Cutting arugula too fine releases its oils early and turns the bowl bitter before serving. Tear or chop leaves into 2-inch pieces at most for a cleaner pepper note.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the bowl with turkey burgers for a lean dinner that still feels fresh. The lemon in the dressing cuts through the meat’s fat without needing a second sauce.
For lunch, add a soft-boiled egg on top and eat with a spoon so the yolk mixes into the leaves. A spinach dip on the side makes a themed plate if guests show up.
Storage and Reheating
Undressed greens keep in an airtight container with a paper towel for up to 3 days in the fridge. Once dressed, the salad should be eaten within 2 hours if left at room temperature, or 1 day refrigerated though texture drops.
There is no reheating step; this is a cold dish. If almonds were added and stored, crisp them again in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 2 minutes before reuse.
Recipe Variations
Berry Addition
Fold in 1/2 cup halved strawberries with the greens for a sweet contrast to the pepper. The berry salad shows a candied nut method if you want extra crunch. Expect a juicier bowl that needs 1 tsp less lemon.
Chickpea Protein
Add 1 cup drained chickpeas, patted dry, to make the plate a full meal. They absorb dressing and add a floury bite that balances arugula’s sharpness. Use 1 tbsp more oil so the beans don’t stick.
Warm Bacon Version
Cook 3 strips bacon until golden and crispy, crumble over the top, and use 1 tbsp of the fat in place of equal oil. The bowl turns smoky and rich; serve it warm within 10 minutes so the leaves barely wilt.
Spinach And Arugula Salad
Description
A fast no-cook salad pairing soft spinach with sharp arugula, toasted almonds, and shaved parmesan in a lemon-olive oil dressing. Ready in about ten minutes, it works as a weeknight side or a light lunch.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Toast the almonds
Place the 1/3 cup sliced almonds in a dry 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Stir every 30 seconds until they turn light golden and smell nutty, about 4 minutes, then immediately pour onto a plate to stop cooking.
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Add greens to bowl
Add the 4 cups spinach and 3 cups arugula to a wide mixing bowl. Use your hands to lift and separate the leaves so no clumps remain at the bottom and the greens are evenly distributed.
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Whisk the dressing
Whisk 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small jar. Whisk by fork for about 20 seconds until the liquid turns cloudy and slightly thick.
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Dress the greens
Pour the dressing over the greens and toss with both hands for 15 seconds. Stop when every leaf looks lightly coated but not soggy, with no pooled dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
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Add toppings and serve
Scatter the toasted almonds and shaved parmesan across the top of the salad. Serve the spinach and arugula salad right away while the leaves are cold and the nuts still warm.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 210kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 17g27%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Cholesterol 6mg2%
- Sodium 350mg15%
- Total Carbohydrate 6g2%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Sugars 1g
- Protein 7g15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Storage: Undressed greens keep in an airtight container with a paper towel for up to 3 days in the fridge; dressed salad eat within 1 day refrigerated.
- Make ahead: Prep the pasta salad as a chilled side if you want a fuller spread.
- Pro tip: Dry greens completely with a spinner so water doesn't dilute the dressing and make the bowl slippery.
- Toast nuts: Spread almonds in a single layer so they color evenly instead of steaming and staying pale.
