Arugula Salad With Parmesan

By Ali Slagle

Published July 15, 2022

Arugula Salad With Parmesan
Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho. Prop Stylist: Christina Lane.
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(1,204)
Comments
Read comments

Emulsifying a dressing isn’t essential for a sublime salad: Instead, think of the oil and acid as seasonings for a vegetable. For this recipe, that’s spicy arugula, dressed with olive oil, lemon and shards of Parmesan to create a salad classic in many Italian restaurants and homes. But whether olive oil or lemon should come first, like all seemingly simple questions, is complicated. James Beard, Marcella Hazan, Deborah Madison and Judy Rodgers all concurred: For a brighter-tasting salad, start with olive oil, which better adheres the liquids to the greens and doesn’t obscure the lemon. Be sure to use full-flavored greens, then taste the dressed leaves and adjust seasonings until the arugula tastes like its greatest self.

Featured in: 20 Easy Salads for Every Summer Table

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4 to 5ounces baby arugula
  • 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 2teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 2ounces Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

94 calories; 7 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 6 grams protein; 176 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the arugula in a very large bowl, ideally one that could hold twice as many leaves. Drizzle over the olive oil and use your hands to toss lightly, then add the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt. Lightly toss the greens until they are evenly glossy; avoid overmixing or crushing the greens.

  2. Step 2

    Add the Parmesan and toss just to incorporate. Taste. If the salad is too sharp, add another drop of oil and toss. If the salad is dull, add a sprinkle of salt and some lemon juice and toss. Eat right away.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,204 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

e edwards

Why not just skip the olive oil and make this with walnut oil for a change? It is unbeatable with arugula and Parmesan cheese. Toss with pine nuts.

Eve V

Any green salad works well with this dressing technique. Toss greens in oil, then salt, which will stick to the oil, then acid, lemon or vinegar, which will not wilt the greens protected by the oil.

Nancy

I’ve made this salad many times. Personally, I like to use finely grated Parmesan instead of shaved, and I also use freshly ground pepper (just a little). Grating the Parmesan makes for a more evenly flavored salad imo.

RiverGirl

So I need to apologize right here and now. When I saw this recipe, my reaction was, “this is a recipe? What’s the big deal?” However, I DID put it in my recipe box, but always opted for more hearty, time intensive salads, as I just couldn’t believe this was THAT GOOD. And then I made it tonight. My oh my it is wonderful! Now…full disclosure. When I saw the notes calling for walnut oil, which I don’t have, I decided to add some chopped walnuts in with the arugula. Then, I medium boiled an egg and added that. The result was one of the most delish dinner salads I’ve ever had! I can’t wait to make this again.

Sabrina

I had the same salad in Italy, and they added capers. If you're a fan of capers, then I highly recommend.

Lauren

This salad is delicious with sliced pears

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.