I like to call this Quinoa Arugula Salad the forbidden salad and I’ll quickly tell you why…
I love arugula salads. I love them so much that I go for periods of time where I’ll make one every single day. I have made them so much that my family will often ban me from making it. That’s right. Ban me. How sad is that? I’m just a girl tryin’ to eat a salad.
If you experience this same challenge in your home know that you don’t have to listen to that crap either. You can make this salad just for you… you don’t even have to tell them! That’s what I do…
Peppery arugula, fluffy quinoa, toasty pine nuts, chewy sun-dried tomatoes, and a shower of finely grated parmesan all tossed in a bright lemon olive oil dressing. It’s simple, but every ingredient pulls its weight, and the combination is incredibly satisfying.
Scroll past the recipe if you’re looking for tips, substitutions, questions, etc. and details on how to make this recipe, but if you want to get straight to it, here’s my recipe-ish…
Quinoa Arugula Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 6 cups baby arugula loosely packed
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts toasted*
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan finely grated
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Add the arugula, quinoa pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes to a large bowl and toss lightly.
- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Add in a big pinch of salt (at least 1/2 tsp) and some black pepper and whisk well.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
- Add in the parmesan cheese and toss again.
- Serve.
Notes
my pro tips for making the best quinoa arugula salad
The quinoa – make sure the quinoa is fully cooled before adding it to the arugula so the greens don’t wilt.
The parmesan – finely grated parmesan distributes better and coats the salad instead of clumping. It really becomes part of the dressing rather than a salad ingredient.
The pine nuts – toast the pine nuts just until golden… they go from toasty to burnt in a nanosecond.
The tossing – try to toss the salad gently so the arugula and the quinoa stays light and fluffy.
recipe substitutions and variations
Nuts – if you don’t have pine nuts (or if the price of them is equivalent to a mortgage payment as it is apt to be sometimes), you can swap them for slivered almonds, chopped pecans, pepitas… almost any nut or seed will work.
Protein – add grilled chicken, shrimp, sliced grilled steak, salmon or chickpeas to turn this into a heartier full meal.
Extra Veggie Version – add some cherry tomatoes and diced cucumber to amp up the veggies.
Balsamic Version – add a drizzle of balsamic glaze over the top for a sweeter finish. I like to replace the sun-dried tomatoes with dried cherries or cranberries in this version.
serving suggestions
My favourite way to eat this is for a filling and satisfying lunch, usually while I’m standing at the kitchen counter.
It’s great with a bowl of soup for lunches with friends. I like it with this Butternut Squash Soup or this Vegetable Barley Soup.
Serve for an elegant dinner alongside grilled chicken, salmon, or steak… love it with these Denver Steaks.
Bring it along when you’re bringing a salad or side to a party… it travels well.
storing leftovers and make ahead details for this Quinoa arugula salad
Storing – keep leftovers in the fridge for 2 days. The arugula will wilt a bit, but I think it’s still quite lovely. 🙂
Make-Ahead – I like to make the entire salad ahead of time but leave the arugula out until just before serving so it stays light.
what makes this salad so special?
Well aside from the fact that I’ve made it at least 18 bajillion times which must count for something, you should also know that…
This salad works because of contrast. The peppery bite of the arugula, the soft nutty pop of the quinoa, the light crunch of the toasted nuts, the chew from sun-dried tomatoes, and the salty richness of parmesan all come together in a bright lemon dressing that ties it all together beautifully.
Minimal ingredients, minimal effort, big flavour, and a texture combination that makes every bite interesting.
This Quinoa Arugula Salad will be, I hope, your next favourite salad. Dare I say, it’s mine? If you make it please don’t forget to drop a comment, rate the recipe, or tag me over on Instagram @thepyperskitchen so I can see your delicious dishes!
