Arugula
Arugula, also called rocket, is a peppery, slightly bitter salad green widely used across Italian and Mediterranean cooking, both raw and as a finishing touch on warm dishes.
How to buy
Look for crisp, deep green leaves without yellowing, wilting, or sliminess. Baby arugula is milder and more tender, while mature arugula has larger, more jagged leaves and a sharper, more peppery bite.
How to store
Store unwashed in a perforated bag or wrapped in a dry paper towel in the crisper drawer; use within about 4-5 days, since it wilts and turns slimy faster than heartier greens.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Sharply peppery with a mustardy bite that becomes more pronounced as the leaves mature, plus a mild bitterness. Heat mellows it slightly, which is why it's often added to hot dishes only at the very end.
- Texture
- Tender but with a bit of crunch to the stem and leaf, wilting quickly once it touches a hot pan or warm food.
- Aroma
- A sharp, peppery, slightly mustardy smell, similar in character to watercress but generally milder.
How to prepare
- Raw in salads — Used whole or torn as a peppery base, often paired with something sweet or rich to balance the bite.
- Topping warm dishes — Piled fresh over pizza, pasta, or steak right before serving so the heat wilts it only slightly.
- Pesto — Blended with oil, garlic, and nuts into a sharper, peppery alternative to basil pesto.
- Wilted briefly — Tossed quickly into a hot pan just until it collapses, retaining some bite.
Classic dishes
American
- Arugula and beet salad with goat cheese — Roasted beets and creamy goat cheese set against arugula's peppery bite.
- Arugula sandwich topping — A common deli addition that brings pepper and crunch to sandwiches.
- Arugula-topped burgers — Fresh arugula used in place of lettuce for a sharper, more flavorful burger topping.
- Grilled peach and arugula salad — Charred sweet peaches paired with peppery arugula and a light vinaigrette.
Italian
- Tagliata di manzo con rucola — Sliced grilled steak served over a bed of peppery arugula with shaved parmesan.
- Arugula and prosciutto pizza — A pizza topped with fresh arugula and salty prosciutto right after it comes out of the oven.
- Arugula pesto — A sharper, peppery take on pesto made with arugula instead of basil.
- Arugula salad with lemon and parmesan — A simple salad where lemon and parmesan balance arugula's peppery bite.
- Caprese salad with arugula — A variation on the classic tomato and mozzarella salad with arugula added for bite.
- Rucola e pomodoro bruschetta — Toasted bread topped with tomato and fresh arugula.
- Arugula salad with shaved fennel and citrus — A bright winter salad combining peppery greens with sweet citrus and crisp fennel.
French
- Arugula and pear salad with walnuts — A bistro-style salad pairing arugula's pepper with sweet pear and toasted walnuts.
Mediterranean
- Arugula and fig salad with balsamic — Sweet figs and a balsamic reduction tempering arugula's sharp bite.
- Arugula on flatbread with olive oil — Fresh arugula piled over warm flatbread drizzled with good olive oil.
Greek
- Watermelon, feta, and arugula salad — A summer salad balancing sweet watermelon, salty feta, and peppery greens.
British & Irish
- Rocket and parmesan side salad — A simple pub-style side salad dressed lightly with olive oil and lemon.
Substitutions
- Watercress — Sharper and more peppery; use slightly less to avoid overpowering a dish.
- Spinach — Much milder with no pepperiness, but a good gentler alternative in salads.