NAVIGATE

Kris Carr

Healthy Recipes

8 Phenomenal Arugula Recipes

Hi Sweet Friends,

You all know that leafy greens are the cornerstone of my diet and lifestyle.

Where would I be without the incredible boost of chlorophyll? (I shudder to think.) Thankfully, these glorious greens provide us with buckets of nutrition, and they’re tasty and versatile to boot. We’re all used to seeing them in salads galore, but do you ever find yourself making the same exact recipe, day after day, with little variation? That, mon ami, is a no-no—boredom and monotony have no place in a nutrient-dense, plant-passionate kitchen! One simple way to beat the mealtime blahs is to explore a wide range of possibilities with a single ingredient. And this week, I’m celebrating my greens with a slew of arugula recipes.

Most greens are available year-round (score!) and during the late summer, there are countless goodies at the farmers’ market just waiting to jazz up your leafies. This is a perfect time to really get to know one special veggie, and make it part of your routine for years to come. In addition to being a pirate’s favorite green (arrrrrrugula!), this peppery plant is pretty much a dietary dream. It’s high in vitamins A and K, and also offers a little vitamin C and calcium. Not bad! Technically called eruca sativa, you might also find arugula listed as roquette or rocket, though the chances are pretty slim that eating this slightly spicy green will turn you into a can-can-ing missile.

When I’m looking for new ways to enjoy a certain food, my first stop is the internet. I love poring over blogs, staring at the insanely gorgeous photos and discovering recipes I never would’ve dreamt up. In combination with my best-loved cookbooks, blogs are a great bet for getting dinner on the table stat. Naturally, I turned to a few of my all-time faves to pull together these incredible arugula recipes, which I’m sure you’ll dig as much as I do. Happy munching!

 

8 Show-Stopping Arugula Recipes

Classic Vegan Caesar with Avocado and Chickpeas

Hello, gorgeous! This combination of smooth, luscious avocado, protein-packed chickpeas, light and airy romaine and zippy arugula is just perfect. I could easily eat this salad by the brilliant Isa Chandra Moskowitz every single day—boredom free.

Pistachio Arugula Pesto

It might sound sacrilege to call a sauce “pesto” without including basil. But if eating delicious, piquant pesto made with arugula and elegant pistachios is wrong, I don’t want to be right. (Bonus: the sauteed broccolini in this post from Vegan Yum Yum is divine.)

Asparagus and Arugula Pizza with Pesto

Want a double dose? Use the arugula pesto above (or, for more flavor variety, stick with the one listed in this recipe) on this easy peasy pie. Food 52 is a clearinghouse of recipes, and this one just happens to come from one of my favorite gals, Gena, from Choosing Raw.

Artichoke and Arugula Soup

Jackie Sobon, the lovely lady behind Vegan Yack Attack, created this flat-out genius recipe. I love how she blends two superstar main ingredients and offers a couple tweaks. As Jackie notes, this soup could easily be turned into either a dip or a side dish. A triple-threat recipe? Always a winner.

Fennel and Fruits with Mandarin Champagne Vinaigrette

Because of its punchy flavor, our little green friend makes an excellent pairing with fruit for a one-two punch of taste. This recipe from Crazy Sexy Kitchen is totally customizable, just make sure to include the arugula, fennel and your favorite crunchy fruit for an awesome taste and texture experience.

Arugula-Couscous Salad with Lemony Herb Vinaigrette

One amazing way to get your ‘gula on is to toss it with your favorite cooked grain in a hearty salad. This excellent dish from Eat Drink Better is a total star, and would also be delicious with quinoa or cooked brown rice.

Arugula Smothered Polenta

The ingenuity of this tasty appetizer from Cheeky Kitchen is that it blends textures. Some people think of arugula as weedy, and pass on it for lack of oomph. Letting it sit on top of a hearty, garlicky square of polenta fixes that sitch right up.

Roasted Pear and Arugula Salad

Ok, this is the last salad—promise! The combination of pears and arugula is classic, especially around the holidays and this version from 86 Lemons is a total go-to. Dried cranberries and pecans add both tartness and richness to this dynamic duo.

There you have it! Juice it, mash it into a spread, or eat it straight from the garden—arugula love is forever.

Peace & green leafies,

Add a comment
  1. Sir John Thomson III Sr says:

    Hi Kris,

    I don’t blame you for removing that 9th recipe. I’m not one to kiss and tell, but oh-my-freaking-gosh what a greaaaat recipe. I could eat that each and every day. No wonder you removed it, who would read anything else? We’d all just be eating arugula all the ding-dong-day.

    MMMMmmmm!!!

  2. Danielle says:

    Just wanted to note for aspiring locavores that arugula grows well year-round in a balcony flower pot. And ‘rocket’ is probably due to its name in French, “roquette”!

  3. amen sista’! one of my all time fav greens…
    try arugula pesto over avocado ristotto…OMG…
    loves…

  4. Peter says:

    Thanks again for the reminder, Kris. When I bought Crazy Sexy Juices and Smoothies, I was blown away by the idea of using savory green leaves in with sweeter fruits. But it works amazingly when everything’s raw. And if the recipe says to use spinach, and I haven’t got anything other than kale, I throw that in instead. And it’s the same for rocket or watercress. Breaking “rules”, breaking habits, breaking with outdated traditions – all part of living life.

    You’re a constant source of inspiration Kris. Thanks for everything, sweetie!

  5. I had absolutely no idea that arugula was so versatile! Will start experimenting soon- thanks Kris! xx

  6. Lovely! I haven’t been the biggest fan of Arugula but these recipes are making me very intrigued and wanting to dive into some green goodness 🙂

    Think this will be on my list of greens to grow next year!

  7. Katie says:

    Hi Kris! I love Arugula too! Check out my post for my sweet breakfast Arugula salad! I know salad for breakfast sounds crazy but with the creamy avocado & the cinnamon it is the perfect nourishing thing for a summer morning! Love you!

  8. Laura says:

    Ahhhh for months now I’ve been wondering what rocket is! Haha turns out I’ve been eating it all along. I love using arugula as a base for my salads, I can’t wait to try these other amazing recipes! Thanks for sharing.

  9. Terry says:

    Love it!! In addicted to arugula. I’ve been making the ppk salad daily for the last month! I make the dressing Sundays and have it every day for lunch. So easy and delish!

  10. Janice says:

    Thank you!!! I now know what is for dinner!! 🙂
    Have a Beautiful Day!!
    –J

  11. Rachel D says:

    Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing some of your faves too!

  12. Rachel D says:

    YUM-O! I can’t wait to try some of these out.

  13. dawn says:

    The United States of Arugula is a great book to read while eating one of my faves: a bed of quinoa with fresh arugula and a soft boiled egg resting on top. Drizzle a bit of an herby vinaigrette and perhaps some shaved pecorino or parmigiano and look out.

  14. Allyson says:

    Thanks for this, Kris! I do well with my diet, but I know I can consume more leafy greens and these lucious recipes are just what I needed.

  15. Radell Ann says:

    KC – I love arugula!!! It is so healthy and full of great energy. Thank you for sharing these great receipes. I am totally making the Artichoke and Argula Soup!!

  16. I’ve never used arugula (or roquette as we say in french) in a juice; yummy!
    Thank you for the lovely recipes: now I’m inspired for the rest of my week!

  17. Jennifer says:

    Wow! These foods are amazing indeed! I personally wanted to try roasted pear and arugula salad. Thanks to this post I can satisfy my hunger without feeling guilty.

  18. Suzanne says:

    Hi Kris,

    Thanks for the recipes, they sound amazing. I have not tried this green but am wanting to add something new to my diet. Thanks again.

  19. John says:

    Pirate’s favorite green…you crack me up, woman!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

KrisCarr.com