Arugula Spinach Salad

Let the refreshingly sweet and savory flavors of my spinach and arugula salad be the start to your next meal, or be your new favorite light lunch. This spinach arugula salad recipe features my own maple dijon vinaigrette to bring together red onion, avocados, pistachios, and vegan parmesan in the most delightful of ways. 

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Refreshing: All these fresh ingredients make this salad with arugula and spinach a bright and refreshing choice. 
• Healthy: You can’t go wrong with a salad that is loaded up with good-for-you ingredients. 
• Meal prep friendly: This arugula and spinach salad is the perfect lunchtime meal to take to the office or just have ready when you want it, as long as you keep the dressing separate when prepping it ahead. 

Nutrition For Mental Health

Here at Raepublic, we like to dive into how nutrition can positively impact mental health. Did you know that spinach is 91% water? One hundred grams of spinach contains 2.9 grams of protein, 0.4 grams of fat, and 3.6 grams of carbohydrates (2.2 grams of fiber). It is rich in several vitamins and minerals, including carotenoids, folic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K1. It also contains smaller amounts of vitamins B6, B9, E, potassium, and magnesium. A systematic review and meta-analysis found that dietary intake of carotenoid-rich foods may help reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.

Ingredients + Substitutions

So simple with such few ingredients, this spinach arugula salad recipe doesn’t require much. But if you’re missing something or have other taste preferences, here’s what you can do:

• Dressing: My homemade Dijon maple vinaigrette pairs so well with this, but you can always feel free to use your favorite salad dressing. I also have many other salad dressing recipes here that you can easily use instead. 
• Nuts: If you can’t have nuts, just leave out the pistachios. You can also replace them with any other type of nut, such as walnuts, almonds, or cashews. 
• Cheese: The vegan parmesan has sublime savory notes, though if you have another vegan cheese you like, use it!

A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Spinach and Arugula Salad

In just minutes, you’ll have this arugula and spinach salad ready to go!

1. Spread greens out on a large serving platter or shallow bowl. Add onion, avocado, pistachios, and parm. 

2. Drizzle on vinaigrette, toss, and enjoy!

Servings Ideas

This hearty arugula and spinach salad is a standout all on its own, though if you want to serve it as the starter or a side to your meal, try it with my vegan chickpea burger, lentil sloppy joes, or vegan veggie pizza. Keep the meal light and refreshing with my orange spritz drink or berry smash mocktail. For dessert, my strawberry watermelon popsicles or vegan blueberry pie are always a hit with kids and adults alike!

The Dijon and maple salad dressing I used for this recipe is oh-so-good. However, if you are looking for another flavor profile then citrus sweet onion dressing or basil and balsamic dressing recipe.

Storage Tips

Make this arugula spinach salad recipe ahead to save time or for meal prep. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Keep the dressing separate in it’s own airtight glass container, or else you’ll wind up with a soggy mess. 

If you tried this Spinach Arugula Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Recipe

Reference

Yu, Q., Xue, F., Li, Z., Li, X., Ai, L., Jin, M., Xie, M., & Yu, Y. (2022). Dietary Intake of Carotenoids and Risk of Depressive Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 11(11), 2205. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11112205