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Home » Recipes » Course » Salads

Updated Jan 14, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Arugula and Roasted Pepper Salad

I recently busted out of a months-long salad rut with this delicious arugula and roasted pepper salad. It features spicy arugula, tangy roasted peppers, salty feta, toasty pine nuts, and a simple+easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It makes a great side salad that goes with just about any meal!

JUMP TO RECIPE
salad of arugula and roasted peppers with carrots and cucumbers in a decorative bowl

I’ve got one thing to thank our Covid-related supply chain issues for, and that’s my introduction to arugula as a salad green. I have historically been lukewarm on arugula salads, but I think that’s because I’ve been doing it all wrong! Assembling the perfect arugula salad requires a completely different approach from salads made with romaine or mixed baby greens. This arugula and roasted pepper salad has changed my mind completely.

Roasted Peppers: Summer in a Jar

Flavor balance makes this recipe work, and that started with the inspiration to pair arugula with jarred roasted peppers. They are predominantly tangy and sweet, and also slightly smoky. It’s a big enough flavor to stand up to arugula, which is a stronger-tasting green than, say, romaine. Peppers also add a bit of summery brightness, and I can’t wait to make this salad with bell peppers straight off the grill.

Roasted peppers are a condiment that a lot of foodies know well, but I think they should be in every home cook's repertoire. They are as versatile as they are delicious! I use them on salads, sandwiches, burgers, in hummus...you get the picture. I recently discovered these Red and Yellow Peppers from Cento, which are so good I’ve been going through a jar a week! Safeway’s Signature brand also has grilled bell peppers that I’ve used in this salad. They are more smoky than tangy, and just as yummy.

Whichever brand you use, be sure to drain them well and handle them gently before tossing them in your salad.

How to make a simple homemade vinaigrette

Sharing this arugula and grilled pepper salad recipe also gives me the opportunity to talk about homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve made almost all of my own dressings for a decade now. I don’t remember why I started doing that, but I haven’t gone back to store-bought vinaigrette. I don’t even think about it anymore, it’s so easy! 

Here are some tips for a perfect homemade vinaigrette:

  • Make only as much as you need, directly in your salad bowl. I used to keep jars of vinaigrette in the refrigerator, but I’d end up with separated dressing and coagulated oil. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it wasn’t a perfect system either. Now I whip up a couple of tablespoons of vinaigrette directly in the bowl before I assemble the salad.
  • Add an emulsifier. An emulsifier helps keep your vinaigrette from separating once you’ve whisked it together. Possible emulsifiers include a dab of Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, roasted garlic, or a splash of honey or maple syrup. In this recipe, I use Dijon mustard. You need just a touch, which isn't enough to make the finished product taste mustard-y. I love the bit of extra creaminess and tang it gives the dressing, in addition to holding it together.
  • Keep a whisk handy just for vinaigrette. I keep a whisk in the bin of oils and vinegars in my pantry, so it’s always available for dressing. I use a Scandinavian-style whisk that looks like this.
  • A great balsamic vinegar is a game changer! I am really, really loving De Nigris vinegars right now. Their bold and fruity balsamic vinegar has a great balance, not too sharp and not too sweet. I find De Nigris vinegars at both my Cost Plus Worldmarket and at our local Safeway.

Dress your salad at the last possible moment

Arugula breaks down really quickly once it’s tossed with vinaigrette. I recommend tossing the vegetables in the dressing to marinate, then adding the arugula and feta at the last moment before you eat. 

All of the ingredients for this dish can be prepared several hours or up to a day ahead of serving. Assemble and toss together just before your meal.

salad of arugula and roasted peppers with carrots and cucumbers in a decorative bowl
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5 from 7 votes

Arugula and Roasted Pepper Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

A bright and delicious salad with peppery arugula and sweet bell peppers, dressed with a simple homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The perfect side salad for any dinner!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time5 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 187kcal
Author: Lisa

Equipment

  • Salad bowl
  • Skillet
  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 pinch Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 2 ½ tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped cucumber
  • 1 cup julienned carrots
  • ¾ cup jarred roasted bell peppers (red or yellow or both) cut into strips
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 handfuls arugula greens

Instructions

  • Add pine nuts to a cold skillet over medium heat. Stir every 20-30 seconds until you start to see some toasty color on the pine nuts, usually about 3 minutes. Once they begin toasting, stir every 10 seconds until they are lightly browned and smell nutty and toasty. Remove from the pan to a plate or bowl immediately and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  • Add balsamic vinegar, salt, and Dijon to the bowl you plan to toss the salad in. Whisk until the salt dissolves and the Dijon is fully incorporated. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to form an emulsion, this should take 2-3 minutes. Keep whisking for 20-30 seconds after the emulsion comes together. This will help strengthen the emulsion and keep it from separating.
  • Toss the dressing with the cucumbers and carrots so they marinate for a few minutes.
  • Just before serving, add the arugula, roasted peppers, and feta, and toss with the vinaigrette, cucumbers, and carrots. Top with a few cranks of black pepper and the toasted pine nuts (I leave the pine nuts on the top so they don’t get lost on the bottom of the bowl).

Need more servings?

To adjust a recipe for more or fewer servings, hover your cursor over the number servings on the recipe card. This will bring up a slider that you can move to the number of servings you want to make.

Nutrition*

Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 506mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5787IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg

*All nutritional values are estimates only. They are calculated by an online resource.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 7 votes

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Liz says

    January 10, 2025 at 6:15 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic! Our family has enjoyed this arugula salad several times. Its a keeper! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 12, 2025 at 12:58 pm

      I posted this recipe so long ago that sometimes I forget about it, but it's still a favorite. I'm so glad your family enjoys it!

      Reply
  2. Andrea says

    April 26, 2022 at 2:57 pm

    5 stars
    this salad is so tasty! so healthy and nutritious too!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 27, 2022 at 11:59 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Anaiah says

    April 25, 2022 at 5:39 pm

    5 stars
    This salad is so light and flavorful. I love arugula and the combination of roasted peppers is perfect with it!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 26, 2022 at 10:31 am

      Aw, thanks so much Anaiah!

      Reply
  4. Jean says

    April 25, 2022 at 4:36 pm

    5 stars
    I love your arugula salad its easy to prepare and I happened to have all the ingredients. Refreshing and tasty.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 26, 2022 at 10:31 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  5. Lucas says

    April 25, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    This is the right salad for my family lunch next Sunday! The ingredients combinations are perfect!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 26, 2022 at 10:30 am

      Excellent, let me know how you like it!

      Reply
  6. nancy says

    April 25, 2022 at 12:39 pm

    5 stars
    that dijon balsamic vinegar was really lovely, It really is the best pairing with arugula!!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 25, 2022 at 12:40 pm

      I agree! Thank you for the nice comment 🙂

      Reply
  7. Keri says

    April 25, 2022 at 10:08 am

    5 stars
    This is the perfect summer salad. We all loved this recipe!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 25, 2022 at 12:41 pm

      Aw, thank you! I'm so glad you like it!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Lisa!

I’m a midlife foodie on a mission to eat healthier—without giving up the foods I love.

Parsley & Parm is all about big flavor, fresh vegetables, olive oil, whole grains, and healthy proteins…with zero diet vibes.

I believe healthy eating should be about what you do eat—not what you can’t. Guidelines replace rules. Balance beats restriction. And fresh, seasonal veggies always steal the show.

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