Arugula Tomato Salad

This Arugula Tomato Salad is healthy and full of Mediterranean flavors! It's made with fresh arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella, and vinaigrette.

If you're looking for a bright and flavorful side dish that's full of seasonal summer ingredients, be sure to check out this Arugula Tomato Mozzarella Salad!

One of the best things to enjoy during the hot summer months is a light salad that's full of flavor and packed with seasonal produce. Salads like this one can be eaten on its own as a light lunch, or served as a side dish for a weeknight dinner or weekend BBQ or potluck.

There's nothing complicated about this salad and it's made with a few simple ingredients. This salad is prepared with fresh arugula, grape or cherry tomatoes, and marinated mozzarella balls that are tossed in a tangy vinaigrette made with stone ground or Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, grated garlic, maple syrup, and olive oil.

The arugula has a great peppery bite that pairs well with the bright and tangy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and vibrant dressing. A salad like this one is perfect served with Italian dishes like pizza, lasagna, and pasta or grilled or roasted meats like chicken as well as fish and seafood.

I love a salad like this one served simply with some toasted baguette or crostini. This dish is a great way to use up any greens or tomatoes that you have growing in the garden or that you picked up at your local farmers market. We found it to be an excellent pairing with pizza cooked in our outdoor pizza oven.

Jump to:

• What Is Arugula?
• Ingredients For Arugula Tomato Salad
• Which Tomatoes Are Best For Salads?
• Which Cheese Is Best For Arugula Salad?
• How To Make Vinaigrette Dressing
• How To Make Arugula Tomato Salad
• What To Serve With Arugula Salad
• How Long Does This Salad Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Made Ahead?
• Arugula Tomato Salad

What Is Arugula?

Arugula (also known as rocket or rucola) is a hearty green with a peppery, slightly spicy flavor. It's a member of the brassica family along with kale and cabbage and is closely related to mustard greens.

It's an incredibly versatile vegetable and can be used in salads, as a pizza topping, on a sandwich or in a wrap, used to make pesto, or sauteed simply with some garlic and olive oil. Arugula is used extensively in Italian cuisines.

Baby arugula has a slightly more mild flavor and is the best choice when adding to a salad. Arugula that is mature may have a slightly bitter flavor that's best cooked before serving, as the cooking process mellows out any bitterness.

Arugula can be used any way you would use spinach. This salad may also be prepared using a combination of arugula and spinach if you prefer. For this recipe, I recommend using either baby arugula or an arugula and spinach combo for optimal flavor.

Ingredients For Arugula Tomato Salad

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 5 oz. Baby Arugula (or arugula spinach combo)
• 10 oz. Grape Tomatoes (equals 1 dry pint) (or cherry tomatoes)
• 8 oz. Marinated Mozzarella Balls
• 1 Tbsp. Stone Ground Mustard (or Dijon mustard)
• 3 tsp. White Wine Vinegar
• 2 cloves Garlic (grated)
• ½ tsp. Maple Syrup (or honey)
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt
• ¼ tsp. Pepper

Which Tomatoes Are Best For Salads?

For simple salads like this one, it's best to choose a variety of tomatoes with a low water content so that they do not become mushy and make the salad unnecessarily watery. My favorite variety for salads are grape or cherry tomatoes. They're small, flavorful, and distribute easily throughout the salad.

You can also use Roma or San Marzano tomatoes if that's what you have on hand. Make sure to dice the tomatoes if you use one of these varieties.

You can leave the grape or cherry tomatoes whole if you like, or chop them into halves or quarters. I prefer grape tomatoes diced into quarters, but you can chop them into halves if you prefer a larger bite.

Which Cheese Is Best For Arugula Salad?

When it comes to cheese, it's best to choose a variety that complements the peppery flavor of the arugula. I love to use marinated mozzarella balls in this Arugula Tomato Salad. The creaminess of the mozzarella balances the bitter greens and the cheese is marinated in herbs and spices, which adds even more flavor to the salad.

You can use any type of fresh mozzarella if you can't find the marinated variety. Alternately, you can choose any type of soft, fresh cheese such as burrata. Goat cheese is a great choice if you prefer a tangier flavor.

Feta cheese is another tasty choice, as it provides the salad with a creamy texture and bright, salty flavor.

If you prefer a dry cheese, feel free to use shaved Parmesan, Asiago, or Pecorino Romano.

As with the tomatoes, I like to chop the mozzarella balls into halves before adding them to the salad, but you can leave them whole if you prefer.

How To Make Vinaigrette Dressing

Salads made with hearty greens like arugula, spinach, and kale are great tossed in vinaigrette dressings that bring out their natural flavors without overpowering them. A bright and tangy vinaigrette is the perfect complement to the peppery and slightly bitter flavor of the arugula.

This is an easy vinaigrette that's prepared using a few ingredients, but packs a lot of flavor. All that's needed to make it is stone ground or Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, a few garlic cloves, maple syrup, olive oil, and kosher salt and pepper.

The mustard provides the dressing with a tangy kick, the vinegar gives it brightness, the garlic makes the vinaigrette pop, the maple syrup balances it out with some sweetness, and the olive oil brings it all together.

• I recommend using fresh garlic and grating it with a Microplane or small zester as opposed to mincing the garlic. This helps to distribute the garlic evenly in the dressing and reduces the chance of biting into a chunk of raw garlic.
• For optimal flavor, it's best to choose a quality brand of olive oil. I recommend extra virgin olive oil when making salad dressings. It has a robust flavor and silky texture that coats the veggies nicely.
• It's best to add the olive oil and and pour it slowly while whisking so that the vinaigrette emulsifies. Make sure to whisk the vinaigrette briskly until the mixture is smooth and easily pourable. Alternately, you can add all of the ingredients in a small mason jar and shake vigorously with the lid secured tightly and achieve the same results.

1. To make the dressing, start by peeling 2 cloves of garlic.
2. Add 1 Tbsp. of stone ground mustard (or Dijon mustard) to a small bowl.
3. Add 3 tsp. of white wine vinegar, ½ tsp. maple syrup (or honey), and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper to the bowl.
4. Using a Microplane or small grater, grate the garlic cloves into the bowl.
5. Slowly pour ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil into the bowl, stirring vigorously with a small whisk until the olive oil is completely incorporated and has emulsified.
6. Alternately, you can add all of these ingredients in a small mason jar, secure the lid, and shake vigorously until the vinaigrette has emulsified.

How To Make Arugula Tomato Salad

Once the dressing is prepared and the tomatoes and mozzarella chopped, all that's needed is to add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss until completely combined.

This recipe calls for 5 oz. or 1 package of baby arugula and 10 oz. (equals 1 dry pint) of grape tomatoes. You can also use an arugula and spinach combo and cherry tomatoes if you prefer.

1. Chop 10 oz. of grape (or cherry) tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on your preference. Alternately, you can leave them whole if you like.
2. Drain the oil from 1 8 oz. container of marinated mozzarella balls and cut them in half on a cutting board. Alternately, you can leave the mozzarella balls whole if you prefer.
3. Place 5 oz. of baby arugula in a large mixing bowl. Add the diced tomatoes and chopped mozzarella and toss until combined.
4. Pour some of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until combined.
5. Continue with the remainder of the vinaigrette, tossing all of the ingredients until evenly coated in the dressing.

What To Serve With Arugula Salad

Once all of the ingredients are combined, this salad is ready to serve.

I find that simple salads like this one are best not overloaded with toppings, but you can dress it up if you like.

Here are some great topping ideas:

• Croutons
• Toasted Nuts (like walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts)
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Candied Nuts
• Fresh Herbs (like basil, parsley, or chives)

The bright and tangy flavor of this salad pairs nicely with decadent Italian dishes like this Skillet Lasagna, Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake, Chicken Parmesan, or Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti.

This salad is packed with seasonal summer veggies and is perfect served alongside some grilled or roasted chicken, burgers, pizza, fish and seafood.

I love salads with toasted sandwiches like this Italian mozzarella grilled cheese, BLT with lemon basil mayo, and Gouda chicken grilled cheese.

Looking for more summer salads? Don't miss these!

• Healthy Pea Mint Salad
• Italian Green Bean Salad
• Marinated Tomato Mozzarella Salad
• Grilled Corn Avocado Feta Salad
• Pickled Beet Feta Salad

How Long Does This Salad Last In The Fridge?

The arugula wilts pretty quickly, so this salad only lasts a day or so in the fridge.

Make sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can It Be Made Ahead?

For optimal texture, I do not recommend making this salad ahead of time.

The arugula wilts quickly, so it's best enjoyed right away or within a day or so.

Love arugula? Check out these recipes!

• Italian Quinoa Arugula Salad
• Mushroom Arugula Pizza
• Smoked Salmon Arugula Quinoa Salad
• Arugula Pesto, Tomato and Prosciutto Pizza

Looking For More Summer Salads? Don't Miss These!

Shirazi Salad

Chickpea Cucumber Salad