Simple Spring Arugula Salad

This vibrant Simple Spring Arugula Salad celebrates the bright flavors of the season with minimal ingredients that shine through their simplicity. Tender, peppery arugula leaves create a lively base, while thinly sliced shallots add a gentle bite and subtle sweetness that mellows when tossed in the light dressing.

The salad is dressed with just enough high-quality olive oil and fresh lemon juice and rice vinegar to coat the leaves without weighing them down, allowing the natural flavors to take center stage. Perfect as a side for a weeknight dinner or the starter for a spring gathering, this uncomplicated salad spotlights how seasonal ingredients need little embellishment to create something truly delicious.

Ingredients

1 shallot, finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
16 cups arugula

Instructions

Combine shallot, honey, mustard, and salt in a jar with a lid; add olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar. Cover jar with lid and shake until dressing is thickened.
Place arugula in a bowl and drizzle dressing over greens; toss to coat.

Tips:

You can make a larger batch of dressing by simply doubling or tripling the amounts and store it in the fridge for a week or two. This dressing can also do double duty as a marinade for chicken or thick, firm-fleshed fish.
Any variety of spring lettuce such as Bibb or red leaf can replace the arugula.