This Arugula Salad With Feta also has dates and pistachios for a delightful blend of flavors and textures, perfect for any occasion. The peppery arugula pairs beautifully with sweet dates, tangy feta, and crunchy pistachios, creating a fresh and satisfying dish. Ideal as a light meal or a vibrant side, this salad is simply delicious.
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The dressing for this salad is lightly sweetened with pomegranate molasses and silan (date syrup) and uses Dijon mustard to give it a slight "kick". Plus, broiling the dates before adding them to this salad will create a chewy caramel-like edge that will have people fighting over.
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The combination of peppery greens, sweet dried fruits, tangy cheese, and crunchy nuts is a hallmark of Mediterranean cuisine, reflecting the vibrant and diverse flavors of the Mediterranean region.
This recipe was adapted from Adeena Sussman's book Sababa and if you are looking for another salad that has arugula you will love the Warm Roasted Cauliflower Salad, Easy Mediterranean Lentil Salad, or Arugula And Beet Salad With Goat Cheese.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe - This is a simple recipe that comes together quickly
- Lightly Sweet - From the combination of the dates and the dressing
- A Dressing You Will Use Again - The dressing for this salad is delicious on other foods
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Arugula Salad With Dates:
Ingredient Notes:
- My favorite feta cheese is a French sheep's milk feta that I get at a specialty grocery store. If you can't find it, then my favorite Greek Feta is Dodoni. I have used both in the Feta Tomato Pasta recipe.
- Dates - You can substitute figs for the dates. They have a similar texture and are sweet as well.
- Pomegranate Molasses and Date Syrup or Silan are sweeteners commonly used in the Middle East. They provide sweetness but it comes from fruit and not granulated sugar. They also have a fruitiness and taste profile that you can't get from sugar.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Additions & Substitutions
Additions:
- Fresh Fruit - Adding in sliced pear, grapes, or apple would give this salad some added freshness.
- Protein - Crumbled cooked bacon or cooked chicken go nicely with this salad.
- Onions - Add some sliced red onion or sweet white onion to the salad.
Substitutions
- Nuts - You can use any variety of nuts in this recipe. Pinenuts, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds all work well.
- Cheese - If you are not a fan of feta cheese, you can use goat cheese, mozzarella cheese, or any type of hard sheep's cheese, like a manchego.
How To Make An Arugula Salad With Feta: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Prepare the dressing by mixing all of the dressing ingredients together. Set aside.
Step 2: Toast the pistachios, chop them slightly and set aside.
Step 3: Preheat your broiler. Slice the dates and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the edges are slightly charred and the dates are caramelized.
Step 4: Place the arugula on a serving platter or in a bowl. Add the feta and the pistachios. Add the dates to the salad. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.
Confidence Tip
Don't skip broiling the dates. The caramelization is an amazing taste treat!
I am a huge fan of pistachios in salads. When you roast them, they turn nutty and have a wonderful flavor. I use them in the Cold Asparagus Salad With Lemon And Herbs.
A yummy meal to accompany this salad would be this 3-Ingredient Lasagna!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you need to use up arugula quickly, toss it into the food processor with some quality olive oil, nuts like pine nuts or walnuts, and grated hard cheese. Blend Parmesan, pecorino, or even aged Gouda for a vibrant pesto that tastes fantastic over pasta or spread onto bread for a delicious sandwich.
Arugula is most commonly eaten raw in salads or as a topping on other foods but it can be cooked. Sauteing is the most common method of cooking arugula.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Other Delicious Salads:
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section and leave a ⭐️ rating and review. Share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
xoxoxo
Gwen
Arugula Salad With Feta
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Ingredients
Salad
- 8 cup baby arugula about 4 oz
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 4 large Medjool dates pitted and halved if small or quartered if large
- ½ cup pistachios toasted
Dressing
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon silan (date syrup)
- 1 tablespoon shallots finely minced
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Dressing
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, date syrup, Dijon mustard, shallots, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk until combined and set aside.
Salad
- Preheat the broiler.
- Slice the dates in half or quarters depending on size. Arrange the cut dates on a small foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the edges are charred and the dates are caramelized, about 2-3 minutes.
- Toast the pistachios, either in a pan on the stove or in the oven, until slightly golden brown. Chop into large pieces and set aside.
- Arrange the arugula on a serving platter or in a bowl.
- Using your hands, separate the feta cheese into bite-sized chunks and scatter on top.
- Scatter the dates on top of the cheese. Scatter the pistachios on top of the dates.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss.
Jere says
This salad has all of my favorites in it. I made this twice now.
Megan says
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit. Yum!
Gelliane says
This was so good!
Veronica says
I absolutely love the combination of flavors and textures. Such a perfect easy salad!
Jane says
So yum and very easy to make!
Lucy says
I wasn't going to make this until I read you had to broil the dates. I just had to try that and loved how they tasted with the char on them and caramelization. I also love pistachios. Loved the salad.
Esme Slabbert says
You said "Salad" and I am here, thanks I am saving this one
I visited you via The Country Cook. My entries are Easiest Crustless Quiche and 4 Basic Ingredient Drop Scones
Allie says
I made this for lunch this week - that dressing is so good! I am a huge fan of dates and they go so well with feta and pistachios.
Sage Scott says
An absolutely wonderful salad! I love the way the peppery arugula, creamy feta, sweet dates, and crunchy pistachios all work together to delight my taste buds!