I’ve realized that many of my favorite salads have something in common. They all seem to cover so many elements in the spectrum of flavors: salty, bitter, sweet, sour and umami. I’ve read that by combining and layering those flavors within a meal, you can reduce cravings and feel more satisfied. It makes perfect sense to me. I always tend to crave sweets after eating something bland and salty, like pretzels. Does that happen to you?
What I love is how combining varying flavors complement each other.The slight bitterness of arugula is so perfect with bites of sweet strawberries, then the creamy and salty feta and tart lemon vinaigrette kind of create a party in your mouth. Speaking of parties…this makes a wonderful salad for a gathering. Just whisk the vinaigrette together in advance and combine everything just before serving.
Take a peek at my five tips for creating the perfect salad below!
Baby Arugula and Strawberry Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- <b>Dressing</b>
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard regular Dijon works too
- 2 teaspoons honey use pure maple to keep this vegan
- 1 teaspoon fine kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- <b>Salad</b>
- 10 ounces baby arugula
- 1 pound fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
- 1/2 small red onion sliced
- 8 ounces feta cheese omit to keep this vegan
Instructions
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or a jar with a fitted lid. Whisk or shake until emulsified.
- In a large roomy bowl, add the arugula and some of the dressing. Toss to coat the arugula. Add the remaining salad ingredients and more dressing. Toss gently.
I tried this salad and it was absolutely amazing! Thank you for the recipe.
That makes me so happy, Sarah! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! xo
I hate salads that are totally one-note blah, and this is the opposite of that! So many good things going on in here.
Such a good summary of the putting together the perfect salad! AND these are such beautiful photos. Simple and just so lovely. I just did a salad shoot and then decided to re-do the entire shoot and I’ve finally decided to give up- I just could not get it to look as good as it tasted. :( You got yours just right though! Hope you are well, my friend! Have a wonderful weekend. xo
Ahhh…you are so sweet, Emily! I needed that! I actually had injured my hip while I was shooting this and had to use a wooden skewer to move the food around because I couldn’t bend down! Hahaha! And I bet your photos were perfect…we are so hard on ourselves, right? Miss chatting, my friend!
This looks like the perfect summer salad. I love berries and cheese in salads – it’s just so good. Love the sounds of that dressing too!
Thank you, Rebecca! I love that combination too!
Lovely salad with a great combo of ingredients/flavors!! Perfect for summer!!
Thanks so much, Deborah! Yes…I’ll be eating this often this summer!
Such a gorgeous salad Caroline! I love all the flavors you’ve combined in this one! It’s got all my cravings covered. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Mary Ann! You’re the sweetest!
Simply gorgeous, and I love all that you said (totally agree about the balance and contrast) and the tips! Pinned :)
Thanks so much, Katie! Yeah…I love to mix my flavors, too!