Spinach Arugula Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
This delicious spinach and arugula salad is the perfect contrast of textures and flavors. Made with spinach and zesty arugula, topped with crispy prosciutto, marinated tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, creamy goat cheese, and a tangy balsamic lemon dressing.
Fresh and zesty spinach arugula salad
Serve this arugula and spinach salad as a healthy side dish to pair with your main course, or add some protein to make it a full meal. For more fresh salads, try Burrata Caprese Salad or Greek Chicken Salad. Don’t forget to top with Homemade Buttery Croutons!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Vibrant and bold flavors. This salad is anything but boring! The marinated tomatoes, tangy goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, and balsamic lemon vinaigrette make this vibrant salad POP with flavors.
- Textures. The best salads have contrasting textures! This salad has creamy, crunchy, crispy, and smooth textures for the perfect bite.
- Perfect combination of greens. I love the flavor of peppery arugula, but it can be kind of stemmy on its own. The combination of spinach and arugula makes the perfect pair for your green salad.
- Easy salad recipe. This simple salad is made with fresh ingredients, is easy to put together, and ready in 30 minutes.
- Versatile. Great for a light lunch, or pair it with a protein for a complete dinner salad!
Equipment needed
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Buy Now → Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cherry tomatoes – Substitute for grape tomatoes, or other smaller varieties.
- Lemon – This recipe uses lemon zest and fresh lemon juice for a bright pop of citrus.
- Balsamic vinegar – Substitute for white balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Use a quality olive oil. You can also add some extra flavor by using one of these infused olive oil recipes.
- Fresh spinach and fresh arugula – Use fresh baby spinach or arugula or regular varieties.
- Goat cheese – Using creamy goat cheese in this salad gives a creamy and tangy bite. Substitute for feta cheese or blue cheese.
- Red onion – Can be a strong flavor, so slice very thinly and use sparingly.
- Pine nuts – Adds a nutty flavor and an extra texture. Can be replaced with sunflower seeds.
- Prosciutto – Crispy prosciutto adds the perfect salty crunch to this delicious salad!
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and measurements.
Craving more salad? I LOVE a good wedge salad recipe with crisp iceberg lettuce, crispy bacon, and blue cheese.
How to make spinach and arugula salad
This simple but delicious arugula and spinach salad is easy to put together!
STEP ONE: CRISP
Bake prosciutto on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 10 minutes until crispy. Set aside.
STEP TWO: MARINATE
Add tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and basil to a small bowl with salt and pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.
STEP THREE: SHAKE
Add the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake well to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Shake again before serving.
STEP FOUR: ASSEMBLE
Add spinach and arugula to a large bowl. Top with marinated tomatoes and red onion. Drizzle over vinaigrette and toss to combine. Top with goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, and pine nuts.
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Expert tips for making the best salad
Salads have a reputation for being a little boring at times but this does NOT have to be the case! There are a few tips to turn your salads from dull to dazzling.
- Contrasting textures. Adding textural interest to your salad takes it to the next level. Go for a crunch like nuts, seeds, or homemade croutons.
- Pop of flavors. Use bright and bold flavors in your salads like citrus, vinegar, red onion, anchovies, olives, garlic, ginger, or bacon to give bites with different pops of flavors.
- Fresh herbs. Adding fresh herbs to your salad greens gives an herbaceous flavor. Try fresh basil, parsley, cilantro, green onions, or chives.
- Homemade dressing. Making your own salad dressing is pretty simple, and the flavor payoff is so worth it! Check out Cajun Ranch or Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette for two tasty options.
- Change up the greens. Using a mix of greens makes salads more interesting! Get store bought mixed greens, or make your own combination.
- Salt and pepper! Always top your salad with a few cracks of black pepper and maldon salt to bring all the flavors together!
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers: Store leftovers without dressing in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
What to serve with this salad
This spinach and arugula salad recipe is great on its own, or you can pair it with a protein to make a more filling meal.
- Top with sliced perfectly cooked chicken breast.
- Add some spice with easy blackened shrimp.
- Pair it with Cajun honey butter salmon.
Change up the salad dressing by using Cajun Ranch or Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Go for a soup and salad pairing with these delicious soups
If you want some extra crunch, top this easy spinach and arugula salad with Homemade Buttery Croutons!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make parts of this easy arugula salad ahead of time. Make the simple vinaigrette a day or 2 in advance, and you can make the marinated tomatoes 1 day in advance. It’s best to make the crispy prosciutto fresh.
If you don’t like arugula, you can substitute it for more spinach, romaine lettuce, or iceberg lettuce.
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Spinach Arugula Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
Ingredients
Marinated tomatoes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved or quartered, (2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3-5 fresh basil leaves sliced thin (chiffonade)
- Salt and pepper
Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- lemon zest from ½ lemon
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
For the salad
- 3 ounces fresh spinach
- 3 ounces fresh arugula
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ pound prosciutto thinly sliced, not too thin
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- freshly cracked black pepper and flakey sea salt
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Chiffonade basil (cut into very thin strips). Mince garlic cloves and divide in half. Zest lemon, then squeeze. Thinly slice red onion. Lay out slices of prosciutto on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.1 pint cherry tomatoes, 3-5 fresh basil leaves, lemon zest from ½ lemon, ¼ pound prosciutto
- CRISP: Bake prosciutto for about 10 minutes until crispy. Set aside.
- MARINATE: While prosciutto is in the oven, add tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, half the garlic, and basil to a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine and set aside.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- VINAIGRETTE: Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, remaining minced garlic, and red pepper flakes if using to a jar and shake well to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Shake again before serving.1 clove garlic, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, Pinch red pepper flakes
- ASSEMBLE: Add spinach and arugula to a bowl. Top with marinated tomatoes and red onion. Drizzle over vinaigrette and toss to combine. Top with goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, and pine nuts. Top with freshly cracked salt and pepper.3 ounces fresh spinach, 3 ounces fresh arugula, 2 ounces goat cheese, ¼ red onion, ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Notes
- This recipe makes 4 small side salads or 2 large dinner salads.
- How to store leftovers: Store leftovers without dressing in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Glass jar
