19 Ways to Enjoy Arugula

All about arugula

Also known as rocket, rucola, or roquette, this peppery green has been cultivated in the Mediterranean for thousands of years. With high levels of potassium and vitamins A and C, arugula is a nutritional powerhouse. It makes more of a punch, flavor-wise, than most other leafy greens, which lends itself nicely to a variety of dishes. Click through to check out just some of the ways to use arugula, and see below for some basics on this tasty green.

Shopping Tips

The best arugula is uniformly dark green, with no yellowing or wilted leaves.

Cleaning Tips

Odds are, you may notice a little dirt or grime on your arugula. That’s fine, though, because doesn’t say much about the quality of the product. If you’ve purchased loose leaves, cut off the stems and rinse the leaves in a bowl under cool running water. If your arugula is in a bunch, place it in a bowl of cool water for about 10-15 minutes. Drain leaves in a colander, and rinse.

Storage Tips

Wrap cleaned leaves in a paper towel and place in a plastic zipper storage bag. They should stay fresh for about a week; unwashed arugula only keeps for a few days.

Size Matters

All arugula is not created equal. Smaller, younger leaves have a milder flavor, whereas larger, older leaves pack more of a punch. Get to know the difference when choosing leaves for a recipe — you’ll likely find that you prefer one flavor over another. I, for instance, prefer the younger leaves in pesto and salads, but would pick older leaves for pizza or soup any day of the week.

Do you have a preferred way to enjoy arugula? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

Related: 17 Ways to Use Kale

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Malgorzata Z.

2:22PM PDT on Mar 13, 2013

Uwielbiam rukolę.

March 13
send a green star

Eternal G.

5:44PM PDT on Aug 6, 2012

Sure bookmarked!

August 6
send a green star

5:39PM PDT on Aug 6, 2012

Bookmarked for I always have it growing in the garden, it self seeds readily!

Dale O.

8:23AM PDT on Jul 31, 2012

Sounds delicious, have tried this before and it is tasty especially if grown on one's balcony.

This took six pages, normally I can handle this as my computer is fairly quick...but not with each page taking one minute to load and freezing afterwards...sigh, glad there was a visiting cat looking for my attention and wanting lovings! A diversion while waiting, a pleasant one with purrs and not slowness!

July 31
send a green star

Barb M.

7:40AM PDT on Jul 7, 2012

Yum, thank you! I will definitely try some of these ideas and share them with my family!!

July 7
send a green star

Lynne B.

2:11PM PDT on Jun 28, 2012

Yummy.

June 28
send a green star

Sije D.

11:14AM PDT on Jun 25, 2012

Thanks for the article!

June 25
send a green star

Dylan H.

3:36AM PDT on Jun 23, 2012

I always use rocket...

One of my favourite salads is: Rocket, crispy prosciutto, toasted pine nuts, fresh summer peaches, goats feta and roasted japanese pumpkin (also called Kent pumpkin)