Strawberry Arugula Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

This strawberry arugula salad pairs peppery leaves with sweet strawberries, juicy pink grapefruit and toasted pecans, all tossed in a honey and poppy seed dressing. It takes about 15 minutes and serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a light lunch. The contrast of sweet, sharp and bitter is what makes it work, so don’t skip the grapefruit or the toasting.

• Serves: 4 as a side
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 5 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Salad

• 100 g (about 4 cups) arugula (rocket)
• 250 g (about 1⅔ cups) strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 pink grapefruit
• 50 g (½ cup) pecan halves

Poppy seed dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• A pinch of salt and black pepper

Method

1. Toast the pecans in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they smell nutty and darken slightly. Tip them onto a plate to cool, then chop roughly.
2. Segment the grapefruit. Slice off the top and bottom, then cut away the peel and white pith following the curve of the fruit. Working over a bowl, cut between the membranes to free each segment. Squeeze the leftover membranes to collect the juice.
3. Put the oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, salt and pepper in a jar with 1 tablespoon of the grapefruit juice. Close the lid and shake until combined.
4. Just before serving, toss the arugula with half the dressing in a large bowl.
5. Scatter over the strawberries, grapefruit segments and pecans. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing and serve straight away.

A note on grapefruit and medicines

Grapefruit can interact with some common medicines. The US Food and Drug Administration lists some statins (such as simvastatin and atorvastatin), some blood pressure drugs (such as nifedipine), some anti-anxiety drugs and some antihistamines among the medicines affected, and notes that eating the fruit can matter as well as drinking the juice. If you take regular medication, check with your pharmacist, or use a regular sweet orange instead, as in the swaps below.

Tips for the best result

• Dress the leaves at the last minute. Arugula wilts quickly once dressed.
• Use ripe, room-temperature strawberries for the best flavor. Cold strawberries straight from the fridge taste muted.
• Dry the leaves well after washing, so the dressing clings instead of sliding off.
• Make the dressing a day ahead if you like. Keep it in the fridge and shake again before using.

Swaps and variations

• Strawberry spinach salad: use baby spinach instead of arugula for a milder flavor.
• Add cheese: crumble 60 g (2 oz) of feta or soft goat cheese over the top.
• Make it a main meal: add sliced grilled chicken, or a can of drained chickpeas for a vegetarian option.
• No grapefruit: use 1 large orange, segmented the same way, or skip the citrus and add sliced cucumber.
• Nut-free: replace the pecans with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
• Vegan: use maple syrup instead of honey.

Storage

This salad is best eaten as soon as it’s dressed. If you’re making it ahead, keep the leaves, fruit, nuts and dressing in separate containers in the fridge and combine them just before serving. Leftover dressed salad turns soggy within a few hours. Cut fruit is best eaten within a day.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is a quarter of the recipe, as a side. These figures are estimates calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the ingredients above.

Most of the calories come from the olive oil and pecans, which are mainly unsaturated fats. If you’d like a lighter salad, use 2 tablespoons of oil instead of 3 and halve the pecans. Most of the sugar comes from the fruit, with about 4 g per serving from the honey.

Contains: tree nuts (pecans) and mustard. Check the labels on packaged ingredients if you’re cooking for someone with an allergy.

What to serve with it

• Grilled chicken, salmon or halloumi, to turn it into a full meal.
• A creamy pasta such as our mushroom tagliatelle, where the sharp dressing balances the richness.
• Crusty whole grain bread.

Want more salad greens in your week? Our guide to green fruits and vegetables has more ideas.

How to choose and store strawberries

Pick strawberries that are bright red all the way to the stem, firm and glossy, with fresh green caps. Strawberries don’t keep ripening much after picking, so white or pale shoulders won’t turn red on the counter. Check the bottom of the box for crushed or moldy berries.

Store them unwashed in the fridge in a single layer on a paper towel, and wash them just before you use them, because moisture makes them spoil faster. Take them out about 30 minutes before serving so they’re not fridge-cold.

Packing it for lunch

To take this salad to work or on a picnic, pack the arugula in one container, the fruit and pecans in another, and the dressing in a small jar. Combine everything just before you eat. Add a portion of chickpeas, feta or leftover chicken if you want it to keep you going all afternoon.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.