Mondays always come around with a bit of disappointment that weekends can’t last longer. I am actually quite Monday made it, since I have my leftover simple Arugula Greek Salad in the fridge for lunch today. Ever since having a lamb burger when out at dinner last week with creamy feta on top, I have been craving the mild tang and salty flavor. I bought some, along with some of my favorite other Greek ingredients like kalamata olives and peperoncinis, and have been eating this salad all weekend long. Now that I have the jars of goodness in the fridge, it’s so easy to whip up a filling and colorful salad full of Greek flavor. The liquid from the jars of olives and artichoke hearts (in water not oil) make the perfect light dressing – so it’s a low maintenance salad that you can throw together in 5 minutes after a bit of slicing and dicing. Am I alone, or do you also love eating something over and over until you go crazy and find a new favorite?
This salad is perfect for a filling lunch for one. You can also make it a side salad for two; I think it would be wonderful with a piece of roasted chicken and some quinoa. I made this for dinner last night and topped it with a few shrimp sautéed in garlic for an easy meal. I forgot the baby tomatoes and the thinly sliced red onion for pictures, but I think this salad is also fabulous without a few ingredients if you need to make do. Mix & match with what you have on hand! Make this salad the reason to always have a jar of quartered artichoke hearts and kalamatas in your fridge – you’ll thank me later.
- 2 cups arugula
- ½ of a red pepper
- ⅓ of a small cucumber
- ⅛ cup red onion
- Handful of baby tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon crumbled feta
- Greek peperoncinis (~3 to 5)
- Kalamata olives (~3 to 5)
- Artichoke hearts (~1 to 2)
- Dressing: liquid from jar of artichokes or olives, squeeze of lemon
- Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, cut the red pepper, cucumber, and red onion into thin slices. Slice the baby tomatoes in half (not pictured in my salad).
- Chop up your feta cheese if it's not already crumbled, as thinly slice the peperoncinis, olives, and artichoke hearts.
- Toss everything together and drizzle in some of the liquid from the jars of artichoke hearts and/or olives, depending on your preference. Add a squeeze of lemon if you have some on hand to brighten it up. I find that the salad is already so zesty you don't need to add much in the way of dressing.
P.S. I would recommend a glass of white wine too if you’re really asking for a pairing. Shrimp, chicken, tofu baked with lemon, or even some white beans would be a great addition if you’re looking to make this a bigger meal.
So… how many hours until my lunch break? 🙂 What are your current obsessions that I need to try?
Marisa
Heather @ Sweet Precision says
What a delicious looking bright dish with all the fresh veggies! I can totally imagined it topped with some garlic shrimp… yum!
Marisa says
Thanks Heather! It was really good with the shrimp!
Jessi Even says
Perfect spring salad!! All the toppings – you and mom would get along!
Marisa says
Yes, I love loading up the toppings! It helps me forget about boring bowls of lettuce and helps me enjoy a salad like a meal.
Ashley Anderson says
Marisa,
Check out this recipe-Wild Mushroom Risotto with Barley. It was delicious.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/wild_mushroom_barley_risotto.html
Marisa says
Yum! Thanks for sharing, Ashley! I need to try to make risotto one of these days and that recipe looks amazing. Gotta find the patience to stir at the stove… 🙂
Amy @ The Little Honey Bee says
Okay confession: I really don’t like arugula! I think it’s too bitter and always replace it with spinach… am I a weirdo? But nonetheless, this salad looks deeeeelish. You know I’m all about food on repeat but since being away I have been eating all the bacon! SO weird for this Jewish girl but hey, you gotta give the body what the body wants 🙂
Marisa says
Not too weird and definitely would be just as delicious with spinach! I like the zesty arugula flavor. I am also a bacon fan, but of the turkey bacon variety!