Inspired by Aroma Espresso Bar, this is the BEST Arugula Salad – it features lentils, sweet potatoes, and lemon-olive oil dressing. You can meal prep it, too!
The mix of textures and flavours makes this salad super satisfying. And, it holds up well in the fridge, so it’s perfect for weekday lunches or a no-fuss dinner.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect for meal prep: The ingredients hold up well, so you can prep it in advance without worrying about soggy greens.
- Balanced and satisfying: Packed with fibre, protein, and healthy fats, you’ve got a fresh salad that actually fills you up.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – you can use another neutral oil like sunflower oil or avocado oil.
- Sweet potatoes – yams or parsnips would also work, but sweet potatoes are my favourite.
- Dry brown lentils – garbanzo beans, chickpeas or fava beans are all similar, just keep in mind they may need to cook differently.
- Goat cheese – you can also substitute for feta cheese. Leave the cheese out altogether if you want to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Red onion – white onion works too, but red onion provides the best flavour.
- Arugula – baby spinach, mustard greens, watercress, baby kale or mixed greens would also work.
- Lemon juice – either freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice.
How to make the BEST arugula salad
Step 1: Roast the sweet potatoes.
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, then bake them in the oven.
Step 2: Cook the lentils.
Rinse the lentils, then cook until tender. Drain and rinse well.
Step 3: Make the dressing.
Mix the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to make the dressing.
Step 4: Prep your toppings.
Slice the red onion and crumble the goat cheese.
Step 5: Assemble your salad.
Add everything to a bowl, drizzle the dressing over top, and toss well.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy!
Add to a bowl of your choice and dig in.
recipe variations
This simple salad is so easy to make, and you can customize the ingredients to include whatever you have on hand. Here are some different variations you can try:
- Dressing options: I make this salad with a simple lemon vinaigrette, but you can also try one of my other homemade salad dressings.
- Protein: Add some extra protein (in addition to the lentils) by adding on some baked chicken breast, lemon rosemary tofu or hard boiled eggs.
- Cheese: Swap out the goat cheese for feta cheese or shaved parmesan cheese, or leave it out altogether for a dairy-free option.
- Toppings: Add on some pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different green instead of arugula?
Yes! Baby spinach, mixed greens, or massaged kale are great substitutes if you’re not a fan of arugula’s peppery flavour.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes, simply leave out the goat cheese or replace it with a dairy-free alternative.
What protein can I add to make it more filling?
Grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, or roasted chickpeas are great additions to boost the protein content.
What to serve with this salad
This salad is hearty enough to stand on its own, but it also makes a great side dish. Here are a few tasty pairings:
- Margherita grilled chicken or BBQ Salmon
- Tomato soup or crockpot chicken noodle soup
- Crusty bread or flatbread
- Sweet potato wedges or fries or sweet potato poutine
How to store and reheat
Make-ahead: Roast the sweet potatoes and cook the lentils in advance, and store separately until ready to assemble.
Store: Keep the salad components in separate containers in the fridge for up to 5 days to prevent sogginess.
More healthy salad recipes
Meal prep tools
- These mason jars are great for storing salads.
- You can also pack these salads in glass meal prep bowls.
The BEST Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 cup dry brown lentils
- 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 small red onion very thinly sliced
- 8 cups baby arugula
Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil divided
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Meanwhile peel and diced sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 inch thick), then add to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
- While sweet potatoes are baking, cook the lentils. First, rinse them in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear, then cook them in a large pot of salted boiling water for 20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain lentils and rinse well under cold water.
- While lentils and sweet potatoes are cooking, mix together olive oil, lemon juice and salt & pepper in a medium-sized bowl to make the dressing, then set aside. Finally, slice the red onion and crumble the goat cheese.
- When lentils and sweet potatoes are cooked, you can now start assembling your salads! Divide lentils evenly among the bottom of four (1L) mason jars, then divide dressing among the four jars. Add in sweet potatoes overtop, followed by goat cheese and red onion. Finish with arugula. Salad jars will last in the fridge up to 5 days.
- NOTE: If you want to serve the salad right away and not store for meal prep, you can simply toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and then serve from there. Enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Theresa Schroder says
Made this for our family Easter dinner and it was a huge hit! Easy to make, even prepped everything the day before and assembled before dinner.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so glad you gave it a try Theresa! Hope you and your family had a happy Easter 🙂