Arugula Salad with Bacon & Gorgonzola
Peppery Arugula Salad with Bacon & Gorgonzola is an excellent choice as part of a healthy meal. According to the Cleveland Clinic, arugula offers potential health benefits. They include boosting your immune system and strengthening your bones. It also supports your gut and heart health.
What you might not know about arugula is that it is not considered a leafy green lettuce. Instead, it is part of the group known as cruciferous vegetables. This group includes vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli.
Arugula is a healthy choice, both raw and cooked. However, it is most commonly eaten raw in a salad which preserves more of the nutrients. Alternatively, it is delicious simply sautéed with olive oil and garlic which mellows its peppery taste.
I enjoy the peppery goodness of arugula and use it often. It pairs well with fresh fruits and complements the creamy richness of cheeses. Additionally, it enhances the savory goodness of smokey meats and bacon. It also pairs well with chicken and fish. The leafy green is enhanced by a simple vinaigrette.
The salad I am sharing today couldn’t be more simple. Arugula is tossed in a delicious Gorgonzola cheese vinaigrette. The salad is sprinkled with crispy applewood smoked bacon and topped with a little extra crumbled cheese. While Gorgonzola is one of the milder blue cheeses, your favorite blue cheese can be substituted.
Arugula Salad with Bacon & Gorgonzola
This recipe is for two persons, adjust the recipe accordingly.
- 1 – 2 slices of thick cut applewood smoked bacon per person
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp., more or less, lemon juice (sherry vinegar can be substituted)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese plus extra for topping, if desired
- 1 large handful of arugula per person
Cut the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Place the bacon on a paper towel and set aside while you prepare the vinaigrette.
In a microwave safe bowl, add the garlic and olive oil. Cover the bowl and heat in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until the flavors infuse. Alternatively, simmer the garlic and oil in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes then set aside to cool. In a bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the infused oil and garlic. Add 2 Tbsp crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Mix well until the cheese is incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Place the arugula in a salad bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. To serve, place the arugula on plates and top with the bacon and additional cheese, if you wish.
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This is a very simple recipe to prepare and can easily be modified to your own tastes. It is a very satisfying salad, especially with the flavorful crisp bacon and savory cheese. If you have access to vine ripe tomatoes, they would be wonderful in the salad. This addition of flavorful tomatoes makes a great salad version of a BLT.
Thank you for all the info about the health benefits of arugula (we call it rocket in UK). I eat it a lot and love its peppery flavour. This is a great salad for the summer.
Yum!
I love this salad! I love arugula! (And how can you go wrong with bacon.) I didn’t know until very recently (!) that arugula was good cooked. And I didn’t know that arugula was not considered a leafy green. Thanks for the first lesson of the day!
How delicious – I need to plant some more arugula, mine has gone to seed.
I love arugula and use it both raw and cooked. This salad looks lovely.
Looks delicious, Karen! A kind of Italian take on frisée salad?
This sounds unbelievably fantastic. You had me at bacon and gorgonzola but I’ve always liked arugula although I never knew that it wasn’t a leafy green! Nor did I know about sauteeing it. And that dressing looks wonderful no matter what the salad. Thanks, Karen!
My all time favourite combo of flavour for a delicious salad!
angiesrecipes
http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com
Love rocket so peppery and delicious and with bacon – you have the perfect salad. Hope recovery is going well. Stay strong!💪Healthy World Cuisine
Sounds delicious! I just pulled up the last of my first attempt at Arugula, it was an heirloom variety and had outstanding flavor. And a huge side of aphids! not too appetizing. I’m going to save this recipe. I hope your husband is healing.
Mmm… gorgonzola can really make a salad pop.
Beautiful photos!
Karen, I also love arugula. Thanks for sharing the health benefits. The salad looks delicious
Beautiful colours and flavors in this post!
Well, in Australia I also know and love this as rocket . . . and I also was not aware it was not considered a leafy green 🙂 ! Love the look of the salad and have made something along the lines! Trust matters are evening out your way – have oft thought of you and yours . . .
What a great salad , I like arugula and your dressing. I’m definitely going to make the salad.
Love the plate the salad is sitting on. I am not a huge fan of greens but when rocket is really fresh, it is great! We had a lovely rocket salad at a cafe on the weekend, which was terrific. Love the sound of this one! I can’t even begin to pronounce arugula – hehehehe … Rocket is SO much easier to say.
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Beautiful presentation, and it looks absolutely delicious.
Sounds delicious!
I must make this dressing as it would be tasty on many different salads. Thank you for the inspiration!
we are huge arugula fans — love the use of Gorgonzola with it!
Karen — my server is telling me that your email account is closed. Do you have a new email? Please let me know. Hope all is well with you.
Simple yet wonderful salad with a great flavour. I normally go with prosciutto, but I love the use of bacon, too.
Peppery arugula, crispy bacon, and that tangy Gorgonzola vinaigrette? Yes, please! Love how simple yet decadent this salad is, the garlic-infused oil is such a pro touch. Definitely trying it with sherry vinegar next time for an extra kick. BLT vibes with tomatoes? Chef’s kiss.
Arugula is definitely one of our favourites, but sadly, I stopped buying them because the plastic clamshell boxes inevitably would rot the tender greens before I could use them up, and the expensive price for the arugula made them even less attractive. But I got onto them in Spain this February and March and frankly I had forgotten how much I missed them. I have since found a decent grocer that offers baby arugula for a reasonable price.
Pairing these gorgeous greens with gorgonzola and bacon is what sets this lovely salad apart. It not only looks delightful but it’s super healthy too (who knew?). I do hope your husband is recovering well and your lives are nearing normal again.
This looks great Karen! I have some guanciale that I could use for this instead of bacon that needs using up. Thanks for the inspiration!
That arugula salad looks fantastic! Bacon and gorgonzola are a perfect pairing with the peppery greens. I love the simple, flavorful dressing ingredients too.
This looks delicious!
This salad looks amazing—definitely going to try it! I’ve been on a big “clean out and organize” kick lately (thanks to renting a dumpster for some serious decluttering), so quick and easy recipes like this are a lifesaver. After a long day of tossing out old junk, this sounds like the perfect dinner to whip up. Plus, bacon and Gorgonzola? Yes, please!
I love arugula–so much flavor! This puts it over the top and made me realize I should be dressing it up more often! Off to buy Gorgonzola!
Yes as Eha says, we do call it rocket here. I can never pronounce that other word :=) This sounds very tasty Karen tho these days, hubby and i do not eat bacon. Love that plate it is sitting in!
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/