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Nothing says spring quite like juicy strawberries, crisp fennel, and peppery arugula. I first made this strawberry arugula salad for my latest cookbook, and it’s been a favorite ever since. Honestly, the toppings are what made me fall in love with it—but everyone who tries it always asks about the Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette in top. It’s so simple and so good.
Ingredients You’ll Need
I know a few of these ingredients might be new to you (they were for me once, too!), but that’s part of the fun—discovering how incredible new flavors can be. This salad is packed with good-for-you plants that make you feel amazing inside and out:
- Arugula: a leafy green with a little peppery bite (it’s in the same family as kale and broccoli).
- Fennel: crunchy and lightly sweet with a hint of licorice flavor.
- Orange + berries: full of vitamin C and antioxidants, and they add bright pops of flavor.
- Meyer lemon: slightly sweeter than regular lemons and totally addictive. I use them in my Ginger Lemon Honey Tea.
How to Make Strawberry Arugula Salad
- Combine all dressing ingredients (except for the poppy seeds!) in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy. You may need to add a bit of water to help it blend well. Hand mix in the poppy seeds, then store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Slice the fennel bulb, Meyer lemon, strawberries, almonds and orange, then toss with the arugula and berries.
- Once you’re ready to eat, shake up that homemade vinaigrette and pour over the salad.
I won’t judge if you lick the bowl on this one. It’s ridiculously good. I love Meyer lemons so much I started growing them in my yard and eating them like apples. If this is your first time trying one then I dare you not to immediately fall in love.
Ingredient Swaps
While Meyer lemons are definitely preferred, you can swap them out for regular lemons. Just know the dressing will be tart.
You can swap fennel for yellow onion as well as the berries for any berries you have on hand.
If you need this salad to be nut-free, then swap the almonds with hemp hearts or sunflower seeds, and swap the cashews in the lemon vinaigrette with the same.
Strawberry Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups arugula
- ½ fennel bulb very thinly sliced
- 1 orange peeled and segmented
- ½ cup strawberries sliced
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup raspberries
- ½ Meyer lemon seeded and very thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp raw cashews soaked
- 2 tbsp Meyer lemon juiced
- 1 tsp raw honey
- ⅛ tsp sea salt, unrefined
- ⅛ black pepper, ground
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- Combine the cashews, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add a teaspoon of water if needed. Mix in poppy seeds and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the arugula, fennel, oranges, berries, lemon and almonds.
- When ready to serve, drizzle dressing on top.
Notes
- If you have time, soak cashews in water for 2+ hours to get creamiest result. You can also “flash soak” by putting cashews in a bowl with boiling water. Cover with a plate for 10 minutes, then rinse and drain.
- Store dressing in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Swap in whatever berries you have on hand.
- Hemp hearts or sunflower seeds can be swapped in for almonds in the salad and for the cashews in the dressing.
- Meyer lemons are less tart and much sweeter (and larger) than regular lemons. You can swap in regular lemons if you can’t find Meyer lemons, yet it will change the flavor of the salad and vinaigrette.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
You can prep most of it ahead! Slice the fennel, citrus, and berries up to a day in advance and store them separately in the fridge. Wait to toss everything with the arugula and dressing until just before serving to keep it crisp and fresh.
Meyer lemons are sweeter and less tart than regular lemons, but if you can’t find them, you can absolutely use regular lemons. Just know the flavor will be a bit more tangy—still delicious, just a little brighter.
Soaking helps make the dressing super creamy, but if you’re short on time, do a “flash soak.” Just pour boiling water over the cashews, cover the bowl for 10 minutes, then drain and blend.
Yes! Swap the sliced almonds for hemp hearts or sunflower seeds, and use the same seed swap in the vinaigrette instead of cashews. It will still taste rich and delicious.
Store the Meyer lemon vinaigrette in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to 1 week. Give it a good shake before using again.
Absolutely. Use whatever berries you have on hand—strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries all work beautifully.
Love having a health Meyer Lemon salad dressing to refer back to. Delicious recipe.
I give it a 5 ( loved it!) but hubby said a 2 because he’s not a fan of mixing fruits & veggies. The dressing was very nice too! THANKS Jen. It’s been a great 10 days.
Fennel, arugula and berry is a nice combo with almonds for a wee bit of Crunch
Aww! So happy you enjoyed it! We all had a blast too! 🙂
What a nice way to end the salad challenge! This is my FAVORITE!!! I think I have even embraced fennel!!!!
Whoo hoo!! Way to give fennel a chance!! Glad you’re enjoying it.
Love it one of the top three!!!!
Delicious and beautiful!
Not a berry in salad person but the dressing is great over mixed greens with some chopped cucumbers and carrots.
This was a nice salad but the dressing was delicious!!
My greens were Arugula & spinach. No raspberries only because my store didn’t have any in stock.
I like the blueberries & strawberries but I don’t think I will add the lemon & orange next time. But I will give the salad a squeeze of lemon.
An absolute delight of a salad! My finicky husband who HATES salad even tried it and liked it!! I loved the sweetness of the berries paired with the lemon poppy seed and cashew dressing. We thoroughly enjoyed it and I will make this again!
Wow! What a salad to end on! Deliciousness on a plate (but not for long-soon to be in my belly!)
Definitely one of the best I have had in this challenges line up ! So fresh and tangy . Reminds me of summer !
Loved this salad. All the fruit with that amazing dressing. What a fabulous combination of flavors.
Beautiful Salad, Great composition and taste
Salads with fresh fruits. What could be better?
Not a berry person but all else is good. Didn’t see any Meyer lemons.
Very light and springy salad ~ a rainbow of flavors. Didnt have all the ingredients for the dressing and subbed chia seeds for poppies. I really wanted to like this more than I did, but maybe perfecting the dressing next time will push me over the top!
BURSTING with sweet juiciness, the Strawberry Arugula Salad should be classified as an afrodisiac!!
Seriously, this is “dating salad!”
The fennel crunches, the arugula peppers, the fruit pops, and the creamy cashew-based poppy seed vinaigrette brings it all together in a delightful, exciting salad! I’m in love!