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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.
Absolutely refreshingly delicious!!!
Salad Challenge: Day 10. Another winner! The dressing was deliciously sweet and creamy, but next time I would a touch of extra liquid to help it drizzle more easily. My husband expressed disappointment that this is the last day of the challenge. He’d be happy if I repeated it all. I enjoyed having most of the meal decided upon for me, which made up for the veggie and dressing preparation time. Glad we embarked on this challenge.
Whoo hoo! You guys totally RAWKED it! Thank you so much for participating and for all of the feedback!
I’m normally not a fan of fruit in salad but this was really good! Next time I would prob use a little less fruit. The dressing was delicious!
A great salad that reminds me of summertime. The dressing is a delicious addition. You can put in any berries you have.
Great salad. I enjoy mixing fruits and veggies for a fuller meal. The dressing was yummy but I’ve liked all your dressings. I used arugula & some other leftover greens which was fine. I’m finding it easier to mix in leftover veggies now! Thanks
Strawberry Arugula Salad was my least favorite. To be fair, partly because of operator error. I had some issues with the dressing. As you can see in my picture, it is pink. I added too much water to get it to blend so I added some strawberries to give it some more flavor. Didn’t care for the arugula as being the only greens. I see I forgot the almonds. Ugh!. Would try again with different greens and making the dressing properly.
I loved everything about this salad; all the flavors worked so well together. The dressing is so good, I could eat all of it with a spoon!
Wonderful ingredients and THE BEST dressing!
Loved this salad because I love fruits. The combination was really good and the dressing was perfect
Yummy, love it
I used Organic Girl Super Greens for this salad instead of arugula. Meyer lemon added a sweet touch to this dish.
So bright in color and flavor!
Delicious And Beautiful 🙂 I Enjoy Salads With Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries And Oranges. A Burst Of Berries With Every Mouthful Of Salad. I Mixed Arugula With The Last Of The Kale I Had. So Good 🙂 , My Taste Buds Where Allover The Place With The Sweetness Of The Berries And The Bitterness Of The Greens. The Cashew Lemon Poppy Seed Salad Dressing Is A Keeper. I Will Make This Salad Again 🙂
The cashew lemon dressing is so good and the salad ingredients are so refreshing!
Yummy sweet and savory salad.
Love, love, love this one! It came together quickly and easily (once the cashews had soaked for several hours for the dressing).