Grape Avocado Arugula Salad & Vinaigrette

I love this grape avocado arugula salad for its flavor combinations, with sweet grapes, red onions and smooth avocados. You can serve this lively salad with the vinaigrette on the side or toss it into the salad. If you serve it on the side, your salad leftovers will stay crispier after being refrigerated.

Before making this salad, you’ll need to toast a half cup of raw walnuts on the stove top. To toast, just put a small skillet onto a medium hot burner and add the walnuts to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring the walnuts, until they feel lighter and break crisply when broken by hand. Be careful to avoid browning or burning by moving the walnuts around often and keeping an eye on them while they toast. Toasting should take no more than eight minutes. More information on roasting and toasting nuts.

As soon as you have cut the avocado into cubes, squeeze lemon juice onto the cubes and gently toss them around with your hands to evenly coat each piece. This will keep them from turning brown in spots while you wait to serve the salad.

I love using arugula, or rocket, for salad greens! It has a fresh peppery flavor and is good for your health. Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable (cancer fighting), has vitamin K for your bones, and contains an antioxidant that lowers glucose levels. If you’re a big arugula fan, too, you might also like to try Cranberry Arugula Pasta Salad or Apple Pecan Arugula Salad.

This recipe is based on one I found at Gimme Some Oven. You might like a sprinkle of nutritional yeast on top of the salad to add a cheesy flavor. You can toss it into the entire salad before serving, or serve it alongside for each diner. This salad is absolutely perfect for spring and summer, brunches or potlucks and get-togethers!

Print Recipe

Grape Avocado Arugula Salad & Vinaigrette

A sweet and tangy salad full of nutrients, perfect for spring and summer meals and get-togethers.

Course

Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine

American

Keyword

agave, agave nectar, agave syrup, arugula, avocado, balsamic vinegar, grapes, green grapes, lemon, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, onion, red grapes, red onion, walnuts

Prep Time

10 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 6 cups arugula rinsed and dried
• 2 cups seedless red grapes or green grapes, cut in half
• 1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced
• lemon juice for coating the avocado pieces
• 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts broken into smaller pieces
• nutritional yeast optional, as a topping

For the vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons agave syrup or nectar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked is best

Course Salad, Side Dish Cuisine American Keyword agave, agave nectar, agave syrup, arugula, avocado, balsamic vinegar, grapes, green grapes, lemon, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, onion, red grapes, red onion, walnuts Prep Time 10 minutes Servings servings Ingredients For the salad: 6 cups arugula rinsed and dried 2 cups seedless red grapes or green grapes, cut in half 1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced lemon juice for coating the avocado pieces 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced 1/2 cup toasted walnuts broken into smaller pieces nutritional yeast optional, as a topping For the vinaigrette: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons agave syrup or nectar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked is best

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

1. In a lidded jar, combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette and shake well to combine. Set aside in the refrigerator until the salad is served.

To assemble the salad:

1. Toast the walnuts on medium to low heat on the stove top in a small skillet for a few minutes, or until the walnuts are lighter in weight and easy to snap in half. Be careful not to brown or overcook the walnuts.

   
2. Place the arugula and the halved grapes in a large serving bowl.
3. Squeeze lemon juice over the avocado pieces and toss to coat. This will prevent browning. Add the avocados into the salad.
4. Toss in the thinly sliced red onion, along with the walnut pieces. Toss all ingredients to blend. Drizzle with dressing and toss again, or serve with the vinaigrette on the side. Sprinkle the salad with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor add-on.

   

Recipe Notes

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