Are you looking for a great arugula substitute? Maybe you don’t love that peppery taste, you’re bored and want to try something new, or your local grocery store is out of those little rocket-shaped greens. Well, you have come to the right place!
While there are many reasons to replace the arugula in a recipe, it is still one of my go-to greens. I love that mild peppery taste it has when eaten raw and that it can stand up to some heat when tossed on top of a pizza or in a pasta dish.
Greens Nutrition
Like most greens, arugula is full of vitamins A, C, K, and B9. Vitamin A supports the immune system and eye health. Vitamin C helps build and maintain your bones and skin while supporting your immune system and helping your body absorb iron. It is also an antioxidant that protects your cells from the damage caused by normal bodily processes and exposure to external pollutants such as smoking or alcohol. Vitamin K plays a leading role in maintaining strong bones and regulating your blood. While vitamin B9, also known as folate, helps your body make red blood cells and supports the growth of new cells.
Greens are also a great source of minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium. Your body needs iron for growth and development and to carry oxygen from your lungs to every part of your body. Calcium helps you build strong bones and is critical for heart, muscle, and nerve function. Similarly, magnesium is vital for maintaining normal blood pressure, keeping bones strong, and supporting nerve and muscle function throughout the body.
Another fantastic benefit of arugula, and greens in general, is the fibre they provide. Just one cup of cooked spinach provides you with 4g of fibre! To maintain good health, it is recommended that you eat between 25-38 grams of fibre daily (1). Fibre is essential for controlling your blood sugar and cholesterol levels and helps you maintain gut and bowel health. It can also help you feel fuller for longer.
To take advantage of all these health benefits, try to include more greens in your day, even if they aren’t arugula! Here are some of the best arugula substitutes and the best ways to prepare them.
The Best Arugula Substitutes
Watercress
With its peppery flavor, watercress is an excellent arugula substitute. This delicate leafy green comes by its name honestly! It grows in the wet soil alongside streams. Watercress is an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of vitamins A and C. Add watercress to your salads, sandwiches, on top of eggs, and other proteins for a bit of color and flavor, or turn it into a peppery pesto for pasta or spreads. Due to its delicate leaves, watercress doesn’t hold up well under heat so add to soups right before they are served.
Baby Kale
Baby kale is kale that is harvested before it has a chance to grow into the larger leaves. This means that baby kale is milder in taste and more tender in texture than full-grown kale. Baby kale is packed full of vitamins A, C, and K and adds a mild earthy flavour to your salads. It is also sturdy enough to withstand the heat of cooking, so try adding it to pizza, pasta, soups, or just sauté it with a bit of oil and garlic for a delicious side dish.
Microgreens
Microgreens are the seedlings of vegetables and herbs. Since they are the young version of these plants, they are varied in flavor, color, and texture. Despite their tiny size, they often have a more concentrated nutrient level than the mature plant. A 2015 study found that lettuce microgreens contain higher mineral levels than mature leaves (2). This means they are packed with vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, copper, and zinc. They are also a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. Sprinkle a handful on top of your salads, soups, sandwiches, or toss on top of your favorite protein such as fish, poultry, grilled tofu, or meat for a punch of flavor!
Dandelion Greens
Yes, those weeds you pull out of your yard! Dandelion greens can be a good arugula substitute. They are high in iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, K, and B2 (riboflavin). They can have an intensely bitter taste, which mellows when heated. So, if you don’t love the bitter taste of arugula, you may want to skip using these as salad greens. Sauté dandelion greens with oil and garlic, braise with some chicken stock and pancetta, and add to an omelet, or a bean or lentil soup.
Spinach
Spinach is your top choice if you are substituting arugula because you don’t love the peppery taste. Both baby spinach and full-grown spinach have a mild flavour when eaten raw or cooked. You can’t go wrong with spinach! This amazing leafy green is rich in vitamins A, C, K, and B9, as well as calcium and iron. Use baby spinach as a base for your salad or toss with your favorite whole grain for a filling side dish. Spinach is also a great addition to pasta, curries, stews, eggs, and soups, or you can sauté it with garlic and lemon for a simple side dish.
Mixed greens
Looking for an easy, mild-tasting substitute for arugula? You can’t go wrong with a bag of mixed or spring greens! Mixed greens will support most salad dressings and add-ins without trying to steal the show. Mixed greens, sometimes called mesclun, contain many different types of young lettuce, such as radicchio, butter lettuce, baby spinach, and frisée. These greens are all high in vitamins A, C, and K.
Radicchio
Radicchio is a real stunner! It can be found in colours ranging from deep red wine to pale green with pink speckles. Rich in vitamin K and copper, radicchio is a crisp chicory (like endive, escarole, and frisée) with a bitter flavour that mellows once heated. The smaller heads of radicchio are generally less bitter tasting than the larger heads. It makes an eye-catching addition to salads and pasta. It is an excellent addition to coleslaw or can be split into wedges and roasted or grilled for a smoky side dish.
Escarole
As a part of the chicory family, escarole has a bitter taste but is milder than radicchio. Escarole is often mistaken for romaine lettuce because of its large, green leaves. Like most greens, escarole is rich in vitamins A, C, K, and B9. A classic ingredient in Italian Wedding soup, escarole is at home in most soups because the texture holds up well in broth and provides a mildly bitter taste. Soup isn’t the only place for this versatile chicory! Try it in pasta, stews, or add it to a bowl of mixed greens for some extra texture and flavour in your salad.
Frisée
There couldn’t be a better name for this member of the chicory family! Frisée’s pale green leaves have frizzy, curly leaves that help it stand out in a salad and has a mildly tart and nutty flavour that doesn’t overwhelm. Frisée is an excellent source of vitamin B9, A, C, and K and the minerals manganese, iron, and potassium. Due to its crisp texture and slightly bitter taste, frisée works well in a salad with citrus fruits, salty cheeses, and nuts. It can be added to soups and stews, but it is more delicate than its cousins, radicchio, and escarole, so add it in at the very end for the best results.
Beet greens
Have you ever found yourself throwing away the long red stalks and green leaves attached to your beets? Allow me to convince you to turn those edible greens into a healthy meal instead. Like most greens, they are high in vitamins A, C, and K, and they are also a good source of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Since beet greens have a mild, earthly flavour they make an excellent side dish when sautéed with some oil, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. They can be added to pasta, soups, stews, or omelettes so think twice before tossing your beet greens out!
I hope this list has inspired you to eat more greens, and exciting new greens, to replace arugula on your menu! For more inspiration, check out my Shrimp Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes or White Bean Tortellini Soup with Spinach for easy weeknight dinners. You could substitute the spinach in these recipes for baby kale or escarole. The spinach in my Mediterranean Frittata could be replaced with chopped dandelion or beet greens and my Orzo and Arugula Salad would be fantastic with watercress, microgreens, or frisée instead of the arugula. For a recipe that I didn’t create, but love, try this Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese from Budget Byte. Happy eating!
Article contributed by Cheryl Anderson, dietetic intern. Reviewed by Christina Iaboni, MHSc, RD
2 Responses
This article is so informative. I seem to eat the same greens (spinach and mixed greens), but now I want to try a few others, like watercress, micro greens and beet greens!
Great article; tons of valuable information – the leaves from beets are edible? Who knew? I love my greens…so delicious, and healthier than I thought! I think it’s time I expand my shopping list…I didn’t know there were so many options.