A super simple yet incredibly delicious Arugula Salad. Arugula, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese are the perfect combination for a salad. It will steal the show without taking much time to prepare.

arugula, diced tomato, and shaved parmesan in a white salad bowl

The huge success of both my other arugula recipes with sweet fruits inspired me to make a third. The Watermelon Arugula Salad and the Nectarine Arugula Salad made you all so happy I had to finishe tilogy. And this time it was time for a simpler version with less sweet fruit: Tomato.

The Salad Ingredients

To keep this salad as simple as the title promises we use only 3 main ingredients and only and 4 ingredients for the dressing.

The main salad ingredients are just arugula, tomato, and shaved parmesan. I do not recommend exchanging anything. If you want a vegan salad simply omit the Parmesan but don’t replace it by anything. Arugula and tomato taste great alone as well.

The dressing is extra simple. Olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. That way the peppery taste of the arugula and sweetness of the fresh tomatoes and saltiness of the Parmesan shine through.

The basil is optional but highly recommended. It’s mostly the smell of the basil that helps round up the tastes.

Special Tips To Make Arugula Salad

Use “baby” arugula. It’s a lot less bitter and much more delicious.
Use a serrated knife to cut the tomatoes. Serrated knives don’t slip off the slippery skin of tomatoes.
Either buy shaved Parmesan or use a vegetable peeler to shave off a large piece of Parmesan.
A high-quality extra virgin olive oil is a must. The quality of olive oil can make or break the recipe.
Add the dressing only seconds before serving the salad and eat it all in one sitting. Make less if you’re making just for one person. The salad does not store well at all, especially not once dressed.
Serve this salad with Risotto or Steak.