Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing (Salatet Jarjeer)
Peppery arugula tossed with crisp radish and toasted walnuts, finished with a bright lemon and olive oil dressing. A clean, sharp little salad that wakes up any Lebanese mezze table.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Wash and dry the arugula
Rinse the arugula leaves in a bowl of cold water, lifting them out rather than draining the water over them so any grit stays behind. Spin or pat them completely dry; wet leaves will water down the dressing and go limp fast.
- 150 g arugula
✅ Done when: the leaves are clean, crisp and fully dry to the touch
Crisp the radish
Slice the radishes paper-thin and drop them into a bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes. This firms them up and takes off any harsh bite, leaving them crunchy and mild.
- 4 radishes
✅ Done when: the radish slices are cold, curled slightly and very crisp
Toast the walnuts
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Make the lemon dressing
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Toss and serve
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Wash and dry the arugula
Rinse the arugula leaves in a bowl of cold water, lifting them out rather than draining the water over them so any grit stays behind. Spin or pat them completely dry; wet leaves will water down the dressing and go limp fast.
- 150 g arugula
✅ Done when: the leaves are clean, crisp and fully dry to the touch
Crisp the radish
Slice the radishes paper-thin and drop them into a bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes. This firms them up and takes off any harsh bite, leaving them crunchy and mild.
- 4 radishes
✅ Done when: the radish slices are cold, curled slightly and very crisp
Toast the walnuts
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Make the lemon dressing
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Toss and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Salatet jarjeer is a staple of the Lebanese mezze table, where small sharp salads balance richer, heavier dishes like grilled meats and stuffed vegetables. Arugula grows easily in the Levant's dry hills and has long been eaten raw, dressed simply with lemon and olive oil rather than cooked.
The addition of radish and walnuts is a common home touch, giving the peppery leaves some crunch and a mellow, nutty contrast to the sharp dressing.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It is prized for its clean, peppery bite and its role as a palate refresher alongside rich mezze and grilled dishes.
💡 Fun Fact
Arugula grows wild across much of the Mediterranean, and Lebanese cooks have long gathered it from gardens and fields rather than buying it.
Lebanon
33.85°N, 35.86°E
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