Arugula Salad with Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette

THIS SALAD IS THE BEST THING I’VE EVER EATEN.

It will have you going full on Bridesmaids.

It was SO easy to make. I love the tiny bit of bite you get from fresh arugula. Add some petite red tomatoes, red onion, parmesan cheese, and the best homemade salad dressing you’ve ever had, and BOOM.

Dinner is served. You could totally stick this on a plate with a piece of grilled chicken for a super healthy, easy dinner.

The only effort comes from making the vinaigrette. The only actual work at all is roasting the garlic, which, if you buy pre-peeled cloves from Trader Joe’s like I do, is no thing at all.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine (Bobby Flay)

Ingredients:

For the Vinaigrette:

15 medium peeled garlic cloves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco
1/3 cup avocado oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Salad:

8 cups baby arugula
1 pint of petite cherry tomatoes, halved
half of a small red onion, sliced very thin or grated
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Creamy garlic vinaigrette dressing (ingredients above)

Directions:

For the Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette:

Preheat the oven to 375°. Set the garlic on a sheet of foil or parchment, drizzle with the olive oil and roast for 30 minutes, until soft.

Place the garlic into a blender. Puree with the vinegar, water, mustard, mayonnaise, honey, Worcestershire and Tabasco; slowly add the avocado oil and puree until the dressing is creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Salad:

Place the arugula, tomatoes, and onions into a large salad bowl. Toss with desired amount of vinaigrette. Top with parmesan and serve immediately.