Spinach and Arugula Salad

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Vietti Spinach and Arugula Salad features fresh greens, colorful fruits, perfect homemade dressing, and is my most requested recipe in town.

Baby shower salad finished and served on a red platter.

Vietti Spinach and Arugula Salad

The salad dressing and topping combinations are what make this salad special. It has all you would want in a salad: chewy, crunchy, peppery, smoky, salty, spicy, sweet, fruity, and earthy.

But feel free to mix up the toppings and greens to suit your taste because this easy homemade dressing could make shoe leather taste good.

This beautiful, healthy salad pairs beautifully with Cheesy Ham and Asparagus Quiche for a baby shower or bridal brunch. Add a sweet dessert or two such as Lemon Blueberry Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling, or a delightful quick bread such as Easy Amish Chocolate Zucchini Bread.

Top with some chopped Sous Vide Whole Chicken or Juicy Sliced Turkey Breast for a complete meal.

served baby shower salad in a black bowl.

Ingredients

I have shared this recipe with you as originally made. However, one of the things I love about this recipe is that it is an excellent base for the best year-round salad by switching up the toppings.

Salad Ingredients:

Romaine Hearts, chopped - romaine lettuce holds up well to the dressing and I love the crunch of it
Baby Spinach leaves - brings a deep dark green to the salad and lots of good for you nutrients
Arugula - brings a peppery salad to the mix
Sliced Green Apples - dipped in lemon juice to prevent browning - sweet and tart crunch for the salad
Craisins - dried cranberries bring chew and a sweet tartness
Sliced Red Onions, thinly sliced - bring a pungent flavor, be careful to add them at the last minute to keep them from overpowering the other flavors
Feta Cheese, crumbled - adds richness and brininess
Slivered Almonds - brings a crunch
Bacon, cooked and chopped - chewy and smoky

Dressing Ingredients:

Red Wine Vinegar - brings a mild flavored acidity
Canola Oil - provides a neutral flavored oil
Garlic Cloves, minced - because, yum
Sugar - brings a sweet offset to the acidic vinegar
Salt - enhances the other flavors
Black Pepper - always needed in savory dressings
Cayenne Pepper - adds a touch of heat
Paprika - brings a slight smoky flavor

See the recipe card for quantities.

ingredients needed to make baby shower salad.

How to Vietti Salad

Toss together romaine hearts and baby spinach in a large salad bowl.
Layer remaining toppings just before serving.
Mix salad dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until well combined. Use a blender if desired.
Top salad with dressing just before serving and toss or serve the salad dressing on the side if desired.

Hint: Dip apple slices in a lemon juice/water mixture to prevent oxidation and browning of the apples.

Cutting up the bacon into strips for the Baby Shower Salad.

adding seasonings into the mason jar for the dressing on the Baby Shower Salad.

Substitutions & Variations

This green salad with fruit is fantastic year-round. I love mixing up the toppings to match the season and my pantry supplies.

Lettuce - Use any lettuce mixture you like. I often add some spring mix lettuce to add some color and variety of texture and color.
Nuts - Slivered almonds are the original, but I have substituted chopped almonds, pecans, English walnuts, pistachios, and pepitos.
Cheeses - I love the feta in this salad, but blue cheese and sharp cheddar have often been used in my house. Use what you have and like.
Fruits - I've topped this salad with lots of other fresh fruits including sliced strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate seeds, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and pears. But sometimes I don't have fresh fruits and instead use dried cranberries and blueberries.
Bacon - The smoky salty bacon brings lots to the salad party, in my opinion. So use turkey bacon or beef bacon if needed. Or leave it out altogether for a vegetarian salad.

Best Baby Shower Salad

Over twenty years ago my dear friend, Joyce, hosted a baby shower for my second child and introduced me to what has turned into one of my most requested recipes. I lovingly call it Vietti Salad, named for my friend.

I've been wanting to share this recipe with yall since the beginning of the blog. We have a local food festival each year and I always make this salad. In fact, I think if I didn't make it, there could be trouble.

I can't tell you how many times I've shared this recipe.

Storage

I prefer to store the salad and topping ingredients separately for this salad and combine them when serving.

The salad dressing will keep in the fridge in a covered container or jar for 3-5 days.

Top tip

Use a plastic knife to cut lettuce and greens to prevent browning. Or simply tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces.

FAQ

Can the salad ingredients be prepared in advance?

I often prepare all of the salad components up to a day before serving and store them separately. Then I'm able to just layer the salad right before presenting to serve. Dress this salad lightly then offer extra dressing on the side.

How much salad per person?

When planning to serve salad, it can be difficult to guess how much to prepare. As a rule of thumb, if the salad is meant to be a side dish, I plan 1 cup of salad per person. If it's the main dish, then I plan for each person to eat 2 cups. This includes toppings.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Vietti Salad:

HAVE A QUESTION? ❤️

Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer you!

And, if you made this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!

And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag @laughingroostereats on Instagram and hashtag it #laughingroostereats! Seeing your photos is our favorite thing!

eating baby shower salad with a silver fork.

Food safety

Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
Wash hands after touching raw meat
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.