Summer Arugula Salad with Creamy Vegan Dill Dressing 

This is one of those healthy salad recipes that you will have on repeat all summer long. The creamy dill dressing is made in the blender, it’s healthy, and dairy-free. Grab the simple ingredients and make this refreshing Summer Arugula Salad with Creamy Vegan Dill Dressing now! 

Nothing says summertime more than a light, crispy, and refreshing salad does. Filled with the season’s best produce like watermelon, cucumber, and avocado, this salad has all the summer vibes going on. 

This salad is vegan, made with no added preservatives or white sugar, and is a healthy salad option for a healthy summertime. The warmer weather will actually feel refreshing with this salad in hand.

Why You Will Love This Salad

It’s easy to make. Nothing says easy like a quick blender dressing, right? You can make this vegan salad ready in minutes.

It’s a crowd-pleaser. Make this delicious salad for a summer gathering or family dinner. It’s the perfect starter for any meal.  

It’s filling. Believe it or not, my husband and I enjoy this salad as a full meal.  It’s hearty and worthy of a meal, thanks to all of the raw veggies and protein-packed dressing, and beans.

It’s fun.  Stop making boring green salad and make this fun and creative one instead. Most people are impressed by the homemade dressing which is dairy-free and has fresh dill.

Arugula Salad Ingredients

For the salad you will need:

Arugula-You’ll really enjoy the earthy flavors of peppery arugula leaves. I recommend using baby arugula leaves. Once you add the toppings and creamy dressing, this will be one of your new favorite salad recipes.

Watermelon-I like to slice up the watermelon into small cubes. The goal is to get a juicy chunk of watermelon in each bite of salad. Yum! 

Cucumber-Slice the cucumber thin and into halves. Crisp cucumbers always bring a nice crunch to salads. Not to mention they will help keep you hydrated this summer.

Garbonzo beans-Also known as chickpeas, these protein and fiber-packed legumes are the perfect addition to this summer salad.

Roma tomato-I love the challenge of finding the ripest and red fresh tomatoes to use for summer recipes.  Stay away from mushy tomatoes which can indicate rot. 

Avocado-Use a soft (but not too soft) avocado for this vegan arugula salad. Avocado will add protein, fiber, and heartiness to this salad.

Chives-This light onion adds a nice kick to the salad. You’ll want to finely mince the onion.

Marcona almonds-Have you tried these special nuts yet? They are my new favorite go-to salad toppers and I think they might be yours, too. 

Fresh Lemon Dill Dressing Ingredients

For the creamy blender dressing, you will need:

Roasted or raw cashews-You can soak them in hot water or overnight or if you are in a hurry, skip this step.  (The dressing turns out a bit more creamy if the cashews are soaked beforehand.)

Filtered water-You will add water to thin out this flavorful and thick dressing.  Use less or more until you reach the desired consistency.

Extra virgin olive oil-Use a high-quality olive oil that will bring out the richness and bolder flavor in the dressing.

Nutritional yeast-This mocks the flavor of cheese while adding many health benefits to the salad. Did you know that nutritional yeast is a complete protein and has 5 grams of protein per serving?

Apple cider vinegar-This vinegar variety adds a nice tang to the dressing but has a softer flavor than other vinegar types. Feel free to use red wine or white wine vinegar instead.

Maple syrup-This is the perfect unprocessed sweetener for this dressing. Sweetener will help balance out all of the strong flavors nicely.

Lemon juice-It is always best to use fresh lemon juice which will provide an ideal citrus flavor for this dressing.

Fresh dill-Make sure to use fresh herbs instead of dried varieties.  

​Tahini-This Mediterranean staple is the perfect addition to this dressing. 

Dijon mustard-You will only need a little bit of this mustard. It will bring a hint of spice.

Onion powder-Just a dash of this spice will give a nice onion flavor.

Garlic-Make sure to use fresh garlic for this recipe. It really does make a difference.

Salt and black pepper to taste.

How to Make This Salad

*While this is not mandatory, it does make the dressing a bit creamier if you use soaked cashews.

Step one: Make the dressing. Place all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender. Blend until creamy. Add additional water if needed to reach the desired consistency.

Step two: Chop all of your veggies. 

Step three: Place the arugula in a bowl as the base. Top with all of the remaining vegetables, chickpeas, and almonds.

Step four: Drizzle the dressing over top and toss it all up. Serve immediately. You can also keep the dressing on the side.

Tips + Modifications

Do not put the dressing in until you are ready to serve. It could make the salad soggy.

If you would like to save leftovers, keep the dressing on the side, otherwise the salad will not work as leftovers. (The arugula will get soggy.)

This salad would work for meal prepping. Simply layer the ingredients into mason jars, starting with the arugula first. Add the dressing when you are ready to eat.

Note: You won’t need all of the dressing for this salad, most likely. Leftover dressing is in your future and you are welcome! Haha.

Salad Additions

There are many other toppings you can replace or add to this salad to make it even heartier.

If you are into cheese, add a little feta cheese.

Hemp seeds make for a nutritional boost.

Fresh herbs are always a burst of flavor.  Add minced herbs to the top of your finished salad.

A great way to make this salad even more filling is to add quinoa.

More Salads You Will Love

The best fancy(ish) fresh and flavorful salad that’s both healthy and delicious; apple endive salad with maple candied walnuts and sage vinaigrette!

If you’re looking for a refreshing and healthy salad recipe, this simple vegan cucumber salad is the perfect dish for you. 

Summer has never tasted so good thanks to the best vegan summer pasta salad recipe. 

​Enjoy!

XOXO

Michelle