Produce

Arugula

Arugula's peppery, slightly bitter bite genuinely intensifies as the plant ages or grows in warmer conditions, which is why very young, fresh arugula tastes noticeably milder than an older bunch.

It's a defining green in Italian cooking, often used raw in a salad with shaved Parmesan and lemon, or wilted briefly atop a hot pizza just before serving.

Its delicate leaf structure means it wilts and bruises easily, similar to lettuce, which is why it's typically dressed just before serving rather than tossed with dressing well in advance.

Arugula is native to the Mediterranean and has been eaten there since antiquity, referenced in ancient Roman writing as both a food and, somewhat oddly by modern standards, as a plant with a reputation as an aphrodisiac, a belief with no real basis but one that persisted in some folk traditions for centuries.

Wild arugula, a related but genuinely different species from the more commonly cultivated salad green, has notably thinner, more deeply lobed leaves and a considerably more intense, peppery bite, making it a favorite among some chefs specifically for how assertively it stands up against a rich pasta or a simple olive oil drizzle.

Arugula is sometimes labeled "rocket" or "roquette" on menus and in cookbooks, particularly British and Australian ones, reflecting the same green under a different regional name rather than a genuinely distinct product, a naming quirk that occasionally confuses American shoppers encountering an unfamiliar menu term for a green they already know.

Because arugula bolts (flowers and turns bitter) quickly in hot weather, it's considered a cool-season crop by home gardeners, typically planted in early spring or fall rather than the height of summer, a growing pattern that affects both flavor and availability at farmers markets compared to a more heat-tolerant salad green.

A simple arugula salad dressed with just good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, flaky salt, and shaved Parmesan is one of the most common ways it's served in Italian cooking, a minimalist preparation that lets the green's natural pepperiness stand on its own rather than being buried under a heavier dressing.

Baby arugula, harvested very young, is noticeably milder and softer than mature arugula, and most bagged salad mixes sold in US grocery stores specifically use the baby form, since full-grown arugula's stronger bite and tougher leaf can be too assertive for a mixed salad green blend meant to appeal broadly.

Arugula pesto, blended with olive oil, Parmesan, and pine nuts in place of the more traditional basil, has become a common modern variation that leans into the green's peppery bite for a sharper, more assertive sauce than a classic basil pesto, especially popular when good fresh basil isn't in season.

Piled onto a hot pizza fresh from the oven, right at serving rather than baked with the other toppings, arugula wilts just slightly from the residual heat while keeping most of its raw peppery bite, a common finishing touch on a prosciutto or a white pizza in particular.