12 Best Substitutes For Arugula

Arugula is a popular vegetable option best served alongside both cold salads and hot meals in every top-notch and performing restaurant across different continents, one which is characterized by its peppery flavor and heavenly taste to match and compliment

Popular among residents from the United Kingdom as Rocket, and dwellers in Italy as Rucola, this vegetable option for dishes falls under the Brassica family and to some extent also shares similar traits with mustard (Lettuce Info ), especially when we take into consideration as well the fact it is a common salad with dark green leaves.

Highly rated among different medical practitioners across the globe, which is evident in the fact that it is high in calcium, folate, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A., there is a whole lot more to miss out on not trying out this green salad of delicious peppery flavor best served alongside salad vegetables, grains or seeds, as well as the other meal options of pizzas, pasta dishes, soups and other hot meals.

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Substitutes For Arugula

Inarguably, the Arugula salad remains everyone’s best pick and bet for adding that spice to making a tasty meal, but there are days one might be faced with difficulties in laying their hands on the Arugula salad in any one of their nearby local stores or marketplace, leaving them with no other option other than to settle down for its alternatives.

Talking about alternatives, there is a wide range of vegetables and herbs that could actually come in the place of Arugula, and still try to some extent to serve the same purpose as Arugula in either any of your hot or cold dishes and still make them remain tasteful and flavorful.

Peradventure you didn’t get to find the Arugula salad in any of the local stores in your neighbors, or you just happen to be one of few individuals battling with one form of allergy or food intolerance with the arugula leaves and salad; Below would be highlighted a list of a substitute to Arugula, with the same assurance of ensuring your pizza or pasta dishes comes out great.

1. Watercress

Watercress are vegetable items that appear in the form of dark green leaves with lighter stems easy to come across in any of the local stores or marketplace in your neighborhood. Being a member of the cruciferous family, undoubtedly there are a whole lot of health benefits that come with its consumption.

Sharing similar traits as well as Arugula when it comes to that pepper flavor, there are only a few vegetables available to come in the place of Arugula and serve as a substitute, one of them being the watercress sharing a similar flavor profile to Arugula itself.

As regards its health benefits, medical practitioners have it that it is one of the good sources of vitamin K, vitamin C, and numerous antioxidants, regardless of whatever dish it is being made with, particularly the tasty watercress soup or watercress pesto.

2. Cabbage

On a general note, there happen to be a whole lot of different varieties of cabbages out there in the local stores and marketplace, making it paramount for you to prioritize that works best for you and would also serve as a superb alternative to arugula in hot and cold meals.

As regards the different varieties of cabbages aforementioned, you might get to experience a slight difference in taste and texture, but be rest assured of the fact that regardless of whatever variety you decide to stick with at the end of the day, you’re guaranteed to enjoy a healthy meal.

Same as Arugula as well, cabbages also blend perfectly with steamed dishes, stir-fry recipes, soups, stews, and pasta dishes.

3. Romaine lettuce

The Romaine lettuce is in complete contrast to everything the Arugula represents in terms of appearance with its larger lighter green rounded leaves of a crunchy texture, but that doesn’t limit and stop it from serving the same purpose as Arugula, especially in the preparation of summer salads.

Best recommended for use alongside some other vegetables, fruits, grains, and herbs to get the very best of taste and flavors from it in preparing anyone of your warm side dishes.

As dictated by Healthline, the Romaine lettuce leaf is a good source of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and potassium, as well as vitamin C, K, and folate which every individual needs regardless of their various age groups being kids, teenagers, young adults, or the aged folks.

4. Bok Choy

Sharing similar traits with the Kale leaf of being a cruciferous vegetable, the Bok choy leaf oftentimes being referred to as pak choi or pok choi, takes the appearance of being a dark green rounded leaf and texture that is eatable and edible.

Considered a favorite among aged individuals since it does come with a slightly bitter taste just as they desire it to be, especially when it is done introducing a few of the techniques of Asian-style cooking.

As regards its health benefits, undeniably it remains one of the top sources of folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium, coupled with some other nutrients making it perfect for consumption.

5. Spinach

The spinach green leaf is a familiar sight you get to come across in different frozen stores in your neighborhood, one which has a mouthwatering and distinctive taste compared to every other Arugula substitute aforementioned here.

As regards it being a substitute for arugula, spinach can serve the same purpose they do serve in cold dishes in hot dishes as well, regardless of such dishes being top pizza or pasta dishes.

Talking about its health benefits in an actual sense, the spinach green leaf is high in polyphenols, beta-carotene, and vitamin K, making it a perfect fit for those low-histamine meals.

6. Mustard Greens

Coming next on our list of Substitutes for Arugula is mustard greens, which people do refer to as brown mustard in a few instances. Characterized by its peppery flavor which is also what the Arugula vegetable is known for, though it has also gotta that bitter taste that you just can’t Link and relate with to the Arugula.

Individuals dining with this vegetable option are left with the choice of eating and consuming them in their raw nature or having them cooked together with mashed potatoes, stir-fried recipes, pasta dishes, or soups.

Moving forward with its nutritional benefits, should you need vitamin C and vitamin K, amongst other nutrients; the Mustard greens vegetable is the one for you to try out.

7. Swiss Chard

The Swiss chard is blessed with rainbow colors since it comes with a variety of colors perfect for adding beautification to the garden in that backyard, especially during the summer months and periods of warm weather.

As a substitute for Arugula, Swiss chard leaves go perfectly well with different blends of dishes, be it stir-fry recipes, salads, or pizzas; with the bitterness arising from its stem being visibly noticed when they are tried on salads compared to when they are tried on hot meals.

Coming down to its health benefits, Swiss chard leaves are known to be high in magnesium, potassium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K.

8. Collard Green

The only differences the Collard green leaf shares with that of Arugula just when it comes to appearance, taste, and texture; aside from that, both of them are right on the same track when it comes to serving the same purpose of adding nutrition to any of your weekly menus.

Famous among inhabitants of the continent of North America, the collard greens can be tried out in different ways in the kitchen, particularly with its options of steaming and sauteing in soups or stews either for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Being a good source of vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B6, the benefits of Collard greens are actually on the high side.

9. Beet Greens

Beet greens are a seasonal ingredient and also happen to be one of the most patronized vegetables during the summer, one which most individuals take it upon themselves to grow at different corners of their place of residence during this season.

Though it might not share any form of similarities to the peppery flavors Arugula brings to dishes, still It is perceived by many to be one of the top alternatives to arugula, especially with the sweet flavors it has to offer which are also needed to spice up those 😋 salads and hot meals.

In conclusion, the Best green leaf has also some health benefits linked to it being a good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and fiber.

10. Endive

The veggies of Endive also turn out to be a nice alternative to the famous Arugula, except for the fact that in terms of patronage, it is quite difficult to find and come across, enough reasons for you to want to consider yourself lucky should you be able to come across one.

Still wonder why it is perceived by many to be a delicious substitute for arugula, well with its bitter flavor, accompanied by a pale bulb and darker green curly leaves, which all to a large extent does serve the same purpose as Arugula would have ordinarily served, especially when it comes down to its usage in salads.

11. Kale

Coming next on our list of Substitutes for Arugula is a green salad famous among rural dwellers, which is evident in the fact that most of them have it growing in their garden somewhere at the corner of their place of residence.

Considered a cruciferous vegetable which most times comes in its different varieties of curly kale and lacinato kale, with the most popular of these varieties being the former. As recommended by BBC Good Food, Kale is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, and vitamin K and can make an appearance In soups and pasta dishes

To get started with the use of Kale, it is highly recommended first and foremost that the stems be removed, before proceeding to put it in dig deep into a glass of vinegar or lemon juice to get the very best of its soft texture which is very much needed in making that tasteful pesto or smoothies for lunch or dinner.

12. Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs are recommendations out of context, even though they don’t appear to be lettuce or cruciferous vegetables, they have also proven themselves to be a nice alternative when it comes to bringing refreshing flavors to hot and cold meals.

A few examples of these fresh herbs include Fragrant basil, cilantro, mint, and parsley, all of which best complement the flavors needed delicious in hot chicken, fish, and plant-based meals.

Conclusion

The closest substitute out of the list of aforementioned Substitutes one can get to the Arugula leaf is the Spinach, with both leaves sharing similar traits in color and texture, and are accompanied by loads of nutrients and vitamins, as well as a slight taste of bitterness.