Garden Harvest: Recipes to Use Up Arugula

We worked hard setting up our garden all through March and April, and now we're starting to reap the benefits! One thing that's challenging with a garden is that you have a lot of one item, all ready to harvest at one time. How to use up so much of one thing before it goes bad without getting sick of it? Obviously giving some away to neighbors is a good option, but for some things that aren't everyone's cup of tea, you might have trouble finding someone to take it. Exhibit A: Arugula.

I love arugula, I like the peppery flavor it has and the slightly sturdy leaves, so I was very excited when it started growing really well in our garden right off the bat. Then it grew a little too well, and before anything else was ready we had a ton of arugula. You can only eat so many salads composed of just arugula, so I had to get creative and figure out how else to use it. Fortunately I came up with some ways we really enjoyed!

Arugula Frittata
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dice half an onion, and mince two garlic cloves. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet, add onion and garlic and sauté for five minutes. If arugula leaves are large, chop roughly then add to skillet for 1-2 minutes until wilted. While arugula wilts, beat 7 or 8 eggs with 1/4 cup yogurt or milk, then add grated cheese (eyeball it to your liking), I used white cheddar. Pour egg mix over eggs and grate additional cheese over the top if desired, I used pecorino romano. Place skillet in oven for 5-10 minutes or until eggs are set.

Other uses:
Arugula pizza- use your favorite homemade or store bought pizza dough and tomato sauce, cover with cheese (we used mozzarella and pecorino romano) and bake until almost done, then cover with a thick layer of arugula and return to the oven for just 1-2 minutes until it slightly wilts. If the leaves are very large or thick you may want to chop it a bit before adding to the pizza. An egg or two on top along with some chives is a great addition, the arugula helps soak up the runny yolk.

Spiced squash and lentils- I love this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, she notes that you can place it on arugula- she doesn't, but I do and I think it adds a great dimension to the dish!

Pasta- We made this one pot pasta and used about 2/3 arugula, 1/3 spinach instead; I think it was even better than all spinach. The arugula gave it a lot more flavor, but since it was cooked it didn't overwhelm it with pepperiness. Also, bonus: one pot! Not even a colander to wash (though I found I needed a little more liquid than they used, so keep an eye on yours so you're not scraping spaghetti off the bottom of your pot.

Salad- I know this seems obvious, but arugula can make a really good salad if you balance it's peppery bite with some sweetness. We loved it with an aged blackberry balsamic vinegar for dressing, but it would also be good with fresh citrus, berries, or dried fruits.

Leftovers- I do this with whatever leafy green we have on hand, and it works with arugula as well. I take whatever little bit of leftovers we have from dinner the night before- some lentils, grains like brown rice or farro, a black bean burger patty, and throw it with a handful of leafy greens for lunch the next day. Just top with something flavorful, like a vinaigrette or a little grated cheese, or maybe some toasted nuts for crunch, and it makes a great healthy lunch with little effort!