🥬

Arugula Substitutes

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Peppery, slightly bitter salad green with a distinctive nutty flavor. Used raw in salads, as a pizza topping, and wilted in warm dishes.

3 listed substitutes

First listed swap: Baby Spinach

First listed Arugula substitute option: Baby Spinach

In the current curated data, Baby Spinach is listed first at 1:1. Its listed uses include salads, pizza toppings and wilted dishes. Compare the notes below before using it in dishes relying on peppery bitterness, delicate raw toppings and cooked applications.

How to choose a Arugula swap

Baby Spinach

Ratio: 1:1

Listed for salads, pizza toppings and wilted dishes. Avoid for dishes relying on peppery bitterness.

Kale

Ratio: 1:1

Listed for salads, cooked dishes and grain bowls. Avoid for delicate raw toppings.

Watercress

Ratio: 1:1

Listed for salads, garnishes and sandwiches. Avoid for cooked applications.

Arugula substitute ratios and notes

Baby Spinach

1:1

Milder and sweeter than arugula. Excellent neutral swap in salads and on pizzas, but it lacks the peppery bite. Wilts similarly in warm dishes.

✅Listed for: salads, pizza toppings, wilted dishes

⚠️Not for: dishes relying on peppery bitterness

vegan gluten-free raw

Kale

1:1

More robust and chewy than arugula. Massage raw kale with oil and salt to soften for salads. Works well in cooked applications.

✅Listed for: salads, cooked dishes, grain bowls

⚠️Not for: delicate raw toppings

vegan gluten-free

Watercress

1:1

Similar peppery bite to arugula with a more delicate texture. The best flavor match for raw salads and garnishes.

✅Listed for: salads, garnishes, sandwiches

⚠️Not for: cooked applications

vegan gluten-free raw

Arugula substitute FAQs

Which Arugula substitute is listed first?

Baby Spinach is the first listed Arugula substitute in SwapChef's curated data. The listed ratio is 1:1.

Can I use Baby Spinach instead of Arugula?

The curated notes list Baby Spinach for salads, pizza toppings and wilted dishes. Milder and sweeter than arugula. Excellent neutral swap in salads and on pizzas, but it lacks the peppery bite. Wilts similarly in warm dishes.

What is another Arugula substitute?

Kale is another listed option at 1:1. The data lists it for salads, cooked dishes and grain bowls.

What cautions are listed for Arugula substitutes?

The curated cautions mention dishes relying on peppery bitterness. Check each substitute's “not for” notes before using it in baking, sauces, or allergy-sensitive recipes.