Arugula
Eruca vesicaria
Peppery, mustardy, slightly bitter; pungency increases with leaf maturity; sweeter when cooked briefly.
About Arugula
Arugula (rocket in British English, rucola in Italian) is the defining peppery salad green of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. The peppery-mustardy bite comes from glucosinolates — the same compound family that gives radishes their heat. Two distinct culinary uses: large mature arugula leaves for vegetable-density salads (often dressed simply with lemon, olive oil, shaved parmesan), and baby arugula (clamshell-packaged in American supermarkets) for milder salad applications and as a pizza topping. The wild arugula variety (selvatica) is more pungent and serrated than cultivated arugula and prized in Italian regional cooking.
Variety profile
Common uses
- Italian arugula salad
- Pizza topping (post-bake)
- Sandwich green
- Pesto variation
- Steak garnish
Editorial notes
Baby arugula sold in clamshells loses flavor within days; mature bunches from farmers markets are significantly more peppery and last longer.