Rocket Pomegranate Salad

Name: Rocket Pomegranate Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; ⅓ tablespoon lemon juice; Black pepper; 100g (3.5oz) rocket; ½ pomegranate (seeded (see tip below for how to do this)); 70g (2.5oz) parmesan (shaved)

TO THE RECIPE

This simple but stunning rocket pomegranate salad with parmesan shavings takes minutes to make. Peppery rocket leaves, juicy pomegranate and salty parmesan all dressed in a simple vinaigrette make this a light salad that is packed with flavours and textures.

overhead photo of rocket pomegranate salad in a bowl on a white cloth, a small bowl of pomegranate seeds and another bowl of vinaigrette to the side

This rocket salad with pomegranate may sound simple, and it is to make it, but when you add juicy pomegranate seeds to peppery rocket that provide bursts of sweet-tart juice as you bite in to them, it sends this simple rocket and parmesan salad recipe to another level.

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Why we love this recipe
Ingredients notes and substitutions
FAQ
My recipe tips
Serving Ideas
Storage
More simple side salad recipes
Rocket Pomegranate Salad

Why we love this recipe

Quick and easy to make.
6 ingredients
It makes a delicious Christmas salad with the pomegranate seeds glistening pinky-red against the green rocket leaves.

Ingredients notes and substitutions

Rocket – also called arugula, rucola, roquette.
Pomegranate – this recipe uses the seeds from half a pomegranate, you can also buy ready to eat pomegranate seeds if you prefer.
Parmesan – you can also use pecorino, or shaved hard goats cheese, or crumble over a little goats cheese or feta cheese.
Olive oil – use a good extra virgin olive oil as it is a simple dressing and you want the flavour from the oil to stand out.
Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice, you could substitute sherry vinegar, or for a less acidic flavour, use rice wine vinegar.

ingredients for rocket pomegranate salad measured out and arranged in individual bowls

close up of the rocket salad to show the pomegranate seeds and parmesan cheese shavings

FAQ

How do you eat pomegranate seeds in a salad?

Just sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over your salad and eat! They look particularly pretty when in a salad with something green, such as avocado, spinach, or as here with rocket.

Do you have to spit out pomegranate seeds?

No, you don’t have to spit on pomegranate seeds, they are perfectly safe. However if you don’t like the texture of them, you can spit them out like you would watermelon seeds.

What does rocket taste like?

Rocket leaves taste strong and peppery. They are therefore a delicious pairing to salty and fatty ingredients such as parmesan and olive oil.

Is rocket a lettuce or a herb?

Rocket is actually a herb, and a member of the mustard family.

My recipe tips

To remove the seeds from a pomegranate: slice the pomegranate in half, hold one half, cut side down, in your open fingers over a bowl, then whack the pomegranate hard with a wooden spoon. Repeat until all the seeds have fallen into the bowl (it can get messy – you might want to do this over the sink!)

Serving Ideas

This easy rocket salad recipe is such a great salad to have to hand, serve it:

as a side dish to baked chicken thighs, chicken pie, quiche, lasagne or vegetarian lasagna
at a barbecue or pot luck/Jacob’s join.
as part of a mezze style spread with other salads, bread, cheese, ham and dips.

Storage

Once made, this rocket and pomegranate salad will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

More simple side salad recipes

Overhead photo of rocket and pomegranate salad in a serving dish, and on two smaller plates having been served

(This recipe was originally posted in February 2020. It has since been updated with better images and more information to help you make the best rocket salad. The recipe remains the same.)