(Updated) This Mango-Avocado Macadamia Nut-infused Arugula Salad recipe has been a fan-fave since 2011! It is a personal fave as well.

Tropical flavors of sweet mango and salty, crunchy macadamia nuts mingle with spicy arugula lettuce and buttery avocado. This simple-ingredient salad is so flavorful that it barely even needs dressing. But if you want to add some, I think a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice is just perfect. (Dressing suggestion in the recipe.)

I love this salad on a busy day as lunch, or as a dinner salad topped with tempeh bacon or skillet chickpeas.

Some tips for this salad:

• Use a mango that is nice and ripe. You want the sweet juices to really absorb into the arugula – and help soften it a bit.
• Use macadamia nuts that are roasted AND salted. That salt really goes a long way in this salad. You can add them whole, or chop them up into macadamia nut bits.
• If you just cannot find macadamia nuts – they can be hard to find sometimes – use salted and roasted cashews instead. Those are the best sub, I have found. Chopped Brazil nuts work well too.
• Be generous with the avocado! (Good advice for any recipe, really…)
• If your arugula is too large or long/stringy, break out your culinary shears and cut the arugula up.

…Culinary shears and more cooking goodies are in the kitchen section of my HHL store.

And really, I don’t really think this salad needs dressing. But go with your taste buds on this one.

Arugula, Avocado, Mango, Macadamia Salad

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 04/17/2011
This simple and flavorful salad combines salty, crunchy macadamia nuts with sweet mango, avocado and arugula. Vegan.

Ingredients

• 1 large mango, cubed
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 – 1 cup macadamia nuts, salted and roasted (chopped or whole)
• 5-6 cups or arugula
• a few pinches of pepper – salt optional
• Optional add-ins: onion, carrots, hemp seeds, chickpeas, tempeh bacon..

• Simple Dressing Suggestion:

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1-2 tsp maple or agave syrup

Instructions

1. Whisk together the optional dressing, set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the salad ingredients together. Add dressing as desired. Toss again.
3. Serve right away.

Yield: 2 servingsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Total time: 15 mins. Tags: salad, vegan,side,easy,dinner,avocado,arugula, mango

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— Original blog post —
One thing I brought back with me from the Dole Salad Summit, was the inspiration to make this Arugula Salad. It combines crisp, zesty arugula leaves with roasted macadamia nuts, freshly diced mango and tender cubes of avocado. A simple combo worth trying. It just may rescue dinnertime (as it did mine!)..

In part three of my wrap-up posts (part 1 – part 2) you’ll get Dole’s take on “Salad 101” – and for us bloggers, that meant tasting a few salads. This vegan arugula salad that I tasted at the Dole Fresh Vegetables headquarters really won me over. So I re-made it last night – salad-licious.

Here’s to the salad that saved dinnertime.

Last night was one of those evenings where 5pm rolls around. Then suddenly, 5pm flashes to 6pm. Then it’s 7pm and before you know it I’m still hunched over my computer at 8pm. And now suddenly I’m missing Dancing with the Stars. Gasp. Actually, maybe that’s a good thing.

Type, type, type. No end in site. “Stop working!” my brain shouts. But I trek on into the night, forgetting about dinner, forgetting about the ticking clock and feeling oh so nice about being productive.

“It’s 9 o’clock?” .. long pause as I stare fuzzily at my screen. Click. Off. Goodbye screen, hello dinnertime.

Yes indeed, I fell back on my salad. I knew I had this giant, gorgeous salad waiting in the fridge – so really, who cares what else goes with it, right? A few smoky tempeh cubes or strips on top for added protein. We also added a few light sandwiches along side this salad feast. And it was about 11pm when we finally ate dinner. But it was a nice prize for a long day of work – diving into a giant salad bowl, my day can always end on a high note!

And this salad shows a lot of restraint for me. Usually I pile on the toppings – so only 4 main ingredients – was a pleasantly delicious and simple surprise.