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The first time I went to California Pizza Kitchen was over 10 years ago and I went to one that was actually in California. I was visiting a friend who went to USC and we ate at one in L.A. (I’m pretty sure at least, it was a long time ago🤣) I ordered the arugula asparagus salad and at thought it was fancy AF. I am not kidding. Stop laughing.
The way it was plated was so elegant and the flavor was sophisticated but mellow. I ordered San Pellegrino and legit felt like I was on The Hills. Again, please stop laughing. CPK actually has their recipe for the Arugula Asparagus salad posted on their website and mine is quite similar but I still wanted to spell it out for you guys.
Arugula Asparagus Salad
This CPK Copycat recipe is a delicious side dish to any summer meal or you can top it with some rotisserie chicken for a light dinner!
Ingredients
- 5 ounces arugula (or arugula/spinach mix)
- 1/2 pound asparagus
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (sliced)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 1 large lemon
- 1/3 cup olive oil (dressing)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (cooking)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
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In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium high. Trim the woody ends (about 2″) off the asparagus and add to the skillet.
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Cook for 3-4 minutes until bright green. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Remove and allow to cool.
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In a pint size mason jar with a lid, juice the lemon into it. Add the Dijon and olive oil. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Shake until combined and adjust seasonings if necessary.
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In a large bowl, add arugula and cooled asparagus. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add more vinaigrette if desired.
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Lay the arugula and asparagus salad on a large plate. Top with sliced sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
*Remaining vinaigrette will last in the fridge for 2 weeks in a sealed mason jar.
*Top with rotisserie chicken to make an entree salad.
*You can blanch or grill the asparagus instead of pan roasting if you prefer.Â
Arugula Asparagus Salad Demo
Earlier this month, I made this Arugula Asparagus Salad on my Facebook page. I do weekly cooking demos over there so be sure to like my page and follow along! If you have any questions about this recipe, watch the demo and see exactly how I do it. Feel free to ask any additional comments below. I’m always here to help!
If you have any suggestions for recipe demos or meal planning videos, be sure to let me know! I love answering your questions and giving lots of meal planning tips and tricks on my page. Be sure to check out my video archives where I have almost 100 videos related to meal planning. If there is a specific thing you need help with, just let me know and I can direct you to a video that might help.
Need Meal Planning Help?
If you stumbled upon this recipe but you’re struggling with consistent meal planning, you made it to the right place! I help busy families meal plan so they can stress less at dinner. If you’d like to see exactly how I meal plan, be sure to check out my How-To Meal Plan post. If you want a more visual view, check out my 4-Minute Meal Planning Tutorial.
Be sure to grab your FREE Meal Planning Guide where you’ll get my 7 Keys to Successful Meal Planning as well as weekly and monthly printables to help get you on your way to being a meal planning boss. You can meal plan at any stage of life you’re in using my easy to follow guide. So I urge you to download it and give it a go this week. Comment below if you have any questions!
My biggest belief when it comes to meal planning is to keep it simple. Over ambition kills meal planning. Recipes like this arugula asparagus salad are perfectly simple side dishes to an easy to make protein such as salmon or chicken. But don’t shy away from grabbing a rotisserie chicken to go along with it. Taking help from the store key for busy weeknights.
Taran is a self-proclaimed undomestic mom. She thrives as a stay-at-home-mom by consistently carving out time for herself and practicing realistic self-care. As a busy mom of 3, she knows that if mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy! With a focus on how SAHMs can carve out time for themselves everyday, she teaches fellow SAHMs how they can do the same.
[…] a party. You can make a variety different types and keep the whole crowd happy. Consider serving my Arugula Asparagus Salad on the side for a complete […]