Arugula + Blistered Tomato Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing (Vegan, Gluten Free)

4.78 from 9 votes
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Since I began my Hungry Lady Salad series on social media earlier this year, I’ve been getting requests for all kinds of dressing recipes.  Speaking of this series, you can watch more about my mission with this series HERE.  For full recipe videos, make sure you’re following me on Facebook and Youtube!  

I’ve been getting lots of requests for a Creamy Balsamic Dressing in particular, so I figured it was time to oblige.  This salad is a flavor BOMB.

I love tomatoes in all ways, whether they are fresh, roasted, or blistered in a saute pan like they are here.  The flavor concentrates, the texture softens, and just a bit of heat allows them to stay fresh in your refrigerator for a lot longer than they would fresh.

Watch Me Make My Arugula + Blistered Tomato Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing

How To Make My Arugula + Blistered Tomato Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing

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Step 1. Heat olive oil in pan. Add tomatoes for 1-2 minutes to start blistering.

Step 2. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 more minutes.

Step 3. Set aside.

Step 4. Add arugula to a large serving bowl, followed by white beans, shallot and finally blistered tomatoes.

Step 5. Drizzle with the creamy balsamic dressing and finish with a large pinch of truffle salt, if using.

Step 6. Enjoy!

What Else Can I Use?

  • If arugula isn’t your thing, Tuscan kale and swiss chard are good swaps.
  • I love the creaminess of white beans in this salad, if you don’t care for them swap in chickpeas.  You can also simply leave them off for a lighter salad.
  • If you like grains in your salads, quinoa is a good add in this and will soak up the delicious dressing nicely.
  • Fresh thyme is called for in the dressing.  If you don’t have any, you can omit it or use half the amount of dried without a substantial change to the flavor.
  • I list truffle salt here as an optional finisher to this salad.  It is absolutely optional, but adds such a nice touch to the salad so go ahead and skip this step if you can’t get your hands on some.

This Arugula + Blistered Tomato Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing is special because:

It is so quick to make!

It is filling and satisfying, making a great lunch on its own or superb side with a grilled steak for dinner.

The creamy balsamic dressing is a crowd favorite and incredibly easy to whip up – just throw the ingredients into a blender!

It is a great way to enjoy your tomatoes, especially if they are almost past their prime.

Want to explore new ways with tomatoes?

Spicy Fusilli Pasta with Tomato + Cream (Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Dairy Free friendly)
Slow Roasted Tomato & Garlic Pasta
Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup (Vegan, Gluten Free)

If you make my Arugula + Blistered Tomato Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing, and I hope you do, please leave me a comment here and rate the recipe. Your feedback means a lot to me! You can also post to Instagram and tag me so I can share your creations!

4.78 from 9 votes

Arugula + Blistered Tomato Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing (Vegan, Gluten Free)

I love tomatoes in all ways but sauteed in a salad like this might be my new favorite!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 13 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

Arugula + Blistered Tomato Salad:

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups cherry Tomatoes
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • 6-8 cups arugula, washed and spun dry
  • 1 15 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 large shallot, sliced thin
  • Truffle salt, optional, for finishing

Creamy Balsamic Dressing:

  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup Olive oil
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper

Instructions 

  • Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and let them sit in the pan for 1-2 minutes to start blistering.
  • Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and shake the pan back and forth to coat tomatoes. Continue to cook 3-5 minutes until skin starts to shrink and tomatoes are charred on all sides.
  • Reserve.
  • Add arugula to a large serving bowl.
  • Add white beans, shallot, and blistered tomatoes to the arugula.
  • Drizzle with the creamy balsamic dressing and finish with a large pinch of truffle salt, if using.
  • Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 749IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 278
Keyword: Hungry Lady Salads, salad dressing, Tomato
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19 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Great salad. Tastes great and is very easy to whip up. I paired it with grilled shrimp for some more protein. It doesn’t keep well as leftovers though. The arugula gets very wilty and is just not as pleasant to eat the next day. Recommend only preparing as much as you’ll eat in that sitting. If you have extras just keep the arugula separate from the rest until ready to eat the next day.

    1. Such great tips, Diana! Thank you for sharing! Also, shrimp sounds like a great addition – delicious!
      Kat.

  2. Looks delicious but before I make I have one question – How long will this dressing keep in the refrigerator? Thank you!

  3. 5 stars
    This salad is fantastic for meal prep! I double everything and put the salad dressing in the bottom of 5-6 wide mouth mason jars. Be sure to let the tomatoes cool! One jar serves two people and they stay fresh till at least Day 5; we’ve never made it past that!

  4. 5 stars
    Yummy! I had to sub out lemon juice for balsamic vinegar, which made a delicious dressing with a touch of honey. (Didn’t have any, balsamic vinegar, plus my roommate has an aversion to bv…but I really want to try it sometime with the bv). Doubled up the white beans to bump up the protein (and the ratio was great). I can’t do truffle anything but extra salt and pepper worked well. Thanks for another delicious salad!!

    1. As long as you have that acid in there, the dressing will still taste delicious! I am quite partial to balsamic vinegar myself though, so definitely give it a try sometime!
      Enjoy,
      Kat.

  5. 5 stars
    Fabulous, quick and easy salad. I used it for my food prep this week. It made five mason jars. I added an additional can of white beans and a little romaine. The dressing makes plenty for five mason jars, maybe even six.

  6. I love your salads- so first of all, thank you! Unfortunately I have a terrible mayo aversion. Anything I can use in its place? Thanks!

    1. Kerry,
      You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you love them.
      You could try swapping the mayo for sour cream, or even Greek yogurt to keep the dressing creamy.
      Enjoy!
      Kat.

    1. Erica,
      Definitely make this salad your own. Arugula can bring a tartness to a salad that can be overpowering for some (you’re not alone). I’d love to hear what you swap it with when you make it again.
      Enjoy!
      Kat.

  7. 5 stars
    This salad is so light and fresh I absolutely love it! I added a little honey to the dressing to make it a honey balsamic vinaigrette. How long can I keep this in my fridge for?

    1. Kaylin,
      The addition of honey sounds phenomenal. So glad you found a way you love to eat this salad.
      I would recommend up to 3 days, if it lasts that long without being eaten that is!
      Enjoy!
      Kat.

  8. 4 stars
    Just made this for meal prepping my lunches this week… so good! I had to use dry thyme but still the dressing was very good. It was very punchy and acidic, which I really enjoy. My favorite was the blistered tomatoes with the shallots. I will definitely make this again.