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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Persian Rocca Salad

    Published: Mar 26, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe
    Pinnable image for Rocca Rocket Arugula Salad with Persian Dressing Recipe
    Pinnable image for Persian Arugula Salad
    Pinnable image for Rocca Salad with Persian Dressing Recipe
    Pinnable image for Rocca Salad with Persian Dressing Recipe

    Rocca Salad is a tasty mix of arugula (rocket) with walnuts, pomegranate and a Persian dressing. It's a delicious salad with a Middle Eastern flavor. 

    A plate of rocca salad, with rocket arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, pomegranate and Middle Eastern dressing and walnuts

    You will absolutely love the fresh flavor of this easy Rocca Salad.

    Rocket / Arugula leaves provide a zingy bed for walnuts, pomegranate seeds and a zesty Persian dressing.

    The salad and dressing both come together in just a few minutes! It's a vibrant and flavorful salad with pomegranate, walnut, onion, cucumber and more.

    Enjoy this rocket salad as a side dish, light lunch or make it a healthy main dish.

    You'll also love some of my other tasty vegan salad recipes: green salad with pepita dressing, mango salad and beet salad with tahini dressing!

    This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and soy-free.

    A plate of rocca salad, with rocket arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, pomegranate and Middle Eastern dressing

    Ingredients

    For the dressing:
    Oil (extra virgin olive oil is my favourite, but use what you have)
    Apple cider vinegar (or try white or red wine vinegar)
    Pomegranate molasses (also known as pomegranate concentrate, found in most major grocery stores. You can't substitute standard molasses as it is a very different taste. If you can't get any, just leave it out.)
    Maple syrup (or agave nectar, or honey if not vegan)

    For the salad:
    Arugula / Rocket (or use other lettuce)
    Cucumber
    Red onion (or white/yellow onion)
    Tomatoes
    Fresh mint
    Walnuts
    Parsley
    Pomegranate arils
    (aka pomegranate seeds)

    A bowl full of rocket arugula, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and mint for rocca salad

    How to make Rocca Salad

    This salad is super easy to make! Just follow these simple steps, then scroll down for the full recipe in the recipe card!

    1. Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan. You can skip this step, but briefly toasting the walnuts makes them extra tasty and fragrant. It only takes a few minutes so watch the walnuts so they don't burn.

    2. Place half of the walnuts into a mini food processor or blender, along with the rest of the dressing ingredients (scroll down for full recipe) and whiz. It will still be a bit chunky. 

    3. Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. 

    4. Divide the salads onto plates, drizzle with a little dressing and sprinkle with the walnuts, pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs. 

    Scroll down for the full recipe ingredients and instructions.

    A bowl of salad.

    Serving Suggestions

    This Rocca Salad is delicious on its own. You can make it a heartier by serving it with these tasty meat-free recipes:

    This salad is perfect with my Persian Fesenjan. It's a walnut stew with cauliflower and is a great way to also use up the pomegranate molasses! Also try my Persian Eggplant Salad. 

    Rainbow Vegetable Sandwich
    Tomato Soup
    Pea Soup
    Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich

    A plate of rocca salad, with rocket arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, pomegranate and Middle Eastern dressing and walnuts

    Persian dressing

    This simple green rocket salad is enlivened with Persian flavors. 

    The Middle Eastern dressing makes use of pomegranate molasses (aka pomegranate concentrate). It's pomegranate juice that's been reduced into a thick sauce.

    What does Pomegranate Molasses taste like? 

    Pomegranate molasses is very different to typical molasses. It's a thick syrup that's made from boiling pomegranate juice to reduce it.

    The resulting syrup has concentrated sweet and sour flavors. It's got a really deep taste that adds intense flavors to many dishes.

    In this rocca salad, the pomegranate molasses is whizzed with toasted walnuts, maple syrup, oil and apple cider vinegar to create an intense and vibrant dressing that complements the arugula leaves beautifully. I hope you'll love this salad and Persian dressing as much as we do!

     

    arugula (rocket) on a wooden table with a striped tea towel

    Arugula salad on wooden background

    Rocca, Arugula, Rocket, Roka

    Whether you call them rocca, roka, arugula or rocket, you'll know and love these peppery leaves. The slightly bitter flavor makes them perfect for enlivening a salad.

    The young tender leaves have a sweeter, nuttier flavor, but as they grow they take on a deep peppery taste.

    Rocca can be grown easily year-round and it's a quick-growing crop.

    Try sowing some seeds on a sunny windowsill and harvest them as a cut-and-come-again crop. Just cut off what you require as soon as the leaves are large enough.

    Leave the plants to grow some more and you will have leaves for weeks. They're perfect in this tasty rocca salad.

    Can this recipe be prepped ahead of time?

    You can chop the veggies and make the dressing ahead of time.

    But for best results (and so you don't get a soggy salad!) don't assemble and dress the rocca salad until just before serving.

    Then just put it all together and enjoy!

    Looking for more salad inspiration? Check out my list of the BEST vegan salad recipes. 

    A plate of rocca salad, with rocket arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, pomegranate and Middle Eastern dressing

    Get the Rocca Salad recipe

    Did you make this Persian Rocca Salad recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
    Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes.

    Follow me on Instagram * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest * Youtube

     

    A plate of rocca salad, with rocket arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, pomegranate and Middle Eastern dressing and walnuts

    Persian Rocca Salad

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    Rocca Salad is a tasty mix of arugula (rocket) with walnuts, pomegranate and a Persian dressing. It's a delicious salad with a Middle Eastern flavor.
    5 from 8 votes
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Middle Eastern, Persian
    Servings 4
    Calories 233 kcal

    Equipment

    • Frying pan
    • Bowl
    • Mini food processor or blender

    Ingredients
     

    • ½ cup (50g) walnuts
    • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (aka pomegranate concentrate)
    • 2 teaspoon maple syrup
    • Rocket arugula and other lettuce leaves
    • ½ a cucumber unpeeled and diced
    • 2 tomatoes diced
    • ½ red onion finely chopped
    • Handful fresh mint leaves chopped

    Optional garnish:

    • pomegranate seeds
    • chopped parsely

    Instructions
     

    For the dressing

    • Heat a dry frying pan, add the walnuts and toast for a few minutes until fragrant and golden.
    • Place half of the toasted walnuts into a mini food processor along with the oil, vinegar, pomegranate molasses and syrup. Whiz until combined. It will be slightly chunky.

    For the salad

    • Gently toss the rest of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl.

    To serve

    • Divide the salad onto plates and serve drizzled with the dressing and sprinkled with the remaining walnuts, plus parsley and pomegranate seeds.

    Notes

    If you can't find pomegranate molasses (it's in many major grocery stores), then just leave it out. You can't substitute regular molasses or drinking pomegranate juice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 281mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 539IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

     

    More Salad Recipes

    • Mexican Quinoa Salad
    • Quinoa and Black Beans
    • Zucchini Halloumi Couscous
    • Caprese Pasta Salad
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dave

      April 26, 2022 at 5:19 am

      5 stars
      Really delicious salad. I loved it yummy!!!

      Reply
    2. Mayuri Patel

      April 15, 2020 at 4:11 pm

      5 stars
      Such a colorful and beautiful salad. Filling and so flavourful. I know what to ask from my daughter when she comes down from Dubai.. some pomegranate molasses. That definitely adds an awesome flavour to the salad.

      Reply
    3. Demeter

      March 29, 2020 at 1:06 pm

      5 stars
      The pomegranate seeds add such a pop of flavor! Blends perfectly with the vinaigrette as well. Loved it!

      Reply
    4. Farah

      March 26, 2020 at 1:39 pm

      5 stars
      Stunning! I like making a rocca salad with dates and that would go so well with the pomegranate molasses. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    5. Jessica Formicola

      March 26, 2020 at 1:20 pm

      5 stars
      I love everything about this salad! So many delicious colors and flavors!

      Reply
    6. Natalie

      March 26, 2020 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      What a lovely vibrant and refreshing salad. I love the colors and flavors. It's healthy too. Can't wait to make this.

      Reply
    7. Jen

      March 26, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      5 stars
      I love anything pomegranate! Great salad.

      Reply

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    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Easter Recipes

    • Easter Rice Krispie Nests
    • Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)
    • Mushroom Wellington
    • Nut Roast

    My cookbook

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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