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The Turkish pantry

Rocket

Peppery fresh leaves for salads and finishing dishes shortly before serving.

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Rocket, also called arugula, is a peppery salad green. Leaf shape varies; salad rocket and wild rocket are distinct plants sold under related names. The generic arugula nutrition record does not identify every cultivar or certify the pictured leaves’ origin.

Fresh lobed rocket leaves with slender stems loosely arranged on a cream oval plate beside the sea.

Types & forms

Fresh rocket leaves

Tender leafy greens, with stems trimmed if tough; the subject of this guide.

Baby and larger leaves · comparison

Leaf size and tenderness vary, so judge the actual bunch rather than assuming one fixed strength.

Wild rocket · comparison

A related marketed green with its own identity; do not infer species solely from a common name.

What to look for when buying

  • Choose fresh-looking leaves without slimy patches or widespread yellowing. Check packaged greens for the use-by date and preparation instructions.
  • Buy an amount you can use promptly. Rocket is a delicate leafy ingredient, not a long-keeping dried seasoning.

Prepare & cook

  • For loose leaves, rinse under running water, remove damaged leaves and tough stems, then dry gently. Follow the label for greens marked prewashed or ready to eat.
  • Keep leaves fairly whole for a salad and dress near serving so they retain their shape. If adding to a hot dish, follow the recipe rather than treating rocket as a long-cooking vegetable.

Store it well

  • Refrigerate in a container or bag that protects leaves from crushing and excess wetness. Use promptly and discard slimy or spoiled leaves.
  • Keep dressing separate until needed; a dressed salad does not retain the texture of stored dry leaves.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Watercress

Can supply a peppery leafy contrast, with a different leaf and stem texture.

Tender spinach

A milder alternative; it changes the flavor and should remain labeled as a variation.

Nutrition

Arugula, raw [1]

Per 100 g edible portion
NutrientAmount
Energy25 kcal
Protein2.58 g
Total fat0.66 g
Saturated fat0.09 g
Carbohydrate3.65 g
Dietary fiber1.6 g
Total sugars2.05 g
Sodium27 mg
Cholesterol0 mg
Calcium160 mg
Iron1.46 mg
Potassium369 mg
Vitamin D0 µg

Generic raw arugula leaves. Not a separate analysis of each rocket species or cultivar, and not a dressed salad. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Arugula, raw

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

The linked grilled-bluefish recipe uses fresh rocket alongside the fish. Its peppery leaves provide a fresh contrast; this serving connection does not identify a growing region.