Natural form

Fresh rocket leaves showing their deeply lobed shape and rich green color.

Shows the distinctive jagged, oak-leaf-like leaf shape and deep green color that makes rocket immediately recognizable.

Produce

Rocket (Arugula)

Peppery salad leaf used raw in salads and as a sharp finishing green.

Rocket is a leafy salad green with deeply lobed leaves and a sharp, peppery, mustard-like flavor. It is eaten raw in salads, piled onto pizza and pasta after cooking, or blended into pestos, and its bite mellows slightly when wilted. Known as arugula in the US and rucola in Italy, it is a Mediterranean staple.

Rocket (Eruca vesicaria) is a tender leafy green of the Brassicaceae family native to the Mediterranean, where it has been cultivated since Roman times—predating lettuce's spread across Europe. Its defining characteristic is a sharp, peppery bite that carries a faint bitterness, similar to mustard greens but more direct. The flavor intensifies as leaves mature and the plant approaches bolting, which is why young, tender rocket delivers the most balanced taste. In Italian cuisine, where it is known as rucola or rucola selvatica, rocket appears throughout the meal from appetizer salads to pizza and pasta finishes. It behaves poorly under heat: prolonged cooking turns it bitter and diminishes its fresh character. The culinary rule with rocket is restraint—use it raw, or add it at the very last moment to dishes that are already off the heat. Note that true rocket (Eruca) is botanically distinct from wall rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), often labeled as wild rocket; both share a similar peppery profile and are used interchangeably in cooking, though Diplotaxis tends toward greater pungency.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Cultivated rocket

Standard supermarket type; milder, larger leaves; faster growing. Varieties include Astro, Runway, and Nativo.

Wild rocket (Sylvetta, Rucola selvatica)

Smaller, deeply lobed leaves; more intense peppery flavor; slower growing; holds up better in heat.

Wild Italian rocket (Rucola di campo)

True wild foraged type; even more pungent; highly prized in Italian cuisine.

Dragon's Tongue

A red-veined variety; ornamental appearance with the same peppery flavor.

Selecting and Storing

Fresh rocket is perishable. Choose bright, medium-to-dark green leaves that are crisp and upright; yellowing leaves indicate age or heat damage, and wet spots mean accelerated spoilage. Store dry in a paper towel-lined bag or container in the refrigerator's crisper drawer. Wash only just before using—excess moisture is the enemy of shelf life. Properly stored, rocket holds for 2–4 days at best; plan to use it quickly after purchase.

Look for crisp, vibrant green leaves with no yellowing or limp sections
Store dry in a paper towel-lined bag in the crisper drawer
Wash immediately before use, never in advance
Use within 2–4 days; rocket deteriorates faster than most salad greens

Using Rocket in the Kitchen

Rocket's strength is its raw, peppery bite—respect that. The most common mistake is adding it too early to dressings or hot dishes, where acid and heat collapse its structure and amplify bitterness. For salads, toss rocket with dressing at the table, not in advance. For pasta or pizza, add it the moment the dish comes off the heat and fold gently. When wilting rocket into soups, drop it in just before serving and let residual heat do the work. Rocket also makes a vivid pesto that is sharper and more complex than basil versions; toast the nuts well and use a generous amount of Parmesan to balance the bite.

Add to salads just before serving and dressing
Fold into hot pasta off the heat
Use as a raw garnish on pizza immediately before serving
Make pesto: blend with pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil
Never cook rocket heavily—it should barely wilt, never boil

Common uses

Base for salads, especially with shaved Parmesan, lemon, and olive oilGarnish for pizza, added raw immediately before servingFolded into pasta dishes or risotto off heatFinishing green for minestrone, soups, and stewsLayered in sandwiches and wraps for peppery contrastPesto base (traditional in some Ligurian variations)Mixed into frittata or scrambled eggs at the last momentTossed with hot pasta and a drizzle of good olive oilSalad with sliced pear, toasted walnuts, and aged cheeseAccompaniment to raw fish preparations like carpaccio or ceviche

Tips & pitfalls

Buy bright, crisp leaves with no yellowing or wet spots; limp rocket is past its best
Store dry in a paper towel-lined bag in the refrigerator's crisper drawer
Wash just before use; excess water accelerates spoilage
Tear rather than cut to avoid bruising the tender leaves
Add to salads just before dressing, as it wilts quickly under acid and salt
Never cook rocket heavily; brief wilting in hot pasta or pizza is the maximum
If rocket tastes overwhelmingly bitter, it may be old or heat-stressed; young leaves are milder
Wild rocket tolerates heat better than cultivated types and is less prone to bolting
Pick outer leaves and let the center continue growing to extend harvest
Avoid overdressing; rocket needs very little vinaigrette compared to denser greens

Nutrition

25kcal

Energy

105 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 33%Carbs 47%Fat 19%

Protein

2.6g

5% DV

Carbs

3.7g

1% DV

Fat

0.7g

1% DV

Fiber

1.6g

6% DV

Sugars

2.1g

of which

Sodium

27mg

1% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin K90% DV

Folate24% DV

Vitamin C17% DV

Vitamin A13% DV

Calcium12% DV

Magnesium11% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Arugula, raw

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In the shops

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Good to know

Scientific name: Eruca vesicaria (formerly Eruca sativa)
Family: Brassicaceae (mustard family)
Flavor: Sharp, peppery, slightly bitter; heat intensifies with maturity
Texture: Tender when young; becomes tough and stringy when bolting
Shelf life: 2–4 days refrigerated in a loosely closed bag; wilts rapidly at room temperature
Season: Cool weather; spring and autumn in temperate climates; year-round in Italy, California, and the American South
Primary use: Raw, as a finishing green, or wilted into hot dishes at the last moment

Substitutes

Watercress — Similar peppery bite; smaller, more delicate leaves; swap 1:1
Mizuna — Milder mustard green; same family; good when you want less heat
Radish greens — Peppery and slightly earthy; an underused substitute from the same Brassicaceae family
Baby arugula — Younger, more tender leaves; essentially the same ingredient, more expensive
Belgian endive — Bitter element but not peppery; use when you want bitter without the heat
Mature spinach — Not peppery; use for texture only; lacks the characteristic bite