Herb

Rocket

Rocket is a peppery salad herb, also known as arugula, with lobed leaves that range from mild baby leaf to intensely mustardy wild types. Salad rocket (Eruca) is broader-leaved; wild rocket (Diplotaxis) is thinner, darker, and hotter. Eaten raw in salads and on pizza, or briefly wilted, rocket bridges herb and salad green. Flower buds and blossoms are edible and milder than mature leaves.

Also known as: Arugula, Rocket, Rucola / Ruchetta, Roquette, Rocket

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Flower

Leaf

Seed

Stem

Breeds, cuts & preparations

Variety

AstroCultivated RocketDiplotaxis tenuifoliaDragon's TongueEruca sativaEruca vesicariaNapoliOlive Leaf RocketRunwaySalad RocketSlow Bolt RocketSylvettaWasabi RocketWild Rocket

Source

HydroponicIndoor FarmedOutdoor FarmedWild

Provenance

BiodynamicFair TradeGreenhouse GrownHeirloomHeritage SeedLocally GrownNon-GMOOpen PollinatedOrganicPesticide FreeRegenerativeSeasonal

Preparation

BruisedChilledChoppedCrackedDriedFreeze DriedFreshFrozenGroundInfusedMincedPastePickledPowderRubbedSeededToastedTornWhole

CommonCharacteristic

FreshGreenHerbaceousMustardNuttyPepperyPungentSpicy

History

100 BCEIT

Rocket was eaten in Roman Italy as a pungent salad and medicinal green.

1500IT

Italian regional cookery kept rocket in continuous culinary use while it faded elsewhere.

1980US

Arugula re-entered mainstream Western menus through Italian restaurants and bagged salads.

2000

Wild rocket and baby leaf mixes made rocket a global supermarket salad staple.