Herb
Eruca vesicaria
B tier
Eruca vesicaria is the botanical complex that includes salad rocket (often E. vesicaria subsp. sativa)—peppery, lobed leaves with a mustard-nut oil bite. The species name marks true cultivated rocket rather than perennial wild rocket (Diplotaxis). Use young leaves raw in salads and on pizza after baking; heat wilts and mellows the punch. Flower buds are edible and milder.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Light WiltPestoPizza FinishRaw Salad
Traits
Annual SaladCultivated Rocket SpeciesMustard FamilyPepperySaladSpecies Level
History
IT
Romans ate Eruca as a pungent salad and aphrodisiac green in classical sources.
Botanical naming sorted Eruca within the mustard family salad greens.
IT
Italian markets kept Eruca as a everyday contorno green.
Global salad mixes made Eruca rocket a year-round bagged leaf.