Cherry Couscous & Arugula Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
A delightful summer salad featuring fresh cherries, arugula, pistachios and goat cheese (optional) tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 6, 2024
This summertime salad features ruby red Bing cherries. It’s rounded out with spicy arugula and some of my favorite Middle Eastern ingredients—couscous and pistachios. I added celery for some complementary crunch and goat cheese for a creamy component.
Homemade balsamic vinaigrette brings these unlikely ingredients together. This green salad is light, filling and very refreshing.
I’m stuck on the slow summer wavelength. You, too? Let’s embrace it. Let’s sit in the shade and watch the sun go down. Sip on cold drinks. Hop in the pool. Play board games on the porch. Stretch at yoga class. Maybe even do less work (and not feel bad about it). Let’s fill up on big, fresh salads, too. Salads like this cherry stunner you see here.
I’ve been eating big bowls of this salad for lunch over the past week. It’s a flexible recipe. Use any sweet cherry, or try another stone fruit like sliced plum or peach. Feel free to substitute quinoa for the couscous, if you’d like (check the notes for details). Three cheers for summer salads!
Cherry Couscous & Arugula Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
This delightful summer salad features fresh cherries, arugula, pistachios and goat cheese (optional) tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. Feel free to substitute pearl couscous for the fine couscous shown here, or quinoa to make the salad gluten free (cook according to package directions and proceed to step 2).
Ingredients
Couscous
- ¾ cup whole wheat couscous
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- Several twists of freshly ground black pepper
Balsamic vinaigrette (this makes extra)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup or agave nectar
- Generous amount freshly ground black pepper
- â…› teaspoon fine salt
Salad
- 4 big handfuls arugula
- ½ pound cherries (about 2 big handfuls), pitted, halved and quartered
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (to yield about â…“ cup crumbled goat cheese)
- â…“ cup shelled pistachios or almonds (choose slivered or sliced almonds and you can skip the chopping step)
Instructions
- To make the couscous: Bring ¾ cup water to boil in a small saucepan. Once it’s boiling, remove the pan from heat and pour in the couscous, olive oil, sea salt and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the couscous with a fork and set it aside for later.
- To make the dressing: Whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified.
- To toast the nuts: In a skillet over medium-low heat, toast the nuts, tossing frequently, until fragrant, about 3 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and use a chef’s knife to chop the nuts into small pieces.
- To compose the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the arugula, cooled couscous, sliced cherries, chopped celery, crumbled goat cheese and chopped nuts. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle it with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens (you might only need half of the dressing) and toss to combine. Serve immediately. If you store the dressing separately from the rest, it will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Why buy organic? Conventionally grown celery, cherries and leafy greens are notoriously high in pesticide residues.
Make it vegan: Skip the goat cheese and substitute maple syrup or agave nectar for the honey in the dressing.
Make it gluten free: Substitute cooked quinoa for the couscous.
Change it up: Feel free to substitute sliced peaches, plums or nectarines for the cherries. You can also use spinach in place of the arugula.
Prepare in advance: You can cook the grains and whisk together the dressing. Store them in the refrigerator, covered, until you’re ready to serve.
Recommended equipment: A cherry pitter makes pitting cherries a much more pleasant experience. I love this cherry pitter by Oxo.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I’ve been eating my body weight in cherries recently. Lovely salad!
Peaches! They used to be one of the few fruits I didn’t love, but suddenly they’ve become an almost daily treat
I LOVE the salads on your blog, and love that FRUIT was incorporated into this one! I am craving your spring carrot, radish, and quinoa salad with herbed avocado…with a nice glass of white wine!
Well- chocolate, ice cream, and salt are normal cravings for me, but the seasonal stuff that I love is fresh corn (yum!), cherries, peaches, and smoked whitefish. Yum- so many reasons to love summer!
This summer, I seriously want to eat *all* of the fruit (and it looks like I’m not the only one). Right now, peaches and berries are the heaviest hitters in our kitchen.
I’ve been craving fresh summer fruit, kale and wine. Love you recipes and photos!
watermelon!
Tomatoes!
I’m craving berries! Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries (they might be my favorite).
I crave homemade lemonade in the summer months! I love creating different variations like lavender, lovage and basil.
YUM. thanks for the delicious recipe and great read… definitely will be adding this recipe to my meal planning for the week. thanks for the awesome ideas and inspiration!
I’ve been craving fresh berries all summer!
Peaches and corn!
Any fresh and local produce! The farmers market is my summer haven!
Juicy peaches from the farmers market!
I’ve been craving fresh summer fruits like peaches, cantaloupe, and berries.
This salad looks amazing!! Esp since I am craving cherries!! Sweet, tart, juicy, that’s what I’m craving .. Things that have lemon, goat cheese, pickled things, melon…
Avocados. I could eat them EVERY day.
Popsicles! Sweet, nourishing popsicles.
We have a very old old peach tree that has the best ever peaches. I’m craving a peach crumb pie as soon as the peaches are ready. yum yum!
Grilled veggies are always a summer favorite of mine! This summer, I’ve been especially craving grilled BEETS :)
Peaches! I keep buying them… And my daughter keeps eating them all!
Fresh tomatoes and okra at the growers market.
Watermelon and strawberry sangria! Yum! Thank you for hosting the giveaway!
This recipe looks delicious! I crave big salads like this, especially when they have a yummy grain in them like orzo or couscous. And I always crave ice cream in the summer of course!
Cherries, watermelon, corn and basil.
I am craving a fresh salad with nasturtium flowers, orzo, sweet peas and goat feta, drizzled with a cherry/mint vinaigrette. the spiciness of the nasturtium flowers, creaminess or the goat feta, and sweetness of the cherry/mint vinaigrette compliment warm summer nights.
currently craving some delicious homemade popsicles of some sort. thanks for all your recipes btw – you’ve made me a kale salad convert :)
Hooray! Kale salads forever!
Apricots! My husband and I traveled to Italy a couple months ago and ate so many apricots, I now want one every day!
this sounds delicious! I think I will try it with quinoa. I have been craving peaches! Sweet, juicy summer peaches!!
Another winning salad! I love your strawberry kale granola cluster salad. This came together quickly and was what my hubby and I needed after caring for two sick babies.
Awesome! Thanks, Flor!
I just had my first bag of cherries of the season. Looks like I’ll have to run out to get some more. This looks delicious
I crave Watermelon in the summer. So excited that Whole Foods is almost finished building a store here – finally!!
I’m dying for some good watermelon!
This looks postively delicious.
This summer, I am craving fresh, overripe figs. A friend has a tree that produces overwhelming amounts of the sticky and rich fruit, so I am hoping to go pick a couple of pounds from that tree. Who knows what all I will end up creating out of them! it’s always an adventure.
Peaches, peaches, and more peaches.
I’d love some wonderful fresh picked blueberries!
I’m craving basically all the fruit I can get my hands on – stawberries, peaches, red plums, mangos – it’s all so delicious right now!
I’m craving grilled vegetables, picnics, and my mom’s cooking.
I love your blog, Kate. All of your recipes that I have tried have been so delicious and easy to make. Thank you
Thank you, Mickie! :)
I’m in Seoul for the summer (with no kitchen or blender) so I’m really craving all kinds of smoothies, especially green ones. Fruit is much more expensive here and smoothie places I’ve seen are, of course, nothing like what I can find in the Bay Area :'(
In the summer I am always cravings grilled veggie salads and tons of fresh fruit. It’s like my body has been deprived of these things for so long, which is hasn’t, but I can’t get enough!
I’ve been crazing avocados, fresh tuna, and crunchy things…. So we’ve been eating a lot of sushi with Asian slaw around here!
Mmm, looks so delicious. Definitely going to make this myself very soon. It makes my mouth water!
Caprese salad! Big juicy tomatoes, a generous slice of mozzarella, sweet basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar…it’s one of my favorite lazy summer salads, by far.
I am craving Whole Foods amazing breakfast bar! I live next to a Whole Foods and look forward to their eggs, turkey sausage and french toast every morning. It is truly unbeatable and the friendly service makes its a delightful experience.
I’m in love with avocado and all the cherries and berries right now!
I always look forward to my first tomato sandwich of the season. Tomatoes, whole wheat bread, Duke’s mayonnaise, and black pepper. Yum!
This summer salad looks delicious! Love your blog!!
Kate, I am loving all of the great summer fruits, especially cherries so I am pumped about this recipe! I seriously spent $20 on cherries the other day at WF and my husband looked at me like I was crazy (ok, maybe I am but only about cherries) :)
Haha, I don’t think you’re crazy!
I’m craving sounds (big summer leaves blowing in the breeze, waves at the beach) textures (sand and wooden docks), smells (sunblock, and the sea) and tastes (peach and blackberry cobblers)!