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.
BERRIES. I can’t get enough! This salad looks fantastic, will definitely give it a try!
Kale, brussels sprouts, nectarines, and goat cheese!!
I crave peaches, peaches and more peaches — but only from SC or GA. In my humble opinion they have much more flavor. I tried CA peaches this past weekend in my normal cobbler recipe and it was no where near as good as one made with SC peaches. I also crave arugula year around. I can eat it every day.
I am looking forward to fresh, ripe peaches. I love them all but particularly the white ones with their light but intensely floral taste and their amazing internal color. I add them to my pico de gallo and serve it with any number of dishes. Often you might catch me eating it directly from the bowl! I also love them just plain with their fuzzy skins giving my tongue a tickle and their juice dripping down my chin. They always come after summer is well underway and I have a sense of anticipation building and my mouth waters as I wait for their arrival.
I have been craving smoothies like crazy! Big mix-ups of frozen fruit, almond milk, greens..delicious, easy to make, and so good after a hot workout!
watermelon! and cherries and blueberries …….
That looks yummy! I am so craving some fresh corn the kind that melts in your mouth without butter or salt needed. Always fresh local fruit-GA white peaches.
Thanks for all of your delicious recipes! What I’m really craving this summer is Guava Chiffon cake. This cake is light, yet so satisfying. Would love it if you were able to work your magic and come up with a healthier, yet still tastes great, version.
I am craving peaches and nectarines from the farmers market. The ones in the grocery stores are terrible.
Absolutely craving fresh figs, cherries, and beets. Maybe all together, but definitely separate!
Last summer I ordered a watermelon-feta-mint salad in Greece. Ever since I’ve craved SAVORY dished with watermelon. The more exotic the better!
That salad sounds epic!!!
What I’m craving is mostly salad featuring all of the summer’s bounty. This salad looks amazing! Thank you for always listing alternative ingredients.
Thanks, Lil! I try to list alternative ingredients as best I can.
I’m craving salads. By the way, I love your buckwheat pancake recipe! I make them fairly often.
Thanks, Kerri! Glad you enjoy the pancakes!
I do not live near a whole foods (i live up in alaska during the warmer months), but frequent the lower 48 regularly. I have been craving a fresh filet of salmon all winter. We can a lot of our salmon for the winter months, but you can beat a fresh filet. Headed to subsistence fish this weekend to fill the freezer and cans, and fulfill my craving!
Fruity ice teas. Can’t have enough!
I’ve been craving fruit like crazy! Cherries, berries, watermelon, peaches…
Also, fresh fruit IN pastries/baked goods! I just made your lemon blueberry muffins again yesterday night and my next baking project is making mini cinnamon sugar + berry braided buns!
Those braided buns sound so cool! Glad you like the blueberry muffins!
I crave fresh mozzarella all.the.time. Especially with tomatoes and peaches!
fresh picked wild blueberries
This summer I’ve been craving zucchini as well as peaches.
Like every other summer, I’m craving smoothies, avocados and coconut.
I am craving watermelon, radish, feta and mint salad with lime juice drizzled over top – I have been living on it for days! I am so excited to see this new recipe. My boys have cherry pitter ‘guns’ that they love to use. We love to eat salads with nuts and fruit.
Oh how fun! I can imagine my brothers playing with cherry pitter guns when they were little. :)
I crave grill corn, potato salad and homemade Popsicle.
I am craving pizza! Pizza is definitely my trigger food, and something that I could have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So all that being said, I am craving a light, fun, summer-time pizza :-)
This is perfect because I’ve been craving salads! And smoothies are a close second with homemade almond milk, banana, berries, nut butter, and flaxseed. I LOVE your blog! It’s one of my two main go-to’s!
Thank you, Christina! I’m happy that you enjoy the blog!
This salad looks delish! I can’t get enough watermelon this summer!
What I’m craving are some fresh picked Missouri blueberries, from the u-pick-em farm just three miles from my house. And I’m craving them in a Blueberry-Chia Seed smoothie, with fresh squeezed lemon juice, and a tablespoon of local honey. That’s what I’m craving!
Thank goodness I’ve been picking blueberries twice a week since the season started. So far, I’ve got over a hundred pounds frozen to last me the rest of the year.
Sounds like I need to go to a u-pick-em farm in Missouri! I can’t believe you’ve picked that many already!
I pick at least 15 pounds everytime I go–about 5 pounds an hour. Here’s a link to a u-pick-em a little south of Kansas City, MO: theberrypatchonline.com. They are open until mid-August. I’m in Rolla, MO, and our local farm is done for the season.
The Cherry Couscous & Arugula Salad was amazing. I’m making a double batch to take to a picnic this weekend. Don’t think I’ll bring anything back!
Awesome, thank you for sharing, Sandy! My friend and I talked about going berry picking last summer but never got around to it. Maybe we can go to The Berry Patch before the season’s over. I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad, too!
I have been craving some strawberry rhubarb desserts-like a crumble. Also love berries of all types!
i havent been able to make anything with cherries just yet because i eat them straight up every single day…and they are at their best taste right now, cant miss that..
I’m craving fresh peaches (sprinkled w/a wee bit of cinnamon – oof), watermelon and big fat juicy blueberries – in no particular order.
Craving garden tomatoes, I eat the cherry ones like most people eat candy. Craving a 700 year old Asian melon I found last summer at Whole Foods. I know who would think a 700 yrs old melon be so delicious. So hope they have it this season. Craving more blogs about Cookie, she is the cutest! Craving more recipes from you too.
Georgia peaches + toasted almonds + fresh mint + lavendar honey
All in one bowl – perfection!
Excellent website, recipes and food photographs. I had chilled Gazpacho soup at Glen Gordon Manor in Huntly, VA prepared by Chef Dayn Smith. I do not have the recipe seemed like beets and tomato based it was fantastic! Great Gazpacho soup captures the freshest ingredients of the season.
I have been craving watermelon all summer! Perfect for the hot weather.
I’ve been craving lemonade!! Nothing is better to me on a super hot day!
The salad looks lovely. I seem to crave whatever is in abundance at the Farmer’s market…right now I’ve been gorging myself on blueberries and peaches, not a bad thing. Just made a ragu from all of my leftover produce since Saturday is market day again and I will inevitably bring home more than we can eat in a week. We’re lucky here on the Central Coast of California to have year round markets and grateful to the magnificent farmers that take care of the land and fill our bellies.
This recipe looks wonderful! I am craving salads with goat cheese! Yum!
Can’t wait to try this salad! I’ve been craving fresh bruschetta…with fresh picked basil and heirloom tomatoes. YUM.
First of all, this salad is just beautiful and the combo of celery and cherries would be DIVINE. Mmm.
I’m craving cold soba noodles with peanut sauce and blueberries -but not together :)
This recipe looks amazing, and I would love to get the giveaway! So far, the produce I’m craving most is anything fruit! Strawberries, raspberries, watermelon…you name it, I’ll eat it!
My name is Willie and I’m a yellow lab. I crave tangerines whole. I love the crunch skin and all except for the pit. I just twirl the pit around and spit it out
I am craving fresh tomatoes.
Thanks for having this giveaway. Your recipe looks delicious!
I have been following your website for about 9 months now and I look forward to recieving your new recipes each week. I am craving any type of fruit this summer. I just bought a huge container of cherries yesterday so I plan on making your cherry and arugula salad tonight for dinner. I made your black bean and sweet potato burgers last night for dinner and they were a big hit even with my kids. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Keep up the great work!
Julie, thank you! I’m so glad you (and your kids) are enjoying the recipes. :)
I always crave refreshing salads with fruit like watermelon, mango, or pineapple!
This summer I am craving salads with nuts, berries, and cheese, always. This one looks perfect, thanks for sharing!
Hi Kate- I found your blog about 2 weeks ago when I was looking for a salad recipe with quinoa and spinach. I loved your salad with strawberries so much I’ve eaten it at least 6 times now. This cherry arugula salad looks awesome. I’ve been craving another bowl of Fraiche frozen yogurt since I had a bowl of it in the SF airport. I just have to figure out how to make it at home. Would love to have a copy of the yummy sounding cookbook and a gift certificate to Whole Foods.
Thanks, Beth! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! This salad would be great with quinoa, too.
Craving this salad after a seeing your pictures of the finished product!!
Watermelon, can you make a salad with watermelon?
I’ll try!
This summer I’ve been craving watermelon and pineapple like crazy… though I can’t deny that I’m now also craving your salted peanut butter and honey ice cream!
I am craving a good watermelon!! I have had the worst luck so far and it’s already mid-July…
Ugh, I just bought the worst watermelon at the store! I need to go to the farmers’ market and find a good one.
Craving fresh mango juice!