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
- ⅛ 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 ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese)
- ⅓ 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’m craving some kiwi right now.
Looks delicious! This is my first summer outside the South in many years, and I’m craving some good Alabama or Georgia peaches. In the meantime, California strawberries will have to do!
Ok, so I initially came to this post about the salad (which looks insanely delicious)…and then found out that a giveaway was happening too? How awesome!! This summer I’m all about fresh fruit, peaches in particular, I just can’t get enough of them. I’ve been eating them with every meal -breakfast/oatmeal with peaches, lunch/peaches on a salad, dinner/grilled peaches and pork, dessert/peach pie !!! And the cookbook that’s with the giveaway – I’ve been wanting that!!!! Anyway, thank you so much for your always amazing blog and for doing this giveaway :)
Thank you, Phi!
Love this salad and your wonderful blog in general! Going to be making the Quinoa Tabouli for a pool party tomorrow :)
That being said, this summer I am craving frozen desserts! Like your salted peanut butter and honey ice cream.
Thanks for all of your inspiration.
Thank you, Ewa!
I have been craving more salads that feel like real meals, not punishments for indulging (like the salad you posted here!). I’ve been craving the time to go through your blog and find more salads like this.
I’m craving this and some of that Peanut Butter Honey ice cream!
I’m craving a blueberry/milk slushie. I remember my aunt used to drop a handful of the delicious summer berries into a glass of milk and set it in the freezer. After a few hours, viola!, a cool treat was ready to enjoy. Only now I don’t like cow’s milk. I may make it with the fresh goat’s milk yogurt I get from a local dairy.
I love your recipes & photos! Keep up the good work!
That sounds interesting! I’ve never had a milk slushie. Thank you, Michelle, for commenting! Glad you enjoy my recipes!
I am craving a large, green salad with “rainbow vegetables” as my ‘cherry’ on top. (Rainbow vegetables meaning eating every color of vegetable ‘red through purple’ on top of my salad to get the benefits and nutrition from all the fresh summer vegetables around my town! Plus, whole foods ROCKS MY WORLD!
Fresh heirloom tomatoes from the garden!
Perfectly ripe local peaches!
Mango Nectarines. Oh, how I crave them!!
My goodness, this looks fantastic! I’ve been waiting for an excuse to stop by my neighborhood cherry stand… I think this is it!
As far as summer cravings go, I’m absolutely craving watermelon and blueberries all the time these days (my giftcard would almost assuredly be spent on mountains of Oregon blueberries at WFs!). And Salt and Straw ice cream, in Portland! So good.
Corn (straight from the cob) and fresh cherry tomatoes are top of my craving list right now. I cannot get enough!
I am craving all sorts of sweet, juicy fruits: peaches, nectarines, cherries + lovely salads & herbal or green teas with a splash of oat milk. I would love to win not only for the gift card, but for the cookbook. I am currently in treatment for cancer so I am trying to cook even healthier than pre diagnosis. That book looks wonderful…By the way, your posts are good fun…
Diane, thank you! I hope your treatment is going well. Thinking of you.
I am craving peaches, cherries and most of all, the tomatoes that are ripening in our garden!
I’m going to have to go with watermelon! After a nice mountain bike ride… yup, watermelon!!
I’ve been craving watermelon. Have had watermelon as part of my breakfast for the past few days too! This recipe looks amazing and I even think I have everything I’d need for it now. Might need to be dinner tomorrow…
I’ve been obsessed with berries this summer, and craving Rainier cherries!
I’m craving peaches and cherries! I love the fresh fruit of the season!
Im craving watermelon – the season is almost here – we have watermelon now but they arent yet the really good summer watermelons!
cherries especially yummy yellow ones are always a summertime love of mine. Also ripe peaches that when you bite into them juice ouzes down to your chin. Thanks for sharing this delicious salad recipe…I will certainly need my little sous chefs in the making to help with the pitting of the cherries. Happy Nesting.
i am craving a peach cobbler or peach sherbert.
I’m craving fruit smoothies!
Salads! And this one was great! Love your blog…yum.
Thank you, Meg! :)
I’ve been craving strawberries! We just started growing some on our balcony; cannot wait to try them! : )
I’m craving heirloom tomatoes and ripe peaches! Love your blog…and have loved everyone of the recipes I have tried!
Thank you, Kathleen! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
I am craving tons and tons of sweet corn!
I’m craving cantaloupe, so I wish the melons in our garden would hurry up and get ripe!
Craving a glass of Rose’ and a dozen briny oysters!
This summer is the summer of popsicles for me, and I’m craving Greek yogurt popsicles with fresh local berries.
Sounds perfect! I have a recipe for that. :) https://sooka.info/2012/roasted-berry-and-honey-yogurt-popsicles/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Perfect! Thanks!
I crave fresh green beans and berries! I love berry season!
I’m craving fresh picked berries
Peaches and berries!
as a midwestern girl, I’m always craving grilled corn on the cob!
I’ve been craving raspberry sorbet – I can’t see to get enough of it this summer. My husband and I are really trying to eat healthy and bringing yummy salads to work is a regular. We’re always looking for a new recipe to keeps things unique and interesting. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity and recipe!
Craving every variety of cherry tomato picked fresh from a backyard garden!
This summer I’ve been craving watermelon like crazy! I live in Seattle, but used to reside in the South and watermelon is just not quite the same up here (and insanely more expensive!). CHERRIES, however, are aplenty here in the Pacific Northwest, so this salad will definitely go on my to-make list! Looks delicious!
I’m graving cherries, peaches, corn and my favorite heirloom tomatoes. I could live happily all summer on these.
It’s weird, ever since we got corn on the cob for our fourth of July barbeque, I could NOT get enough of it! I ate leftover corn on the cob everyday last week! I also have a huge craving for blueberries and DEFINITELY watermelon. My mom and I finished an entire quarter of a watermelon the other day. And if that wasn’t enough, I’ve been eating mangoes like they’re a new foreign delicacy and I’m in love with peanut butter and banana fake ice cream blended in the blender.
Like so many others, I am craving fruit this summer! I didn’t used to pay attention to what fruit is in season, but now I know the glory of a peach in the summertime and apples in the fall!
I am craving summer fruits. Getting them from the store or farmer’s market is great but we are trying to grow some of our own moving forward. It’s rather exciting to be able to pick your own!
I’m craving fresh fruit like blueberries and peaches.
We are craving cherry clafoutis (someday I will manage to recreate my French grandmother’s recipe) and cherries in kirsch (your bourbon recipe inspired us to make something similar). We’re also craving tomatoes fresh from our small urban garden. There are few things in life better than a fresh cut tomato sprinkled with sea salt.
I have some beautiful organic cherries from Whole Foods in my refrigerator right now! I have been craving lots of stone fruits-grilled, on salads, topping vegetarian burgers, in crumbles, with yoghurt, or just plain. Also I have been eating a lot of delicious crunchy, hydrating salads with all of the different varieties of lettuces and greens I’ve been receiving through my CSA.
I’m craving watermelon – so great for summer!
I’ve been craving peaches and plums.
Fruit! Pineapple, Berries, Cherries, you name it–if it’s fruit, I want it!
To be honest, I have been craving naps- but since this is a food blog I am guessing the “crave” should be somewhat related. In that case, my crave lately has been horseradish….. Weird huh.
I am craving cherries and peaches!
Thank you so much for all the great ideas. I just recently discovered your blog and I’m addicted.
What am I craving? Hmmm…. A low carb Mac and cheese… As well as a pitcher of a beautiful red sangria.
Welcome to my site, Jackie! Glad you found it!