Cherry Couscous & Arugula Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Name: Cherry Couscous & Arugula Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean, African
Ingredients: ¾ cup fine couscous, whole wheat if desired; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ¼ teaspoon sea salt; Several twists of freshly ground black pepper; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup; Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper; ⅛ teaspoon fine salt; 5 ounces arugula; ½ pound cherries (about 2 big handfuls), pitted, halved and quartered; 2 to 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 heaping cup); 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup); ½ cup shelled pistachios or almonds (choose slivered or sliced almonds and you can skip the chopping step)

Instructions

Prep:20minCook:5min

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). Recipe yields 6 medium salads.

Updated at: Thu, 12 Feb 2026 01:16:27 GMT