This summer salad incorporates many of the season’s best flavors, with sweet corn and strawberries, savory basil, fresh tomatoes, and arugula for a little kick. The queso fresco is a mild but salty cheese, almost like a combination of feta and mozzarella.
On the Ingredients:
- Couscous, sometimes called kusksi or kseksu, is a dish from North Africa made with steamed granules of rolled semolina. Traditionally, couscous is served with a stew poured over it, but it also makes a fabulous salad.
- Arugula, also known as Rocket or eruca, is a leaf vegetable from the family Brassicaceae. It has a fresh, bright flavor and is mildly peppery. It’s a delicious way to bring some depth of flavor to a salad. Arugula is nutrient dense and high in calcium, potassium, folate, vitamin k, vitamin c, and vitamin A.
- Queso Fresco is a Mexican-style cheese that has a nice mellow and salty flavor. It’s great in salads, with Mexican-style foods, and with spicy foods as it will help balance the palate. Queso fresco doesn’t melt well, so it’s mostly used as an ingredient in fresh preparations or as a topping.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions:
You can also use cotija cheese for a slightly more robust flavor.
Summer Couscous Salad with Queso Fresco
4
servings10
minutes10
minutes20
minutesThis summer salad incorporates many of the season's best flavors, with sweet corn and strawberries, savory basil, fresh tomatoes, and arugula for a little kick. The queso fresco is a mild but salty cheese, almost like a combination of feta and mozzarella. You can also use cotija cheese for a slightly more robust flavor.
Ingredients
3 cups cooked couscous
1 small cucumber (cut into half moons)
2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
6 ripe strawberries (sliced)
1 small shallot (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup fresh basil (chopped)
1 cup arugula (chopped)
1 cup frozen corn (thawed)
1/2 cup queso fresco cheese (crumbled)
1 lime (juice)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Directions
- Toss together the couscous and other ingredients besides the lime, salt, and oil. Combine those remaining ingredients to make a dressing, pour over the salad, and toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
