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Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad

August 6, 2021 By Patricia 87 Comments

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad combines the elements of grilling, along with a seasonal side dish, with fresh cherries tossed in for some extra fun. It’s the time of year when we crack open our grills, as well as dish out cold and refreshing pasta salads. This one is a keeper!

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is a great dish for the summer grilling season. Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad makes a great Meatless Monday dish!

Grilling season makes most of us bolt outside to make many of our summertime meals. I admit it: I go out to the grill a little begrudgingly because I live in Phoenix where the summers are hot, hot, HOT. No worries, though: when grilling results in dishes as tasty as this salad, it’s worth the heat!

Whip up a batch of Peach-Rosemary Agua Fresca to keep you refreshed while it’s hot out. This drink is another tasty way to incorporate the season’s fresh fruit into your meals.

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is a delightful dish that you'll enjoy all season. Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad combines summer fruit with grilling for an amazing salad!

If you love eggplant, try this recipe for Grilled Eggplant Burgers with Spicy Garlic Spread or Baked Eggplant Marinara. If you’re into cherries, make this Cherry-Almond Ricotta Ice Cream for dessert!

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is easy to make, indoors or out, and it’s a fun twist on a traditional pasta salad. I absolutely love tossing the season’s sweet fruit like cherries into salads and main dishes whenever I can. This is a lovely side-dish salad, or a dish that’s part of a light meal.

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is a delightful dish for the warm weather. Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is a nice meatless dish everyone will enjoy.

The sweetness of the cherries pairs well with the smoky grilled eggplant, and the bright lemony dressing pulls it all together. Ooo! Don’t forget the toasted almonds for some great crunch! 

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is a nice dish to enjoy for Meatless Monday, or any day of the week! Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is a great salad for the season.

[bctt tweet=”Toss grilled eggplant and fresh cherries into the mix for a new take on pasta salad!”]

Enjoy Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad as a flavorful alternative to summer’s more traditional pasta salads. I think you’ll love it!

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad is a lovely side dish for the summer season. Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad makes a tasty dish for the season.

Patricia Conte/Grab a Plate

Serves Serves 4-6

Grilled Eggplant, Cherries, and Couscous Salad
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5 based on 13 review(s)

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Ingredients

  • 1 small eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch rounds, skin on
  • 2 cups cooked couscous
  • 2 cups pitted cherries, halved
  • 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
  • 1/4 cup toasted almonds, rough chopped

Instructions

  1. Brush both sides of the eggplant rounds with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt, and set aside.
  2. Brush a grill pan (or grill outdoors the same way) with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place over medium-high heat. When hot, reduce the heat to medium.
  3. Combine the remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Grill the eggplant for 5-7 minutes on each side. The eggplant will attain dark grill marks and soften when done. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
  5. Cut the eggplant into 2-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine the couscous, eggplant pieces, and the cherries.
  6. Whisk the dressing, and pour over the couscous mixture. Add the parsley and toasted almonds, and toss to combine.
  7. Serve at room temperature or cold.
7.8.1.2
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https://www.azgrabaplate.com/meatless-monday-grilled-eggplant-cherries-and-couscous-salad/

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: cherries, Eggplant, Grilling, Meatless Monday, salad, vegetarian recipes

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Comments

  1. kristen says

    June 22, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    this is crazy, but I've never made eggplant. I really have to now! This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:59 pm

      Oh, really? Well this is a super-easy eggplant recipe for you! Hope you give it a try! Thank you!
      Reply
  2. kristy @ the wicked noodle says

    June 22, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    WOW...I am so in love with this salad! I just love that you put fresh cherries in it. Can not wait to try it!!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:58 pm

      Hi Kristy - thanks so much! Hope you give this a go!
      Reply
  3. Justine | Cooking and Beer says

    June 22, 2015 at 4:59 pm

    I love that you gave so much love to eggplant in this recipe! Looks fantastic!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:58 pm

      I do really love eggplant ;) Thanks very much, Justine!
      Reply
  4. Amanda @ The Kitcheneer says

    June 22, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    i am LOVING all these flavors! I NEED to try this grilled eggplant cherry combo! Yum!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:58 pm

      Thanks, Amanda! I'm really loving the added cherries! Yum!
      Reply
  5. Michelle @ Blackberry Babe says

    June 22, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    If all of my salads looked this good, I'd never complain about eating healthy! Love the addition of the cherries!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:56 pm

      Too funny, Michelle! Thanks for your nice words!
      Reply
  6. Tia says

    June 22, 2015 at 8:01 pm

    What beautiful photos! This recipe looks delicious and I would have never thought to add cherries.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:55 pm

      Thanks so much, Tia! Yes, something a bit different! Hope you give it a try!
      Reply
  7. Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says

    June 22, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    Grilling season is my favorite time of year. I live outside these days, sweaty and all! :) This salad just knocked me over, love the flavor combos in this so creative! Can't wait to try it!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:55 pm

      Hi Krista - We basically grill year round, which is very cool, but the summers are torture! Thanks so much - hope you try this and like it!
      Reply
  8. Serena says

    June 22, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    Can't wait to try this! Flavor combo sounds delish :-)
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:54 pm

      Thanks so much, Serena! Hope you like it!
      Reply
  9. Molly says

    June 22, 2015 at 9:00 pm

    This looks really good, and perfect for these AZ summers! Molly and Stacie
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:53 pm

      Thanks so much! Yes, a great summer dish!
      Reply
  10. Amanda @ Cookie Named Desire says

    June 22, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    I think people who grill in the hot summer is seriously craycray. It's just so hot and those hot coals don't help. I love my grill pan too. I rarely ever use cherries in savory meals, but I am very intrigued by this recipe. I must try it out
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:53 pm

      Hey Amanda! Yes, for sure!! I hope you give this a try - something different! Thanks!
      Reply
  11. Sherri @ The Well Floured Kitchen says

    June 22, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    It is only barely 80 here and I am melting- I can't even imagine Phoenix! So I agree- grill pans are great in the air conditioning. I love all the beautiful colors in this salad!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 22, 2015 at 11:52 pm

      Hi Sherri - yes, it's brutal (and we've got a lot of summer to go)! Thanks so much for your kind words!
      Reply
  12. Joanie @ ZagLeft says

    June 23, 2015 at 1:04 am

    My husband is a huge fan of eggplant and I grill it often but don't know what else to do with it. I love this salad idea and am going to try it this weekend.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 23, 2015 at 7:26 pm

      Oh, good! Let me know how it turns out and if you enjoy it! Thanks!
      Reply
  13. Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says

    June 23, 2015 at 1:18 am

    What a unique ingredient combination and it looks stunning!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 23, 2015 at 7:26 pm

      Thanks so much, Alisa! I can't wait to make this again!
      Reply
  14. Courtney @ NeighborFood says

    June 23, 2015 at 2:54 am

    These photos are gorgeous! You got the perfect grill marks!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 23, 2015 at 7:25 pm

      How nice - thanks so much, Courtney! I have to give props to my grill pan (I'm a little obsessed with it these days)!
      Reply
  15. Sara says

    June 23, 2015 at 5:25 am

    I would have never thought to combine eggplant with cherries, what an interesting combo! Your pictures are beautiful
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 23, 2015 at 7:24 pm

      Hi Sara! Thanks so much for your kind words. It's a tasty dish, for sure!
      Reply
  16. Emily | Rainbow Delicious says

    June 23, 2015 at 6:51 am

    I'm always on the lookout for good eggplant recipes (last year my eggplant plants in my garden were out of control!!) and this is such a unique one! I look forward to trying it out.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 23, 2015 at 7:24 pm

      Thanks, Emily! Oh, how I wish I had eggplants in my garden growing out of control! Lucky you! Hope you try this and enjoy!
      Reply
  17. Nutmeg Nanny says

    June 23, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    This salad looks so crazy delicious! I love that you grilled the eggplant and filled the salad with my favorite summer fruit - cherries!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 23, 2015 at 7:23 pm

      Thanks so much! I love both eggplant & cherries - I'm glad it worked out so well!
      Reply
  18. katie says

    June 24, 2015 at 3:52 am

    This looks absolutely delish! I love the idea of going meatless for Mondays. Your food photography is also excellent! xo katie // a touch of teal
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 24, 2015 at 3:49 pm

      Thanks for your kind words - so appreciate it! Cheers!
      Reply
  19. Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says

    June 24, 2015 at 7:21 am

    I love methods of incorporating eggplant into delicious dishes! I want my kids to learn to love healthy foods!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 24, 2015 at 3:48 pm

      Yes! I'm a big eggplant fan, working on getting my husband to be one, too ;) Thanks for stopping by!
      Reply
  20. Dawn @ Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness says

    June 24, 2015 at 6:49 pm

    This is GORGEOUS. I love the mixture of eggplant, cherries and almonds. I'm printing this out right now. I have eggplant fresh from the garden and I'm with you - I'm all about grilling (even though it's about 100 outside right now.)
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 25, 2015 at 3:05 am

      Hi Dawn - I'm glad you're excited to try this! I'm also jealous that you have eggplants straight from your garden :) Hope you enjoy this!
      Reply
  21. Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says

    June 26, 2015 at 1:04 am

    Oh man...I can only imagine how warm it can be in AZ during the summer! Lucky you to grill all year! And cherries in my salad? Perfection!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      June 26, 2015 at 3:12 am

      Yes!! It was 112 degrees today - ack!! Thanks for stopping by!
      Reply
  22. Julie says

    July 2, 2015 at 4:00 am

    This salad was a huge hit at my house! The flavor combinations are perfect. Instead of just couscous, I used Trader Joe's Harvest Grains which also has orzo and quinoa in it.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      July 3, 2015 at 3:41 am

      Oh that's great to hear, Julie - thanks for letting me know! TJ's Harvest Grains sounds like a good addition! So glad you and yours enjoyed this! :)
      Reply
  23. Amy @ What Jew Wanna Eat says

    July 14, 2015 at 1:03 am

    Love the idea of cherries in this salad! Looks like we are both feeling the eggplant this week :)
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      July 14, 2015 at 1:26 am

      Thanks, Amy! Yes! I saw your recipe, and am loooooving it :)
      Reply
  24. Healing Tomato says

    July 28, 2015 at 1:36 am

    This is so awesome! I love seeing a good vegetarian recipe. Warms my heart to see that you used eggplant and cherries. I would never have thought of that.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      July 28, 2015 at 2:51 pm

      Thanks, Rini! I loved the combo (and I especially love eggplant)!
      Reply
  25. Tayler Ross says

    June 25, 2018 at 10:11 am

    I love this! So perfect for a summer meatless Monday!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  26. Sues says

    June 25, 2018 at 10:22 am

    I am in full-on cherry mode right now (so good!!). I've never thought to pair them with eggplant until now and what a fabulous idea! Love the flavors AND the colors in this salad!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  27. Brittany Poulson says

    June 25, 2018 at 10:29 am

    This is such a beautiful salad! I love the addition of sweet + savory in this!
    Reply
  28. cara says

    June 25, 2018 at 10:47 am

    Confession: I've never tried eggplant, but I think I need to now! This looks SO yummy!
    Reply
  29. Krystin says

    June 25, 2018 at 11:40 am

    Okay, I would totally make this, you had me at salad, I love making salads in the summer and this one looks deliicous!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  30. kristen says

    June 25, 2018 at 11:44 am

    oh my gosh, this looks amazing. I LOVE cherries and I bet they taste soooo good in here!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  31. Heather says

    June 25, 2018 at 12:26 pm

    I'm obsessed with cherries this time of year. This dish sounds delicious. Definitely on my summer eating list.
    Reply
  32. Jessica says

    June 25, 2018 at 1:04 pm

    This will be on our dinner menu next week! It looks absolutely delicious! I never thought of eggplant and cherries together but sounds like a great combo.
    Reply
  33. Amanda says

    June 25, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    Wow! This looks amazing! Perfect combo!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  34. Wendy says

    June 25, 2018 at 2:59 pm

    Yum! Loved the almonds and cherries together- what a great way to make use of the grill. I'm with you, we grill all summer so I can avoid turning on the oven.
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  35. Lauren McElwain says

    June 25, 2018 at 3:09 pm

    Wow! This is beautiful!! What a great recipe for summer! I want to try it soon!!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  36. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

    June 25, 2018 at 4:39 pm

    OMG this salad is seriously everything!!!! I want it now. Love the cherries.
    Reply
  37. Diana Tidswell says

    June 25, 2018 at 10:22 pm

    Wow! It looks yummy and very healthy. I loved the recipe especially a salad in the making, will definitely try this at home.
    Reply
  38. Luci says

    June 25, 2018 at 10:26 pm

    This looks so dang delicious. I know my mother would love this. with the grilled eggplant and cherries.
    Reply
  39. Victoria says

    June 26, 2018 at 3:23 am

    This is so creative! The cherries are unexpected, but I bet they will bring such a bright tang to the dish. I'll have to try it out!
    Reply
  40. Toni | Boulder Locavore says

    June 26, 2018 at 5:00 am

    This looks really flavorful! Wil definitely try this!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  41. Krista says

    June 26, 2018 at 6:10 am

    I love those cherries in there! This looks so good!
    Reply
  42. Christina says

    June 26, 2018 at 7:16 am

    This salad is such a great flavor combination! We loved all of the different textures too!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
  43. Samantha says

    June 26, 2018 at 11:31 am

    What an interesting salad! I never would have thought to put eggplant and cherries together, but it actually looks quite good!
    Reply
  44. Kimberly says

    June 26, 2018 at 1:54 pm

    That looks fabulous, love the flavor combo!
    Reply
  45. Marci | The Southern Smiths says

    June 26, 2018 at 2:04 pm

    This is PERFECT for my church’s 4th of July party! They said to bring a salad, definitely gonna plan this one.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 27, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      Awesome! Thanks, Marci!
      Reply
  46. Cathy @ Lemon Tree Dwelling says

    June 26, 2018 at 2:12 pm

    This salad has the BEST flavors!!!
    Reply
  47. carrie @ frugal foodie mama says

    June 27, 2018 at 7:30 am

    Such a perfect salad for summertime! :)
    Reply
  48. Joanie says

    June 27, 2018 at 8:10 am

    I absolutely loved this recipe! My husband loves eggplant and this just might be his new favorite eggplant dish. I loved the sweet taste of the cherries paired with the grilled eggplant. Such a winning combination of flavors!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 27, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      Thanks a bunch, Joanie! I'm so glad you like it!
      Reply
  49. adriana says

    June 27, 2018 at 8:12 am

    I was sold at grilled eggplant! One of my favorite things ever! This looks SO good!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 27, 2018 at 4:58 pm

      Awesome, Adriana! I hope you try this and enjoy!
      Reply
  50. Mimi says

    August 6, 2021 at 8:57 am

    Oh wow that sounds delicious, I love the combo of sweet and savoury so I need to try this recipe
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 29, 2021 at 5:38 pm

      It's one of my favorites! Enjoy!
      Reply
  51. serena says

    August 6, 2021 at 10:02 am

    Such a great alternative to pasta salad. Super simple!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 29, 2021 at 5:38 pm

      Oh yes, for sure! Thanks, Serena!
      Reply
  52. Heather @ US Japan Fam says

    August 7, 2021 at 7:09 am

    It's the cherries for me! This sounds amazing, gonna hit the grocery store and make for lunch!!
    ★★★★★
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 29, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      They add such a nice touch! Enjoy!
      Reply
  53. Tisha says

    August 7, 2021 at 10:31 am

    I've never had eggplant before, but this salad sounds great!!! A must try
    ★★★★★
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 29, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      I hope you try it, Tisha! Enjoy!
      Reply
  54. Bella says

    August 9, 2021 at 8:24 am

    oh my gosh yum!! this looks so good!! eggplant is the best I need to make this :)
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 29, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      I love eggplant, too! Enjoy!
      Reply

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I'm Patricia

Welcome to Grab a Plate!

Growing up surrounded by my Italian family it was always, "grab a plate" whenever anyone came to visit. Food was always a celebration, even everyday meals, and I like it that way. I try to make each meal memorable with my recipes for mainly meatless, mostly healthy, and easy-to-make dishes (with sweet treats in between).

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