Fresh Cherry Salad with Arugula
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Fall in love with this fresh cherry salad: it’s light, fresh, and full of contrasting flavors and textures. Sweet cherries, peppery arugula, spicy candied pecans, and either goat cheese or avocado are tossed in an easy-to-make fresh cherry vinaigrette. It’s a celebration of all things summer!
Make the most out of cherry season with this fresh cherry salad
Ah, summer, it’s a season filled with so many reasons to love it! And right up the top of my list: fresh cherries! There is something about these little red treats that sings summertime bliss. Add them to a salad, and trust me, you’ll take it to a whole new level!
That’s what inspired this fresh cherry salad. It combines the sweet and tart flavors of cherries with the peppery kick of arugula, the satisfying crunch of pecans, and the creamy richness of cheese or avocado. You have to try it!
Why you’ll fall in love with this fresh cherry salad:
- Cherries: Oh, those sweet, juicy, fresh cherries! These plump, little, lipstick-red gems are delicious. I use Bing cherries, but any cherries will taste great.
- Arugula: The peppery arugula is the perfect match for the sweet cherries, and it’s light enough to feel summery.
- Candied pecans: Keep the whole sweet and peppery thing going on, with these candied pecans. Toast the pecans until fragrant, then add maple syrup and black pepper, stirring until the pan is mostly dry. The satisfying crunch totally completes this salad!
- Creaminess: Use goat cheese, feta cheese, or avocado. I love tangy goat cheese, but if you’re vegan or not into eating dairy, avocado adds just the right amount of creaminess to this salad.
Let’s talk about this salad dressing for a minute.
In case there weren’t enough cherries in the salad already, I have made us THE BEST cherry balsamic vinaigrette ever. Drizzle on this vinaigrette that’s the prettiest pink and full of fresh cherry flavor, and toss everything together. You’ll want to make a double batch to keep it around for your salads all week! It’s so simple to make. Just put all the dressing ingredients in your blender until smooth – it’s that easy!
For another fruity, summery salad, make this grilled peach salad!
Frequently asked questions
If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for here, you can ask it in the comments below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
How do I remove the cherry pits?
You can either get a cherry pitter, or cut them open, avocado style after you remove the stems.
How do I store leftover fresh cherry salad?
Fresh cherry salad is best enjoyed fresh! If you’d like to store it, try to keep the different elements separate – cut a fresh avocado before serving, and keep the dressing in a separate jar so the arugula doesn’t wilt. Store each component in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The candied pecans can be kept at room temperature.
Can I add anything else to this fresh cherry salad?
You sure can! Our top pick is fresh herbs, like fresh basil or fresh mint. Add diced cucumber, slices of red onion, or change up which nuts you use.
Fresh Cherry Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Candied Pepper Pecans
- 1 cup pecans
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon butter
Fresh Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup fresh pitted cherries (packed)
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (or another neutral flavored oil)
- 1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or sub apple cider vinegar)
- A pinch of sea salt
Arugula and Fresh Cherry Salad
- 10 ounces baby arugula
- 2 cups pitted cherries (cut in half)
- 2 ounces goat cheese (sub a diced avocado for paleo and vegan)
Instructions
- Toast the pecans in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Once they begin to brown and smell fragrant, add the maple syrup and black pepper to the pan and stir until the pan is mostly dry. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and mix it through the pecans. (The butter prevents them from being too sticky.) Transfer the pecans to a piece of parchment paper in a single layer and let them cool.1 cup pecans, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon butter
- Place the fresh cherry vinaigrette ingredients into your blender and blend on high until smooth. Feel free to double or triple the recipe to have extra!⅓ cup fresh pitted cherries, 3 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, A pinch of sea salt
- Add the baby arugula, fresh cherries, goat cheese or avocado, and the candied pecans to a large salad bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss to coat.10 ounces baby arugula, 2 cups pitted cherries, 2 ounces goat cheese
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Fabulous recipe! I used feta in place of goat cheese and accidentally made it with only 5 oz of arugula. 2 friends asked for the recipe!
That sounds amazing! Feta is a perfect swap, and I bet the extra dressing with a little less arugula made it even more flavorful. Love that your friends want the recipe too!
OMG this is to die for. Don’t know which I loved more, the dressing or the peppered maple pecans. I substituted mozzarella “pearls” for goat cheese just because that’s what I had in the house.
Hooray! I’m so happy that you love the recipe!
This is even better if you add some cubed leftover bbq chicken.
Oh heck ya! That’s a great idea!
I’m so happy to hear everyone liked it!!
Love the recipe, but can I make it a day ahead? Maybe cut the cherries and keep in airtight container? assemble on serving day?
You can make most of the salad ahead of time – pit the cherries, make the pecans, and the dressing. Then assemble the salad just before serving!