Cherry Salad with Parsley, Walnuts, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Jul 25, 2014, Updated Jul 16, 2025
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Cherry Salad is a savory-sweet mix of sweet cherries, toasted nuts, and a tangy, easy pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. This is such an unexpected combo that is so good, this salad will become as fast a favorite for you as it has for us!
Living up north in Michigan, cherry recipes are a big part of our summer. Our Traverse City is the Cherry Capital of the United States, and our yields are both tart and sweet cherries (take a deep dive on cherries in my post about them!). The tarts, or sour cherries, get most of the attention; these are the cherries that yield that iconic cherry pie flavor.
All of the tart cherry worship leaves sweet cherries in a bit of an eclipse of the heart. Perhaps cherries aren’t unlike people; sometimes the sweet ones get less attention.
Sweet cherries are not good for pie, so we end up just eating them, handful after handful. We spit the pits ever-so-properly into a fist, or wildly out the car window.
I did a double take, then, when I saw a recipe from Saveur for savory a Middle-Eastern style dish featuring sweet cherries. Cherries as a salad, with herbs and walnuts all dressed in a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. Old fashioned cherry salad is more of a sweet fluff, in the Waldorf salad category with mini marshmallows and crushed pineapple, the cherry dump salad category that may call for a can of cherry pie filling. Not here. The is such a gorgeous salad, I just knew its beauty was a harbinger of delicious. And that it has been, a family favorite, so much so that the recipe is featured in my first cookbook, Rose Water & Orange Blossoms.
Which Cherries Are Good for Salad
Selecting the right type of cherries is crucial to the success of your cherry salad. Sweet cherries (black or red cherries) are the best option for this dish, providing a delightful sweet flavor that balances beautifully with the tanginess of the vinaigrette. Avoid tart cherries in this case, as they don’t have the texture, the strength of purpose, that we’re looking for in this salad. During cherry season, particularly in the summer months, fresh cherries are abundant and provide the best results.
Ingredient Notes
This salad requires a handful of simple ingredients with an easy recipe, including sweet cherries, toasted walnuts, fresh parsley (you can substitute mint or cilantro for a unique twist), and a vinaigrette made with pomegranate molasses and olive oil. Think of the vinaigrette like a balsamic dressing–and know you can substitute the pomegranate for balsamic if needed. Get pure pomegranate molasses in my online shop and read more about pomegranate molasses here. For a special touch, you can add cheese: feta, goat cheese or blue cheese will add a rich, creamy texture.
Assembling the Salad
Assembling this cherry salad is a matter of minutes. Start by pitting and halving the cherries. You can do this using a chef’s knife or a cherry pitter. Toss them in a large mixing bowl along with your parsley. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine.
Just be sure to add any cheese crumbled on top just before serving rather than stirring it into the salad, where it will smear and change the look of the salad for the worse.
Storage
If you plan to enjoy your cherry salad over several days, store it in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. For best results, dress the salad just before serving to maintain the firmness and crispness of the cherries and herbs. The salad can be made the day of or prepared and stored for the next day. You can chill the salad and serve it cold (so nice on a hot summer night!) or serve it at room temperature.
Don’t freeze cherry salad; the cherries and herbs won’t hold up with freezing.
What to Serve With It
This sweet-savory cherry salad gives fruit salad a whole new meaning! It pairs wonderfully as a side dish with a variety of dishes. Serve it alongside marinated grilled chicken, lamb lollipops, or seared lamb chops at summer cookouts or family dinners. Also delicious as the sweet spot with pork chops. Make it your offering at a table full of summer salads at barbecues and picnics. Serve the salad atop a green salad or dressed salad greens, on a platter. Beautiful. As a perfect recipe for a light lunch, consider adding some cooked chickpeas for added fiber and protein as a main dish.
Cherry Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 quart sweet cherries, pitted and halved
- 1/3 cup walnuts, or pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a lovely small serving bowl, combine the cherries, walnuts, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses, juice of the half lemon, olive oil, and salt until it emulsifies.
- Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, Maureen.
Writing from Paso Robles, CA, where I believe you have family at Daou Winery.
Would you suggest another nut if we have walnut allergies in our party, or would you skip this recipe and make it when that person isn’t present? It just looks so beautiful and would be perfect on my menu!
Hi Kate! Beautiful Paso Robles! And Daou, such special wines. I did a cookbook event there and it was just glorious. Absolutely still make this favorite salad, the flavors are crazy good! Try hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios, any will be delicious.
Yes! This is what I’m having for dinner. With a slice or two of greek manouri cheese. Thanks for the salad idea. I ate the combo or similar before but never made a salad! You know, I think some lamb chops will go with this too. 🙂
DELICIOUS!
Thanks Maureen! This salad is delicious and beautiful. And I love the narrative about cherries, it really builds up that nostalgia for home. I made a variation last night with grilled peaches in place of cherries and it’s great that way too. Pretty much anything with this ratio of parsley and walnuts is tasty to me!
Wow, sounds delicious with grilled peaches!
I made this last night to go with halibut and it was great. Used a little honey in place of the pomegranate molasses and added a bit of fresh mint because i had it. I will make this again.
Wow, delicious idea with halibut! Thank you for sharing!
Maureen – made this last night to accompany grilled steak for dinner – it was awesome!!
I’m so glad Brian, thank you!
This is so beautiful, I would love to add it to the menu at my restaurant! Your ideas and photos are always so incredible, I hope that we can work together on a project some day!
Thank you so much Nancy! I look forward to working together one day, and to dining at Nancy Kelly’s sometime soon!
This looks just absolutely DELISH!!!! I can’t wait to try! I’m always reading my Maureen:)
Hi, Maureen…I live in Charlevoix and am wondering where I can purchase pomegranate molasses?
Hi Vicki–locally Glen’s Fresh Market has carried it; also try Symon’s in Petoskey. A sure bet is online; check out this.
Thanks! BTW my first job out of business school was working with your dad and Fred Abood — waaay back in 1965. I owe much of my current success to the training I received in that office.
Wow, that is just wonderful Vicki, thank you so much. My father would be very proud of that comment.
Hi Maureen,
that looks soooooooo delicious! I just love cherries( pies, Cherry Garcia Ben & Jerry’s, straight,etc.)
I’m saving this recipe for later. Hopefully not much later.My grandmother Martha on my mother’s European side of the family shared a great recipe called Coke Salad.It uses walnuts, cream cheese, Royal bing cherries, crushed pineapple and Coca Cola. The base of it is Cherry Jello.(8oz cream cheese, 1 cup cola, handfull of chopped walnuts, strained 8 0z. can pineapple, 1can bing cherries strained. Of course your fresh tart or sweet cherries would certainly be better.) You would love this if you like Jello and Cherries.
Sean
PS. I used to love Cherries Royal Crepes with a cheese filling and hot cherry sauce w/ vanilla ice cream ala mode from the Magic Pan Restuarants
Ok…this looks and sounds yummmmy…
Just a note on the pies, I have mixed the sweet and tart cherries for pies and they turn out great…
I am amazed at myself…I have done something u haven’t….hehehe!
Cousin Maureen, this recipe looks like something we need to try this weekend! Where does one procure the pomegranate molasses?
Hi cousin! You can buy the pomegranate molasses at Woody’s!
I struggle with salads, I know they’re good for me but I don’t have enough variety in my repertoire. This looks like a keeper, though, so I’m excited to try this one. I kept driving past all the “washed cherries” signs on my way up last weekend. Next trip I can stop with a purpose! Thanks, Maureen 🙂