This Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette is a simple vinaigrette recipe made from fresh black cherries. It works well over leafy green salads with berries, fresh fruit and nuts.
A classic balsamic dressing, such as this Sweetgreen Copycat Balsamic Dressing is versatile and works on so many types of salads.
But there are also lots of balsamic vinaigrette variations that are easy to make. Like this cherry version, they can be made with fruits, such as this Blueberry Vinaigrette or this Strawberry Vinaigrette.
You can also make vinaigrette dressings with seasonal flavors, such as this Maple Vinaigrette for fall and winter.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses up ripe cherries — If it is cherry season and you have a bunch of cherries that are overly ripe, this is a great recipe to use them up before they go bad. Since the cherries will be blended anyway, it doesn’t matter if they are a bit mushy.
- Not too sweet — Even though this is a fruity salad dressing, it is not overly sweet. It still has a nice balsamic tang that you would expect from a vinaigrette.
- Great summer salad dressing — This is a great dressing to use for summer salads made with greens and fresh fruit.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cherries: I find that black cherries work best in this vinaigrette because they are a bit sweeter which balances out the tart balsamic vinegar. However, you can use sour cherries instead if you prefer, but you may need to add a bit more honey to compensate.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Use a high quality balsamic vinegar that you enjoy the flavor of. You could replace this with a white balsamic vinegar if you prefer.
- Avocado Oil: Avocado oil is a great, more neutral flavored oil that works well in flavored vinaigrette recipes. Sunflower oil works well as a substitute. If you don’t have either, of these, you can use olive oil, but it will add a stronger taste.
- Lemon Juice: You’ll need the juice of about half a lemon. If needed, you can use a high quality bottled lemon juice instead.
- Honey: A dash of honey sweetens up the dressing just enough. You can use another sweetener as a substitute, such as agave syrup or maple syrup.
How To Make Cherry Vinaigrette
Step 1: Heat the cherries and water on a saucepan over medium heat. Continue to heat for about 5 minutes, pressing down on the cherries with a fork to burst them. Once the cherries have burst and are soft, remove the pan from the stove and let them cool for a few minutes.
Step 2: Add the cherries, avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and honey to a food processor. Blend for about 30 seconds until the dressing is smooth.
Step 3: Use a fine mesh strainer to strain out any fine pieces of cherry skin. Chill in the fridge for about an hour before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Like all types of vinaigrette dressings, this cherry dressing is great on a variety of types of salad. Generally it works best with leafy green salads, and any type of salad with fresh berries or fruits.
Here are some ideas for ingredients to use to help you build your own salad using this cherry vinaigrette:
- kale, arugula, spinach
- shredded carrots
- brie or goat cheese
- blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries
- dried cranberries, figs or apricots
- grapes
- apples or pears
- peaches
- mangoes
- almonds, walnuts or pecans
Expert Tips
- Adjust the consistency. If you want to make the dressing a bit thinner, add in a bit of water, ½ a tablespoon at time. To make the dressing thicker, add in more cherries.
- Make it sweeter. If you enjoy sweeter balsamic vinaigrette dressings, you may want to make this one a tad sweeter. Add in more honey, or another sweetener, such as agave or maple syrup.
- Chill the dressing before serving. Since the cherries are heated on a pan before making this dressing, once made, the dressing will still be a bit warm. Chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving it.
- Store the dressing the fridge. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You will need to pit the cherries before making this recipe.
I recommend using fresh cherries instead of frozen ones for the best flavor. However, you can use frozen cherries if you prefer. You can add them frozen to the saucepan (skip the added water), but make sure they are completely thawed and soft before blending them.
📖 Recipe
Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup dressing
Description
This Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette is a simple vinaigrette recipe made from fresh black cherries. It works well over leafy green salads with berries, fresh fruit and nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups black cherries, pitted
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
- Heat the cherries and water in a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Press down on the cherries with a fork to burst them. Stir occasionally so the cherries don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- After about 5 minutes, once the cherries have burst and their skins are soft, remove the pan from the stove and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Add the cherries, avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and honey to a food processor. Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth.
- Pass the vinaigrette dressing through a fine mesh strainer. Discard any strained out cherry pieces.
- Chill the dressing in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover cherry vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad Dressing Recipes
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: American
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