Fresh Cherry Spinach Salad with Walnuts and Feta
Fresh sweet cherries are genuinely good for you: they're rich in anthocyanins (the pigments behind their deep red color), provide vitamin C and potassium, and contribute fiber for very few calories per serving. Pairing them with iron-rich spinach, healthy fats from walnuts and olive oil, and a light balsamic-honey dressing turns that nutrition into an actual meal instead of just a snack, and the sweetness of the cherries balances the salty feta and sharp red onion without needing a heavy dressing.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 304
- Protein
- 6g
- Carbs
- 23g
- Fat
- 23g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →
Instructions
- 1Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- 2Wash and pit the cherries, then halve them; set aside.
- 3In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard until the dressing is smooth and slightly thickened.
- 4In a large bowl, combine the baby spinach, halved cherries, and sliced red onion.
- 5Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is lightly coated.
- 6Top with the toasted walnuts and crumbled feta, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and serve right away.
Tips & variations
- No fresh cherries in season? Frozen sweet cherries work if thawed and patted dry first, though they'll be softer than fresh.
- Swap the feta for goat cheese for a creamier, tangier salad.
- Add grilled chicken or chickpeas to turn this side salad into a full meal.
- Pecans or sliced almonds can replace the walnuts if that's what's on hand.
Storage & reheating
This salad doesn't hold well once dressed, the spinach wilts within an hour. Store the components separately: cut cherries and sliced onion in the fridge for up to 2 days, the dressing in a sealed jar for up to a week, and toss everything together only right before serving.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Pit cherries with a metal piping tip or the wide end of a chopstick pushed through the stem end if you don't own a cherry pitter.
- Let toasted walnuts cool completely before adding them to the salad; warm nuts can wilt the spinach faster.
FAQ
Are cherries good for you?
Yes. A cup of pitted sweet cherries has about 87 calories and provides fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and anthocyanins, the antioxidant compounds responsible for their dark red color, which have been studied for their anti-inflammatory effects.
Do cherries help with sleep?
Tart (sour) cherries contain small amounts of naturally occurring melatonin and have shown modest sleep benefits in some studies, though the sweet cherries used in this salad contain less of it and are eaten more for their fiber and antioxidant content.
Are cherries high in sugar?
A cup of sweet cherries has about 18-20 grams of natural sugar, similar to other sweet fruits like grapes, but it comes with fiber that slows how quickly the sugar is absorbed compared to processed sweets.
Can I use frozen cherries in this salad?
Fresh is preferred for texture, since frozen cherries release more juice once thawed, but if using frozen, thaw them fully and pat dry with paper towels before halving and adding to the salad.
How do I pit cherries quickly without a special tool?
Halve the cherry with a paring knife and pop out the pit with your fingers or the tip of the knife; for whole cherries, push the wide end of a chopstick or a clean paperclip through the stem end to force the pit out the other side.
