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Home » Salad » Summer Salad with Cherries and Black Lentils.

Summer Salad with Cherries and Black Lentils.

Aug 2, 2019 by Kelly Roenicke · 19 Comments

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The perfect way to enjoy summer cherries! On top of a bed of greens, with lentils, pepitas, and cherry vinaigrette.

A delicious summer salad with cherries and black lentils, topped with a cherry vinaigrette. Summer in a bowl!

salad with cherries and lentils

The other day I was at Whole Foods, and the first thing I saw when I walked in was…drumroll…CHERRIES! Yay! And they were on sale!

I love fresh cherries. They’re only around for a short season, so I make the most of it and buy them often. I generally just eat them plain, but last week I just had this urge to make a big green salad with lentils and cherries, and it was so good.

green salad with lentils and sweet cherries

It’s nice to find new ways to eat summer fruit, isn’t it? I would usually eat cherries in a dessert, or plain, as I mentioned, but they were a great addition to this light and delicious salad.

Are sweet cherries good for you?

Cherries contain tons of potassium, vitamin C, and beta carotene, and are great for lowering blood pressure and fighting cancer. They are also a good source of fiber and antioxidants.

What are pepitas?

Pepitas are roasted pumpkin seeds. They are a great substitute for nuts in a salad, trail mix, or nut free granola.

Are pepitas good for you?

Pepitas are a great source of magnesium, tryptophan, zinc, and vitamin K, and are good for protecting against osteoporosis, too! The magnesium in pepitas can help you get a good night’s sleep.

What are the health benefits of lentils?

Lentils are full of magnesium, folate, and fiber, making them a great choice for a healthy heart and a healthy digestive system.

All of these ingredients combined make this one super salad that’s bursting with health benefits.

white tray with a green salad with cherries and lentils

Can I use a different type of lentil in this recipe?

I used black lentils, but you could also use French green lentils or regular green lentils. I wouldn’t try red lentils, because they are smaller and will get quite soft and mushy when you cook them. That’s fine for lentil soup, but not great for a salad.

This is an easy salad to put together – the most difficult part is pitting the cherries. The dressing is made of a few ingredients and requires a minute in the food processor to blend it, resulting in a beautiful deep pink vinaigrette.

homemade cherry vinaigrette in a jar

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

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Summer Salad with Cherries and Black Lentils.

A colorful and antioxidant rich summer salad with greens, lentils, fresh cherries and red onions.
Course Salad
Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, vegan.
Keyword salad with cherries, salad with lentils
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 442 kcal
Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sweet cherries halved and pitted
  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  • ½ cup black lentils picked over and rinsed
  • ½ cup unsalted pepitas
  • 6 cups spring salad mix

For the Dressing:

  • 8 sweet cherries pitted
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon organic cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. Place the lentils in a small pot with enough water to cover them by one inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 20-25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain off extra water and set lentils aside to cool.
  2. Place the 8 cherries, white vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, organic cane sugar, salt and pepper in the food processor or blender. Blend on high speed until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.
  3. Place the spring salad mix, cherries, cooled lentils, red onions, and pepitas on a large platter or in a bowl. Drizzle with the cherry vinaigrette before serving.

Recipe Notes

You can use Rainier cherries if you prefer.

If you would rather use a different kind of lentil, try green lentils or French green lentils.

You can keep this salad in the refrigerator for 2 days. It is best eaten fresh.

Nutrition Facts
Summer Salad with Cherries and Black Lentils.
Amount per Serving
Calories
442
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
31
g
48
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Sodium
 
600
mg
26
%
Potassium
 
302
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
 
33
g
11
%
Fiber
 
6
g
25
%
Sugar
 
15
g
17
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
705
IU
14
%
Vitamin C
 
18.5
mg
22
%
Calcium
 
42
mg
4
%
Iron
 
3.3
mg
18
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I think you’ll love this summer salad – it’s:

  • fresh and healthy
  • full of delicious summer flavors
  • colorful and vibrant
  • naturally gluten free and vegan

fresh cherries on a green salad

This recipe was originally published in June 2015. It has been updated with more tips.

 

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Filed Under: Dairy Free, food, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Recipes, Salad, Vegan Tagged With: 30 minutes or less, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Fish Free, Gluten Free, Nightshade Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Shellfish Free, Soy Free, top 8 allergy free recipe, Tree Nut Free

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Kelly Roenicke
Kelly Roenicke
Mom to two boys with food allergies and sensitivities, Kelly is passionate about allergy friendly cooking and baking. She believes that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.
Kelly Roenicke
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diana@ DisturbinglyDelicious

    June 19, 2015 at 4:18 am

    Beautiful!!! This salad looks great!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 22, 2015 at 9:53 am

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  2. Brittaney @ Sips and Snacks

    June 18, 2015 at 11:02 pm

    Wow! This looks like a great salad! I love that you used cherries, I usually eat them by themselves or with an almond and a bite of dark chocolate (my favorite snack), but I am dying to try them on a salad now!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 22, 2015 at 9:54 am

      Oooh, I love cherries and nuts and chocolate! A girl after my own heart! :)

      Reply
  3. Cara's Healthy Cravings

    June 18, 2015 at 7:44 pm

    So beautiful!! I just love the flavour combinations here.

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 22, 2015 at 9:54 am

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  4. Deanna Segrave-Daly (@tspbasil)

    June 18, 2015 at 10:04 am

    I am a total cherry freak – never have thought to pair them with lentils – YUM!

    Reply
  5. Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven

    June 18, 2015 at 7:29 am

    Oh my goodness, Kelly! This salad is absolutely beyond gorgeous! I’m just loving all the little pops of color here and there and all those fresh cherries are speaking my name!

    Reply
  6. Kristine's Kitchen

    June 18, 2015 at 12:33 am

    This salad is just gorgeous! I haven’t had any fresh cherries yet this season, but now you’ve got me craving them!

    Reply
  7. whiskandshout

    June 17, 2015 at 6:53 pm

    This salad looks so refreshing and I love all the vibrant flavors and textures! Pinning!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 22, 2015 at 10:01 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  8. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely

    June 17, 2015 at 4:53 pm

    GAH! I love cherries! Was so excited when they were at the farmers market. I think I spent like $20 on them. Worth it! Loving this salad Kelly : )

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 22, 2015 at 10:02 am

      I know! They are expensive, but worth the splurge, right?

      Reply
  9. Whitney Reist

    June 17, 2015 at 10:22 am

    Love your photo background!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 22, 2015 at 10:02 am

      Thank you, Whitney!

      Reply
  10. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    June 17, 2015 at 9:54 am

    I love the combination of cherries and lentils, Kelly! So creative! This salad looks absolutely delicious!

    Reply

Trackbacks

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