10 Healthy Cherry Recipes for a Sweet-Tart Flavor in Your Meals

Cherry Caprese Salad
Photo: Blaine Moats

Add a punch of sweet-tart flavor to your summer dishes with a healthy cherry recipe. Plus, there's the bonus of added antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The majority of these cherry recipes use fresh cherries to make the most of your summer haul, but you can easily use frozen cherries in many of the recipes when fresh cherries are hard to come by. With delicious cherry salads, healthy cherry crisps, and even frozen treats, there's something for everyone.

01 of 10

Honey-Soaked Quinoa Salad with Cherries & Cashews

Honey-Quinoa Salad
Rebekah Molloy

Hearty whole-grain quinoa, crunchy cashews, and chewy dried apricots add immense flavor and texture to this healthy cherry recipe. A drizzle of homemade honey vinaigrette melds all the flavors. Enjoy with chicken breast or another lean protein to complete your healthy meal.

02 of 10

Cherry-Berry Smoothies

Cherry-Berry Smoothies
Andy Lyons

Loaded with vitamin C, this healthy smoothie recipe is a simple, cooling treat. You'll also reap the antioxidant benefits from cherries, pomegranate juice, and extra berries. The natural sweetness from the fruit means you don't need to add any additional sugar.

03 of 10

Cherry Caprese Salad

Cherry Caprese Salad
Blaine Moats

The Italian red, white, and green salad you love gets a sweet-tart upgrade in this healthy cherry recipe. The popular side-dish salad still has cheese, basil, and tomatoes, but the surprisingly irresistible flavor comes from adding fresh cherries to the mix. Using burrata cheese (fresh mozzarella with a creamy inside) makes every bite feel extra fancy.

04 of 10

Pork Carnitas Tacos with Cherry-Chipotle Salsa

Pork Carnitas Tacos with Cherry-Chipotle Salsa
Blaine Moats

Sweet cherries might seem an unlikely addition to taco night, but we're about to convince you otherwise. Boneless pork shoulder is seasoned in a tantalizing blend of spices, garlic, and fresh cherries before slow-cooking to juicy perfection. A homemade salsa of cherries, lime, and onion completes the delicious taco.

05 of 10

Grilled Chicken and Cherry Salad

Grilled Chicken and Cherry Salad
Blaine Moats

Here's an excellent main-dish salad for hot summer days. The healthy cherry recipe includes a rainbow of fresh veggies including broccoli, carrots, red onion, and spinach. Our zippy herb-infused dressing is so good, you might want to make extra to keep in the fridge for all your salads.

06 of 10

Chocolate-Cherry Bread Pudding

Chocolate-Cherry Bread Pudding
Peter Krumhardt

Bittersweet chocolate and tart cherries in a warm bread pudding makes a delicious fruit dessert. Add sliced almonds on top for extra nutty flavor and crunch.

07 of 10

Coconut, Cherry, and Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Coconut Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Blaine Moats

Update classic chocolate chip cookies with this tart, sweet, and cinnamon-infused version. Oats, walnuts, and cherries add good-for-you ingredients to help boost fiber to 1 gram per cookie.

08 of 10

Sour Cherry Sorbet

Sour Cherry Sorbet
Blaine Moats

Sour fans will love the tangy notes that come from this fresh red cherry recipe. The 3-ingredient dessert only needs cherries, water, and a bit of sugar to make. A quick blitz in the food processor (and the dreaded freezer wait time) is all it takes.

09 of 10

Roasted Pumpkin, Arugula & Dried Cherry Salad

Roasted Pumpkin, Arugula, and Dried Cherry Salad
Jason Donnelly

A bed of peppery arugula topped with roasted pumpkin, dried red cherries, and crunchy pepitas makes a wonderfully flavored side-dish salad. Customize the salad to fit your tastes by using butternut squash or sweet potatoes in place of pumpkin and your favorite leafy green instead of arugula.

10 of 10

Cherry-Quinoa Salad

Cherry Quinoa Salad
Jason Donnelly

Mint and parsley add a pleasant fresh taste to this delightful cherry dish. Pistachios add the perfect nutty crunch. Amp up your plating skills by serving the quinoa salad on a bed of thinly sliced cucumber ribbons or sugar snap peas.

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