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chunky cherry salsa in a bowl with tortilla chips partially dipped into it.

cherry salsa recipe

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A vibrant and juicy Summer Cherry Salsa recipe punctuated by the smoky heat of chipotle in adobo. Salty almonds add a savory note while spices like coriander and sage deliver a complimentary earthiness.

  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 chipotle chile, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup almonds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 pound fresh cherries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine the red onion, garlic cloves, chipotle chile, almonds, olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar in the bowl of a food processor.roughly chopped veggies, almonds, vinegar, and oil in a food processor prior to blending.
  2. Cover and pulse until chunky, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Let this mixture hang out in the food processor while you pit the cherries. the partially blended mixture in the food processor after blending, it has a fairly thick, paste like consistency.
  3. To pit the cherries, pluck the stems off and poke a skewer or chopstick through the center of the cherry, popping out the pit as you do so. It might take a couple to get the hang of it! For this recipe, we’ll be blending up the cherries so don’t worry too much if they tear or break as you work. a bowl of whole cherries next to a bowl with some pitted cherries. a thin chopstick is resting on one of the bowls and there is a third bowl with pits and stems
  4. Add half of the pitted cherries to the onion mixture in the food processor. Replace the lid and blend until chunky. Add the remaining cherries, honey, and seasonings. Keep blending until you have a texture you like! I like when there are a few larger chunks of cherry floating around.the bowl of a food processor containing the finished cherry salsa. It has a chunky but cohesive texture and deep red coloring.
  5. Taste and add more salt or seasoning if needed, then serve with tortilla chips or pita chips. Sometimes I garnish this salsa with a few chopped almonds for crunch! the finished cherry salsa in a bowl, garnished with chopped almonds and served with tortilla chips

Notes

  • When pitting cherries, make sure to do so over a bowl because they will spill some juices as you work. Add the juices back into the salsa when blending. 
  • Double check your bowl of pitted cherries before adding them into the food processor, making sure that no wayward pits have gotten mixed in.
  • Once blended, I like to chill this cherry salsa for about 30 minutes before serving it so that the flavors meld and the color intensifies. If you don’t have time for that, no worries, it tastes delicious right away too!
  • Author: kelly@crescentmoonkitchen
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes