Charred Stone Fruit & Fennel Salad with Roasted Cherry Vinaigrette

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Serving Size

4 Servings

Looking for a summer salad that feels fresh, refined, and dinner-party ready? This Charred Stone Fruit and Fennel Salad brings a vibrant twist to your table, pairing perfectly with grilled mains or standing on its own as a light entrée. What sets this salad apart is its blend of smoky, caramelized stone fruit and crisp grilled fennel layered over a creamy whipped goat cheese base.

At the heart of the flavor is a roasted cherry vinaigrette, made with Wesson Vegetable Oil and lime for brightness and balance. Roasting the cherries intensifies their sweetness and adds a rich, jammy complexity that elevates every bite. Finished with toasted pine nuts and fresh mint, this dish is as beautiful to serve as it is bold in flavor.

Whether you’re hosting a backyard gathering or planning a weeknight dinner, this salad is a fresh, seasonal showstopper—easy to make, endlessly adaptable, and designed to impress.

Visit our Instagram for more summer recipe inspiration!

CONTAINS:

Dairy, nuts

Ingredients

Roasted Cherry Vinaigrette

Dark red cherries 2 cups, frozen.

Wesson Vegetable Oil 1 tsp, for roasting.

Lime juice 1 lime.

Wesson Vegetable Oil 4 tbsp, for vinaigrette.

Honey 1/2 tbsp.

Kosher salt 1/4 tsp.

Charred Stone Fruit Salad

Goat cheese 1/2 cup.

Honey 1 tbsp.

Wesson Vegetable Oil 1 tbsp (for cheese mixture).

Peach, nectarine, or plum 2 ripe, halved & pitted.

Fennel bulb 1 quartered.

Wesson Vegetable Oil 1 tbsp (for grilling).

Mixed greens (arugula, spinach, etc) 2 cups.

Pine nuts, toasted 2 tbsp.

Fresh mint leaves 3 tbsp, torn.

Roasted Cherry Vinaigrette (listed above) as desired.

Method

Roasted Cherry Vinaigrette

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Toss the frozen cherries with 1 tsp of Wesson Vegetable Oil. Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until they begin to caramelize, about 15-20 minutes.

Chef’s Tip: Fresh cherries work just as well – just pit them before roasting.

Let the roasted cherries cool slightly, then roughly chop them.

In a bowl, stir together the chopped cherries, lime juice, 4 tbsp of oil, honey, and salt. Set aside while you prepare the salad.

Grilled Stone Fruit and Fennel

Toss the halved stone fruits and quartered fennel in 1 tbsp of oil. Grill them over medium-high heat until nicely charred on all sides – this enhances their natural sweetness and adds depth to the salad.

Once grilled, cut the stone fruit into rustic, uneven pieces. Slice the fennel thinly against the grain for tenderness.

Assembly Method

Prepare the cheese base:
In a small bowl, beat the goat cheese with 1 tbsp of honey and 1 tbsp of Wesson Vegetable Oil until smooth and creamy.

Spread the goat cheese mixture over the bottom of a large platter. Arrange the mixed greens over the cheese base. Top with the sliced grilled stone fruit and mixed fennel.

Drizzle generously with the Roasted Cherry Vinaigrette. Finish with toasted pine nuts and torn mint leaves.