Cherry Tomato, Cherry & Crescenza Salad with Tropea Onion | Mama Florence Cooking School

A Fresh Italian Salad of Tomatoes, Cherries and Crescenza

This salad works because each ingredient brings something completely different to the plate. Cherry tomatoes are juicy and lightly acidic. Fresh cherries bring a deeper fruit sweetness. Tropea onion adds bite, but soaking it in cold water and apple cider vinegar softens its sharpness before serving. Then there is Crescenza: mild, soft, and creamy enough to balance both the fruit and onion. At Mama Florence Cooking School, our recipe keeps those ingredients distinct rather than mixing everything into one bowl. The Crescenza is sliced onto the plate, the tomatoes and cherries are dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil and salt, and the drained onions are arranged over the top. It is a fresh, colorful summer dish that can work as an appetizer, light lunch, or side. For another Italian salad built around ripe tomatoes and simple seasonal ingredients, our Panzanella takes a more traditional Tuscan direction with bread, vegetables, basil, olive oil, and vinegar.

How to Make Cherry Tomato and Crescenza Salad

Start by slicing the Tropea onion as thinly as possible. Soak it in cold water and apple cider vinegar for approximately 1 hour. Quarter the cherry tomatoes and dress them with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Halve and pit the cherries, then gently combine them with the tomatoes. Drain the onion thoroughly and squeeze out the excess liquid. Slice the Crescenza thick enough to hold its shape, arrange it on individual plates, and serve the tomato-cherry mixture alongside it. Finish with the soaked onion, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Mama’s Secret: Give the Tropea onion the full soaking time. The goal is not to remove its character, but to soften the raw bite enough that it complements the cherries and Crescenza instead of dominating them.

Salad Ingredients:

• 8¾ oz Crescenza cheese • ½ Tropea onion • ½ cup apple cider vinegar • 8 cherry tomatoes • Fresh cherries, as needed • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed • Salt, as needed • Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

1. Soak the Tropea Onion

• Slice the ½ Tropea onion as thinly as possible.
• Place it in a bowl with cold water and the ½ cup apple cider vinegar.
• Leave to soak for approximately 1 hour.

2. Prepare the Tomatoes and Cherries

• Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes.
• Cut each tomato into quarters and dress with extra virgin olive oil and salt.
• Wash and dry the cherries.
• Cut them in half, remove the pits, and gently combine them with the tomatoes.

3. Drain the Onion

• Drain the soaked onion thoroughly.
• Place it in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze out the excess liquid.

4. Prepare the Crescenza

• Cut the 8¾ oz Crescenza into medium-thick slices.
• The slices should be thick enough to hold their shape on the plate.

5. Assemble and Serve

• Arrange the Crescenza on individual plates.
• Place a portion of the tomatoes and cherries alongside the cheese.
• Top with the drained Tropea onion.
• Finish with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve at room temperature.

Why Soak Tropea Onion in Vinegar?

Tropea onions are appreciated for their sweetness, but raw onion can still be assertive. Soaking very thin slices in cold water and apple cider vinegar for an hour softens that bite. The vinegar also adds acidity, which is especially useful here because the rest of the plate contains sweet cherries, ripe tomatoes, and mild creamy cheese.

Why Cherries and Tomatoes Work Together

Tomatoes and cherries are both juicy, sweet, and slightly acidic, but they bring different kinds of sweetness. Cherry tomatoes keep the dish firmly savory. Fresh cherries add small bursts of fruit that make the salad unexpected without turning it into a fruit salad. The olive oil and salt connect the two.

Why Crescenza Works in This Salad

Crescenza is soft and creamy, with a delicate flavor that does not compete with the fresh produce. That mildness is useful here. A harder or more aggressively aged cheese would push the salad in a saltier direction, while Crescenza gives the tomatoes, cherries, and onion space to remain distinct. It also provides the soft textural contrast the dish needs.

Is This Really a Caprese Salad?

It is better described as Caprese-inspired than as a traditional Caprese. The basic idea of fresh tomato paired with a soft Italian cheese is familiar, but this recipe replaces mozzarella with Crescenza and introduces cherries, Tropea onion, and an apple cider vinegar soak. Those differences give it its own identity. For a more traditionally Tuscan summer salad, our Panzanella centers tomatoes alongside bread, cucumber, red onion, basil, olive oil, and vinegar.

Why Serve It at Room Temperature?

Very cold cheese and tomatoes can taste muted. Serving the salad at room temperature allows the Crescenza to feel softer and creamier while the tomatoes and cherries remain more aromatic. That is especially useful in a dish this simple, where there is no cooked sauce or strong seasoning to carry the flavor.

The Perfect Bite

The best bite combines a little Crescenza with tomato, cherry, and a few strands of Tropea onion. The cheese should feel creamy and mild. The tomato brings freshness, the cherry adds sweetness, and the vinegar-soaked onion finishes with a gentle sharpness. A little extra virgin olive oil ties everything together.

More Italian Salads to Explore

For a classic Tuscan summer salad, our Panzanella combines tomatoes, toasted bread, cucumber, red onion, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar. Our Fresh Artichoke and Parmesan Salad takes a crisper direction with thinly sliced raw artichokes, lemon, olive oil, and Parmesan. And our Fresh Artichoke and Pecorino Salad pairs fresh artichokes with a sharper sheep’s milk cheese.

Learn Seasonal Italian Cooking in Florence

This recipe is a good example of how Italian cooking can rely almost entirely on ingredient quality and balance. There is very little cooking involved. The result depends instead on ripe produce, careful slicing, properly softened onion, good olive oil, and serving everything at the right temperature. Mama Florence currently offers a Vegetarian Cooking Class in Florence, where seasonal vegetables and fresh local ingredients are central to the menu. You can also explore our full range of Cooking Classes in Florence, including Tuscan traditional, vegetarian, market, and pasta experiences.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many servings does this salad make? A: Our recipe serves 4.

Q: What is Crescenza cheese? A: Crescenza is a soft, creamy Italian cheese with a mild flavor.

Q: How much Crescenza is used? A: The recipe uses approximately 8¾ oz Crescenza.

Q: What type of onion is used? A: Our recipe uses half a Tropea onion.

Q: Why is the onion soaked? A: Soaking softens its raw sharpness and adds acidity from the apple cider vinegar.

Q: How long should the onion soak? A: Approximately 1 hour.

Q: How much vinegar is used? A: The recipe uses ½ cup apple cider vinegar.

Q: How many tomatoes are used? A: The recipe uses 8 cherry tomatoes.

Q: How many cherries do I need? A: The original recipe does not provide a quantity, so use them as needed.

Q: Should I cook the cherries or tomatoes? A: No. Both are served fresh.

Q: Should this salad be served cold? A: The original recipe specifically says to serve it at room temperature.

Q: Is this a traditional Caprese salad? A: No. It is better described as Caprese-inspired because it uses Crescenza, cherries, and vinegar-soaked Tropea onion rather than the traditional tomato-mozzarella combination.

 

Disclaimer

Please note that our chefs may adapt recipes according to seasonal ingredient availability and participants’ dietary or allergy requirements. As a result, the ingredients, preparation, or presentation shown in this recipe may vary from what you prepared during your Mama Florence class. In some cases, elements of a dish may also appear as separate recipes. Please reach out to our team if any confusion arises. Thank you - the Mama Florence Family

Reviews

4.7 9 reviews

1. I made this three times in a fortnight, which tells you something.

   Marc L.

   Montreal, Canada · July 2026

2. Cleaning them took longer than the cooking. Worth it, but plan for it.

   Daniel O.

   Brooklyn, USA · June 2026

3. It looks like more effort than it is, which is precisely why I will make it again.

   Simon P.

   Calgary, Canada · March 2026

4. I read the whole thing before starting, as it suggests, and for once I was not scrambling halfway through.

   Sarah M.

   Boston, USA · February 2026

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