Easy Fruit Salad

Easy Fruit Salad recipe for a refreshing dish with assorted ripe fruits, fresh berries, and simple dressing made of citrus juice and honey.

When it comes to Desserts, it doesn’t get easier than fresh fruit and berries tossed in a sweet dressing. This is a classic recipe for Fruit Salad, but make sure to check out Winter Fruit and Honey Lime Berry variations too!

Sabrina’s Easy Fruit Salad Recipe

This fruit and berry filled salad is the perfect summer side dish, party appetizer or dessert. It’s got a variety of delicious fruit plus fresh strawberries, blueberries, and grapes. Everything is tossed in a simple dressing made from fresh lemon juice, orange juice, and honey. It’s finished with some mint for a refreshing dish your family and friends will be asking for all summer long. It only takes 10 minutes to throw together, but you’ll want to refrigerate it for at least two hours to let the flavors come together and so it’s refreshingly cold.

How to Make

• Prep: Chop the pineapple and kiwi to roughly the same size, which makes the salad visually look better.
• Dressing: In a medium saucepan, add the juices, orange and lemon zest, and honey. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk for a few minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Do not cook the dressing too long or it will it thicken into a syrup.
• Combine: Once the dressing has cooled completely, add the fruit and dressing to a large bowl. Toss until the fruit is covered then cover and refrigerate. Let chill for a couple hours then garnish with mint and serve.

Key Ingredients

• Citrus: There is lots of citrus in the dressing with the orange juice and zest plus lemon juice and zest. This not only adds a bright, fresh flavor but the citric acid helps keep the fruit from turning brown.
• Honey: Honey acts as a natural sweetener in the citrus dressing, balancing the tartness of the citrus juices. It enhances the overall flavor and adds a touch of sweetness without overpowering the natural fruit flavors.
• Vanilla: The addition of vanilla extract brings a warm and aromatic note. It brings out the warmth in the honey and balances all the sweet fruity flavors.
• Tangerine: Tangerines are great because they are similar to oranges but they are smaller and a bit more tart to balance all the other sweeter fruits. You can also use mandarin oranges or clementines. 
• Pineapple: You want to use fresh pineapple if possible because not only is it more flavorful but it is more firm. Slice it into bite sized chunks that are uniform so they get incorporated well.
• Kiwi: One thing that makes this recipe stand out is the deliciously tart kiwi. They add a different flavor that stands out plus the bright green adds a nice color contrast.
• Berries: Plenty of fresh strawberries and fresh blueberries make this rainbow salad look stunning plus who doesn’t love fresh berries?!
• Grapes: Red grapes to add some color contrast but you could use whatever grapes you like better. They add a crisp, juicy and sweet burst of fruity goodness in this salad.

Recipe Card

Serving Ideas

For an easy breakfast idea, you can use the fruit salad instead of berries in a Yogurt Parfait. It’s delicious as it is but if you want to make it more sweet for a special occasion like Easter, serve it with a dollop of Whipped Cream. This recipe is super kid-friendly already but some mini marshmallows would make it a hit at any kid party!

How to Store

• Serve: You want to chill the salad with citrus dressing for at least 2 hours before serving so the flavors all come together and the fruit is cold and refreshing!
• Store: A dressed salad will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, when sealed tightly with plastic wrap. When you aren’t serving it, keep it chilled so it lasts longer.
• Freeze: It’s not recommended to freeze this dish because the fruit will be soft when defrosted and the salad won’t seem as fresh. If you do want to freeze leftovers, I would store them in plastic bags and use them for other recipes like smoothies or fruity syrups later.

Can you make the salad ahead of time?

Yes. It is best to prepare the fruit salad a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Refrigerate for at least two hours to achieve optimal taste. If desired, you can toss each fruit individually and line them up in rainbow order for an appealing presentation, garnishing with mint just before serving.

Frequent Questions

Variations

• Creamy Dressing: Try mixing yogurt or sour cream with citrus juice and honey mixture for a creamy dressing. Add it after the mixture has completely cooled so the dairy blends smoothly and doesn’t curdle.
• Flavor: Try fresh herbs like basil, lemongrass, or lavender to add more interesting flavors. You could also add some cinnamon or nutmeg for warmth. Instead of orange or lemon, add in some lime.
• Sweetener: The dressing in this recipe calls for honey, but you can also try maple syrup, brown sugar, regular sugar, or stevia. 
• Tropical Delight: Substitute some of the fruits in the recipe with tropical options like mango, papaya, and coconut flakes. This variation adds a taste of the tropics perfect for summer gatherings.
• Berry Blast: Add more fresh berries in addition to the strawberries, blueberries like raspberries, cherries or blackberries. 
• Easter Salad: For a spring variation perfect for Easter, add pastel-colored fruits like diced melon, green grapes, and pomegranate seeds.

Related Recipes

More Fruit Filled Salad Recipes

Fruit Desserts

Winter Fruit Salad Recipe

Fruit Desserts

Honey Lime Berry Fruit Salad

Appetizer Recipes

Fruit Salsa

Salads

Overnight Fruit Salad