This simple fruit salad recipe combines a colorful mix of fresh fruit with a bright sweet lime dressing and fresh mint. It’s an easy-to-make side dish that’s perfect for the holidays, showers, or spring or summer gatherings.
notes from my kitchen
No matter what the occasion, I almost always include some type of fresh fruit on the menu. From Easter brunch to bridal and baby showers to summer cookouts, whip up a colorful fruit platter or make this simple fruit salad. Both are easy to prepare, pair well with any menu, and add a fresh, colorful touch to your table.
This recipe is a colorful fruit salad that combines fresh berries, grapes, mango, and kiwi. Easy to make and perfect for everything from holiday meals to casual potlucks and backyard gatherings.
Rather than coating the fruit in a sticky honey-based dressing, this recipe uses a simple two-ingredient sweet lime dressing that enhances the fruit’s natural sweetness and flavor. A bright citrus dressing and fresh mint provide a refreshing finish that complements the fruit without being overpowering.
Sometimes the simplest, least-fuss recipes can leave the biggest impression.
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best fruits for fruit salad
Not all fruits are equally suitable for fruit salad. The best choices will retain their texture, resist discoloration, and enhance the flavor of other ingredients.
my favorite fruit:
Strawberries: Sweet, colorful, and easy to find year-round. Blueberries and blackberries: Add beautiful color and don’t need to be chopped. Grapes: Seedless green or red grapes provide a crunchy texture and juicy sweetness. Kiwi: I like to use green kiwis because of their bright color and slightly tangy flavor. Gold kiwi is sweeter and less sour, so both varieties are perfect. Atulfo (Champagne) Mango: My top choice for fruit salad. These small golden mangoes have a very sweet, buttery flavor and almost no fiber. While larger red mango varieties such as Tommy Atkins can be stringy, Ataulfo ​​mangoes have a smooth texture that makes them perfect for fruit salads. Cantaloupe and Honeydew Melon: These classic fruit salads add sweetness and color. There are a few people here who aren’t fans, so I’ll leave it out, but if you enjoy it, it’s a great option. Cut into small pieces or use a melon baller.
Fruits to use with caution:
Bananas: They will brown and soften quickly if left out. Apples: Can turn brown if not treated with citrus juice. Pears: Best eaten on the same day. Pineapple: Adds a delicious tropical flavor and maintains texture, but can easily become the dominant flavor in a fruit salad. If using pineapple, consider reducing the amount to balance the flavor. Raspberries: Delicious, but very delicate.
Fruits I usually skip:
Watermelon: Releases a lot of liquid, which can make your fruit salad watery. Very ripe peaches and nectarines: They tend to turn mushy if left to cool.
How to make easy fruit salad
Add the prepared fruit to a large mixing bowl. Mix lime juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently to combine. Garnish with fresh mint just before serving.
valerie’s tips
Wash the fruit thoroughly and dry it. Too much water will dilute the dressing and make the fruit salad watery. I like to rinse the fruit well and dry it completely before making the salad.
Cut large fruits into bite-sized pieces. Keeping the fruit pieces relatively uniform in size makes the salad easier to eat and ensures that the flavors and textures blend well in each serving.
Use fully ripened fruit. Overripe fruit will become soft and may fall apart when mixed with dressing. Look for fruit that is sweet and flavorful, but still holds its shape.
Chill before serving. If you have time, chill the fruit salad in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. Chilled fruit is especially refreshing and gives the flavors a chance to mingle.
Add mint just before serving. Fresh mint adds great flavor and color, but is best added at the last moment to keep it looking bright and fresh.
If you make it ahead, wait until you add the dressing. Fruit can be prepared and refrigerated several hours in advance. For the freshest texture, toss with lime dressing and garnish with mint just before serving.
storage tips
Store leftover fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy at its best within 1-2 days. If you let it sit, the juice will come out and it will soften a little, but it’s still delicious.
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Mix the prepared fruit. In a small bowl, combine lime juice and powdered sugar. Add fruit and mix gently
If you are making ahead, just before serving, toss with the dressing and garnish with mint.
calorie: 68kcal | carbohydrates: 17g | protein: 1g | fat: 0.4g | Saturated fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated fats: 0.2g | Monounsaturated fats: 0.1g | sodium: 3mg | potassium: 186mg | fiber: 2g | sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | calcium: twenty fourmg | iron: 0.2mg
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using common ingredients and is an estimate and not guaranteed. For more accurate results, check the labels of your household ingredients.
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This post was originally published on March 27, 2015 and has been updated with new text and images.
