Fruit Salad
Enjoy the colors of the rainbow in this vibrant, seasonal salad. Sweet, colorful fruit, splashed with a little honey and lime – this fruit salad is unrivaled. It’s fresher, brighter and more customizable than any store-bought creation.
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
Fresh fruit reigns supreme in this salad. This summertime classic marries juicy seasonal fruit with sweet honey and tart lime. The honey accentuates the sweetness of the fruit, and the lime makes everything a little livelier. Skip fruit salads made with whipped topping, pudding, or cream; this colorful medley lets the fruit shine and is sure to be the star of the show, whether it’s a picnic in the park, or a birthday party, bridal/baby shower, potluck, or day at the beach.
Here’s what you need for this easy fruit salad
Pro tip: For a colorful, rainbow-like presentation, choose fruit with hues of red, blue, orange, yellow, and green. For the best result, use fresh fruit, not frozen. Once thawed, frozen fruit is soft and watery and not ideal for salad. Note: This fruit salad is wildly versatile so feel free to swap in your favorite, seasonal fresh fruit.
- Strawberries. Choose firm strawberries with a nice red color. The fruit should be free of dark spots, mold, and blemishes, and the green leaves should look fresh.
- Blueberries. Plump summer blueberries are an excellent addition to this salad. If desired, you may swap in blackberries, or a combination of blueberries and blackberries.
- Grapes. I used red seedless grapes in this salad, but you can certainly use green instead. Choose grapes that are firm and plump and intact to the stems.
- Kiwi. I love the pop of color green kiwi adds to this salad. To ensure you select ripe kiwi, choose fruit that’s slightly soft when gently squeezed.
- Mandarin oranges. Mandarin oranges are easy to peel, and the sections are a fun addition to this salad. If desired, you may substitute canned mandarin oranges in juice or light syrup; when using canned mandarin oranges, drain them well before adding to the salad.
- Mango. Mango not only adds a pop of color, but the fruit adds a tropical note to this salad. When shopping, choose fruit that’s slightly soft – this will ensure the mango is ripe and sweet.
- Bananas. I enjoy the creamy texture bananas add to this fruit salad. That said, bananas will turn brown as the salad sits, so if you don’t plan to serve the salad right away, eliminate the bananas (or add them just before serving).
- Honey. A smidge of honey brings out the sweetness of the fruit.
- Limes. Fresh lime invigorates this salad by adding a tart, citrusy note. Pro tip: Use a zester and light pressure to get the lime zest, not a cheese grater. When using a cheese grater, you risk including the pith, the bitter white portion of the peel.
Optional: Pineapple. Many folks find that pineapple overpowers the flavor of other fruit in fruit salad. Pineapple’s high acidity level can dominate the taste and cause softer fruits (like strawberries) to get soggy and bitter. That said, you can certainly add fresh pineapple to this fruit salad. When shopping, choose pineapple with golden-yellow skin and a base that smells fruity and sweet. Look for fruit that’s slightly soft when squeezed and avoid pineapples that are entirely green or overly soft.
Pro tips for this fruit salad
Plan ahead to make sure your fruit is ripe. Pineapples, kiwi fruit, and bananas are often underripe when you purchase them from the grocery store, so grab them a few days early to make sure they’re ripe for this salad. To speed up ripening, place the fruit in a paper bag.
Wash and dry your fruit. Make sure your fruit is properly rinsed and allowed to dry before assembling this salad. Excess water on the fruit will pool in the bottom of the bowl and create a runny salad.
Can you make this fruit salad in advance?
This salad is best made just before serving, but there are ways to prep ahead. Chop all fruit but the bananas up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to assemble. Pull the fruit from the refrigerator 20 minutes before tossing with the honey and lime.
Can you store leftover fruit salad?
Fruit salad is best served soon after assembly. That said, don’t toss leftovers! Store leftover fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries, sliced
- 12 ounces 1 pint fresh blueberries
- 12 ounces red or green grapes, halved lengthwise
- 3 kiwi, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into semicircles
- 3 mandarin oranges, peeled and separated into sections
- 2 ripe mangos, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 bananas, sliced into rounds
- Optional: 1 ripe pineapple, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Combine all the fruit in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime zest, and lime juice. Add the mixture to the fruit and toss to combine. Serve immediately.