Home > Salads > The Best-Ever Fruit Salad The Best-Ever Fruit Salad April 23, 2014 | 32 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. The best ever fruit salad coated in a simple fruity dressing. Perfect for potlucks, summer parties, or a side dish to your meals! This salad is the perfect side to an easy summer meal such as this steak marinade or this grilled chicken marinade. Fruit Salad Recipe Growing up, my mom served fruit salad with just about every single dinner we had. The weeknight versions of the salad were pretty simple (usually a few cans of fruit mixed with whipped topping and Jell-O like this Orange Fluff Salad) and would make a salad with fresh fruit whenever there was company. We all love her fruit salads. This salad isn’t identical to the one she made growing up, because the fruit constantly changed. Basically whatever was fresh, ripe, on sale in the store, and/or ready from our fruit trees is what went in hers. So today, I’ve got my ultimate favorite line-up of fruits in a salad, but you can easily change it out and swap for whatever you like best. As long as the quantities remain fairly consistent and you’ve got plenty of variety, this salad will be a hit! For colder weather, you may want to try this winter version, or if you’re looking for a salad that can double as dessert try this creamy fruit salad with yogurt next! Ingredients The best part about this salad is there are SO many different combinations of fruit that can make a delicious salad. Follow my exact recipe or switch out a few fruits for your favorites. The citrus dressing, though, is non-negotiable—kidding, but it really is delicious! Pineapple: Pick a pineapple that smells sweet at the bottom; it means it’s ripe and juicy. Strawberries: It might sound obvious but look for bright red, firm strawberries with a shiny surface for the best flavor. Kiwis: Look for kiwis that are slightly soft to the touch; this tells you they are ripe and sweet. Grapes: Make sure you grab seedless and look for plump grapes with a consistent color; wrinkles tell you they are older and less juicy. Clementines:For clementines, look for ones that are bright orange and don’t have big spots or soft areas, which shows they are fresh and tasty. In a pinch you can use canned mandarin oranges. Blueberries:When choosing blueberries, gently shake the container; if the berries move freely, it means they are firm and not clumped together. Citrus Dressing: Shake the ingredients in a mason jar to mix well. Stir occasionally to prevent the honey from settling at the bottom. QUICK TIP What is the best fruit for fruit salad? A good fruit salad needs fresh, ripe fruits and a mix of flavors and textures. Choose seasonal fruits and combine berries with fleshier fruits like peaches, mangoes, and bananas. For a crisp touch, add some apples! How To Make Fruit Salad It’s as easy as 1,2,3…. Make the Dressing: Mix honey, orange and lemon zest, and juices in a jar. Shake well. Prepare the Fruit: Select fresh fruits that are in season. Wash, dry, and cut all fruits. Chill them if you have time. Assemble: Toss all fruits in a large bowl. Add dressing and mix gently. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate. QUICK TIP Why do some fruits turn brown? Fruits turn brown because of oxidation, which happens when they are exposed to air. This doesn’t hurt the fruit, and it’s still safe to eat, but it might not look as nice. To keep fruit from browning, you can sprinkle a little citrus juice on it. Tips For The Best Fruit Salad Use Seasonal Fruits: Try to pick fruits that are in season for the best flavor and freshness. Seasonal fruits are usually at their peak in taste and are more affordable. Mix Textures: Mix textures to make the salad fun to eat. Add juicy fruits like strawberries and clementines with firmer fruits like pineapple and kiwis. This variety keeps every bite different and delicious. Prep Early: This is totally optional but if you have time prepare the fruit salad, a few hours before serving and refrigerate it. This allows the flavors to meld together. Keep Fruit Fresh: To prevent browning in fruits like apples and bananas, sprinkle a little lemon juice over them after cutting. This not only keeps them fresh but also adds a great flavor. Get Ripe Fruit: Plan ahead to either buy ripe fruit or consider the time it will take for your fruit to ripen. This will really make the overall flavor of your salad so much better when all the fruits are ripe. Fruit Salad FAQs What Is The Best Dressing For A Fruit Salad? The ideal fruit salad dressing blends citrus juice and zest (such as lemon and orange) with a sweetener like honey or sugar to enhance the natural flavors of the fruit and slow browning. The dressing in this recipe perfectly combines all these elements, making it truly the best. Can You Use Frozen Fruit In This Salad? No, it’s best not to use frozen fruit in this recipe. When frozen fruit thaws, it can become mushy and may water down the salad, altering the texture and diluting the flavors. What Fruits Don’t Go Together In Fruit Salad? The beauty of this salad is that if you love a fruit, it will likely taste great in the mix, especially with the delicious citrus dressing we drizzle all over it. However, if you’re considering adding a fruit with a very overpowering flavor, you might want to leave it out to preserve the balance of the other flavors in the salad. STORAGE Make Ahead & Storage Tips Can I Make Fruit Salad Ahead Of Time? Yes, you can make this ahead of time. Make it a few hours before serving and store it in the refrigerator, covered, to blend the flavors. Adding lemon juice or using the citrus dressing in this recipe will help prevent browning and keep the fruits fresh for several hours. Storage: For the best quality, eat your salad the day it’s made. If needed, you can store them in the fridge for a couple of days, but be aware that the texture may become mushier over time. Certain fruits, like cut bananas, may not store well even with refrigeration. More Fruit Salad Recipes Citrus Salad mix of citrus, avocado, and pistachios Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad inspired by Panera Bread Tropical Fruit Salad with a 3-ingredient dressing Unforgettable, crave-worthy Grapefruit Salad Mandarin Orange Salad with a citrus dressing FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Fruit Salad Recipe 4.75 from 8 votes - Review this recipe The best ever fruit salad coated in a simple fruity dressing. Perfect for potlucks, summer parties, or a side dish to your meals! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Fruit Salad Recipe 4.75 from 8 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe The best ever fruit salad coated in a simple fruity dressing. Perfect for potlucks, summer parties, or a side dish to your meals! Course Appetizer, Brunch, Side Dish, Vegetarian Cuisine American Prep Time 20 minutes minutes Total Time 35 minutes minutes Servings 8 as a generous side dish Chelsea Lords Calories 163kcal Author Chelsea Lords IngredientsSalad▢ 2 cups cubed fresh pineapple▢ 2 cups thinly sliced strawberries, tops removed▢ 1 cup thinly sliced peeled kiwis (3 kiwis)▢ 2 cups red or green seedless grapes▢ 1 cup clementines (3 clementines)▢ 2 cups blueberries (1 pint)Dressing▢ 1/4 cup honey▢ 1 teaspoon each: orange zest & lemon zest▢ 2 tablespoons each: orange & lemon juice▢ 1/2 teaspoon, vanilla extract, optional InstructionsDRESSING: Add dressing ingredients to a wide-mouth mason jar. Shake to combine. Stir if needed to keep honey from settling at bottom.PREP: Prepare fruit. Wash and completely dry (else dressing won't stick). Cube pineapple into bite-sized pieces, thinly slice strawberries, peel and thinly slice kiwis, remove grapes from stem, peel and segment clementines. If time permits, chill fridge ahead of time in fridge. ASSEMBLE: Combine all the fruit in a very large bowl. Drizzle dressing on top, adding to preference. Enjoy immediately or pop in fridge to allow flavors to meld. Stir again before enjoying. Nutrition FactsCalories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 656IU | Vitamin C: 120mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Can I just say gorgeous? I love how naturally colorful and bright fresh fruit is! That dressing looks like the bomb – I don’t think I could stop eating this! Pinned! Reply
I love that this has a dressing. I think that would get me to eat more fruit salad! Totally trying it! Reply
Fruit salads were always and still are a huge thing in our family. When I was younger I would sometimes ask my mom if I could just eat a huge bowl of fruit salad for dinner. I loved is sooo much and still do :). Needless to say, I could dive right in. Pinned! Reply
I just picked up some really pretty fruit over here at Harmons grocery store… you know how they have the best stuff. 😉 Now I know what to do with all the fruit! Hope you are enjoying your Wednesday with your little man! Big hugs! Reply
LOVE fruit salad. Such a neat idea to put a dressing on it! I definitely have to give this a try! Reply
This salad has some of my favorite fruits in it. I could totally dive right into a bowl of it right now. Pinned! Reply
I love fruit salads – especially during the warmer weather! This looks perfect – so many great juices and the zest … how about you send me a bowl for a snack right now, k? : ) Reply
I love seeing this fruit salad because 1) It’s beautiful 2) that dressing and 3) fruit salad means warmer weather is coming!!! Reply
It doesn’t get much better than a beautiful bowlful of fresh fruit — I love fruit salads! I think I could probably drink that dressing out of a glass, it sounds so delicious! 🙂 Pinning. Reply
I like fruit salad! Light sweet treat 🙂 though I have never tried adding blackberries, sounds delicious/ Reply
My family and I love a great fruit salad. The dressing sounds divine! Thanks for linking got the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party! So glad you are here! Reply
I will be making this fruit salad for the third time this Easter Afternoon! We love it, but cut some of the brown sugar to keep it slightly less sweet. This time I am playing around with the in season fruit as My son and I developed an allergy to mango. ;( We’ll see how it goes! Reply
I’m glad you’re enjoying this salad! Good luck with trying different fruits; sorry to hear about the developed allergy! Also, you could try pineapple in place of mango. Reply
