Fruit Salad combines a mix of freshly chopped fruits, all tossed in an easy-to-make, three-ingredient fruity dressing. Perfect for potlucks, summer parties, or as a side dish to any meal!

This salad is the perfect side for a summer meal, whether with steak marinade or grilled chicken marinade.

The easy fruit salad recipe in a bowl with serving spoons.

Fruit Salad Recipe That Is Easy To Customize!

Growing up, we often had a fruit salad at dinner. On weeknights, it was simple: canned fruits with whipped topping and Jell-O, like this Orange Fluff Salad or just a few garden fruits cut up.

I loved her fruit salads! They weren’t always the same since she used whatever fruits were in season, on sale, or ready from our fruit trees.

Now, I’ve put together my favorite fruits in this salad, but feel free to swap in your favorites. Just keep the amounts similar and mix it up for a salad everyone will love!

Why This Fruit Salad Recipe is a Game Changer:

Sure, tossing together a fruit salad is simple, but nailing the perfect one really makes a difference! I brought this recipe to a party recently, and everyone was asking about what I’d done to the fruit!

  • It’s super easy: Unlike many recipes that require you to cook down water and sugar for the dressing, here we just shake everything up in a mason jar.
  • No refined sugars: Instead of the typical half cup of white or brown sugar, I use a natural sweetener—honey—and use less of it.
  • Ridiculously tasty: A couple of guests said it tasted like “Starburst” candies in the best way possible.

Quick Tip

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 berry cheesecake salad with yogurt next!

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for easy assembly.

What Are The Best Fruits To Put In A Fruit Salad?

The best part about this salad is the variety of fruit combinations you can create.

You can stick to my recipe or swap in some of your favorite fruits. The citrus dressing is a must-try, though—it’s seriously tasty!

  • Pineapple: Choose one that smells sweet at the bottom; it’s a sign it’s ripe and juicy.
  • Strawberries: Grab bright red, firm ones with a shiny surface for the best flavor.
  • Kiwis: Pick kiwis that are slightly soft to the touch, which means they are ripe and sweet.
  • Grapes: Go for seedless, plump grapes. Wrinkles mean they are older and less juicy.
  • Clementines: Look for bright orange ones without big spots or soft areas to ensure freshness. If needed, canned mandarin oranges work too.
  • Blueberries: Shake the container gently; if the berries move freely, they are firm and tasty.
  • Citrus Dressing: Just shake the ingredients in a mason jar. Stir as needed to keep the honey from settling.

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 good crunch, toss in some apples! (Here is my favorite way to keep apples from browning.)

All the ingredients for the dressing we use for this fruit salad in a mason jar.

How To Make Fruit Salad

  1. Make the Dressing: Mix honey, orange and lemon zest, and fruit juices in a jar. Shake well.
  2. Prepare the Fruit:  Select fresh fruits that are in season. Wash, dry, and cut all fruits. Chill them if you have time.
  3. 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 drizzle a little citrus juice on it.

Tips For The Best Fruit Salad

  • Prep Early: If you can, wash and chill the fruit a few hours before you start making your salad. Cold fruit tastes better!
  • Use Seasonal Fruits: Go for fruits that are in season for the best flavor and price. They’re usually tastier and cheaper when they’re at their peak.
  • Mix Fruit: Add juicy fruits like strawberries and clementines with firmer ones like pineapple and kiwi.
  • Get Ripe Fruit: Try to buy ripe fruit, or plan for how long it will take for fruit to ripen at home. A salad with ripe fruits tastes much better.
The dressing being poured over the dish.

Fruit Salad FAQs

What’s The Best Dressing For A Fruit Salad?

A mix of citrus juice and zest (like lemon and orange) with something sweet, like honey or sugar, enhances the fruit’s natural sweetness and prevents browning. My recipe nails this blend!

Can You Use Frozen Fruit?

Skip frozen fruit for this recipe. It gets mushy when thawed and can water down your salad, affecting texture and flavor.

What Fruits Should You Avoid Mixing?

Any fruit you love works well in this salad with the citrus dressing. Just avoid strong-flavored fruits like papaya, starfruit, or jackfruit to keep the taste balanced.

How Can You Make Fruit Salad Even Tastier?

Boost the flavor with a citrus juice dressing, honey, or herbs. Spices like cinnamon or fresh herbs like mint add a fun twist.

The dressed, easy fruit salad in a bowl ready to be enjoyed.

Storage

Make Ahead & Storage Tips

How long does fruit salad last in the fridge? I like it best the same day, but it can stay good for 2-4 days if kept in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can I make fruit salad ahead of time? Yes, prepare it a few hours early and keep it in the fridge to keep it fresh. Toss before serving.

Best eaten when? It’s freshest on the day it’s made. It can get mushy if stored too long, especially fruits like bananas.

Can you freeze fruit salad? Yes, but it’s best used for smoothies or cooking since it becomes mushy when thawed.

More Salad Recipes

4.93 from 13 votes

Fruit Salad Recipe

Fruit Salad combines a mix of freshly chopped fruits, all tossed in an easy-to-make, three-ingredient fruity dressing. Perfect for potlucks, summer parties, or as a side dish to any meal!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 -10 (as a side)

Ingredients  

Salad

  • 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

Instructions 

  • DRESSING: 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 prepared (and undressed) fruit ahead of time in fridge.
  • ASSEMBLE: Combine all the fruit in a very large bowl. Drizzle dressing on top, adding to preference. Toss gently to coat. Enjoy immediately or pop in fridge to allow flavors to meld. Stir again before enjoying.

Recipe Notes

STORAGE: Fruit salad stays fresh in the fridge for 2-4 days if tightly sealed. It’s best enjoyed the day it’s dressed because it can get mushy later, especially bananas. If you freeze it, use it for smoothies or cooking since it’ll be a bit mushy when thawed.
To make ahead, mix up the dressing and prep the fruits, storing them separately in the fridge. Toss everything together just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 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

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hi there! Iโ€™m Chelseaโ€“the recipe developer, photographer, writer, and taste tester behind Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron (although my little ones help me out quite a bit with the taste testing part!). I LOVE getting creative in the kitchen and then posting my creations here for you to enjoy.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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4.93 from 13 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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34 Comments

  1. Pat says:

    5 stars
    Looks great, How many servings does this make?
    I have a party of 75 to make for.

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      It serves 8-10 as a good side helping ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Kay nules says:

    @can you prepare the night befor

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      I like it best the same day! If you make ahead– prep just the fruit an dressing but keep separate and add the dressing the next day!

  3. Sarah DeLange says:

    This looks amazing! How far in advance can the dressing be made?

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      You can make it up a couple days in advance!

  4. Cindy says:

    What a gorgeous salad!

  5. Cynthia L says:

    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!

  6. Medeja says:

    5 stars
    I like fruit salad! Light sweet treat ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. marcie says:

    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! ๐Ÿ™‚ Pinning.

  8. Chris says:

    I love seeing this fruit salad because 1) It’s beautiful 2) that dressing and 3) fruit salad means warmer weather is coming!!!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thanks Chris!

  9. Ashley says:

    5 stars
    I love fruit salads – especially during the warmer weather!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Okay sending now! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  10. Jessica says:

    Chelsea I love how colourful this salad is! The fruit looks so juicy and delicious!