Summer Fruit Salad

Fresh Fruit Salad is a must for summer! Colorful, fresh, and sweet. Toss together your favorite fruits with an easy lime dressing.

Serve this fruit salad with any meal! It’s perfect for a weekend brunch or alongside a summer BBQ. Unlike other fruit salad recipes that are filled with processed ingredients, the dressing for this recipe is just lime juice and pure maple syrup! It is the perfect combination to add a little sweetness and citrus flavor (plus the lime juice helps preserve the fruit) while still letting the fruit flavors shine.

The main prep work to make a fresh fruit salad is cleaning and cutting the fruit. If your kids are old enough to use a paring knife, have them help! With a couple of helpers, it will take no time at all to make the recipe.

Ingredients

You can adjust the amount of fruit used in this summer salad depending on how many people you are trying to serve.

Combination of Fruit

• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Grapes – Both red and green
• Berries – Strawberries, Blackberries, Red Raspberries, Blueberries
• Kiwi

Dressing

• Lime Juice – or you can use frozen limeade concentrate that has been thawed
• Maple Syrup – use the good pure maple syrup

Preparing the Fruit

Select Fresh, Ripe Fruit – It’s important to pick the best fruit for this summer salad. Pick berries that don’t have any dark spots or mold and are plump and juicy. Select grapes that feel firm and not soft. The best way to find a good pineapple is to pick one that is yellow; if you smell the bottom, it should smell sweet.

Clean Fruit – Thoroughly rinse the fruit before drying. I like to rinse in a colander and then lay out on a towel to dry.

Cut Fruit – Cut the fruit into even pieces. Blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries should be left whole, but large strawberries should be cut in half. Peel and slice kiwi. Dice watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, and mango.

How to Make Fruit Salad:

Making a fresh fruit salad is so simple! Just clean the fruit, cut, and toss.

1. Cut Fruit – Clean fruit and dry well before cutting up into even-sized pieces.
2. Mix Dressing – Whisk together the lime juice and maple syrup until well combined.
3. Toss Salad – Drizzle the dressing over the cut fruit in a large bowl. Gently toss to combine and store in the fridge until chilled and you’re ready to serve.

Tips

• Dry Fruit Thoroughly – Make sure the fruit is dried and not wet. Excess the liquid may cause some of the fruit to macerate.
• Cut Large Fruit into Pieces – Cut the larger fruit into pieces about the size of half of a large strawberry. If the strawberries are small you can leave them whole.
• Use a Variety of Fruits – The recipe is my preferred combination, but you can adjust to your preference. I recommend using a colorful variety of fruit to make a rainbow fruit salad.

FAQ’s

Can I use frozen fruit?

No, you cannot use frozen fruit. The texture of frozen, thawed fruit is very different from fresh. Thawed, frozen fruit is mushy and typically has excess moisture.

Can I use bananas?

No, I do not recommend using bananas as they will turn brown in the salad.

What about leftovers?

Leftover fruit salad can be stored in an airtight container or in the bowl covered in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

If, for some bizarre reason, there are any leftovers after 3 days, you can turn it into a fruit smoothie! No other ingredients are needed to make the smoothie, just blend up and enjoy!