Easy Fruit Salad Recipe

Fruit Salad Recipe Ingredients

• Light brown sugar (¼ cup, packed): Sweetens the dressing and adds slight caramel depth. Or use ¼ cup honey for a natural sweetener.
• Pineapple juice (¼ cup): Adds tropical sweetness and bright flavor.
• Orange juice (2 tablespoons): Adds fresh citrus balance.
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds warmth and enhances the fruit flavors.
• Green grapes (2 cups): Adds crisp texture and sweetness.
• Red grapes (2 cups): Adds color and juicy flavor.
• Cubed pineapple (1-2 cups): Adds tropical sweetness and texture. Fresh pineapple is best, but canned pineapple chunks.
• Sliced strawberries (1 cup): Adds bright berry flavor.
• Blackberries (1 cup): Adds rich color and slight tartness.
• Sliced kiwi (1 cup): Adds vibrant color and tangy sweetness.
• Other favorite fruits: Use other fruits that are in season; they tend to be fresher and more cost-effective. Some ideas include cherries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, apples, and mandarin oranges

How to Make Fruit Salad

DRESSING. Bring brown sugar, pineapple juice, and orange juice to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and let cool.

FRUIT. Combine green and red grapes, cubed pineapple, sliced strawberries, blackberries, and sliced kiwi in a large bowl.

SERVE. Pour dressing over fruit, toss to coat (gently), and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

• Don’t toss together too many fruits; stick to 4-6. Choose fruits with different colors and textures. 
• Avoid using fruit with a high water content, such as watermelon. Bananas tend to get soggy and slimy; avoid these, or add them right before serving.
• Use equal amounts of each type of fruit and cut them all to bite sizes.
• Some fruits are treated by using Ball’s Fresh Fruit powder or soaking them in water with lemon juice or lime juice. However, none of the fruits listed on the recipe card are prone to browning.
• The sugar syrup will begin drawing out the natural juices in the fruits, so avoid tossing in the dressing too soon or storing leftovers for too long.
• Garnish with fresh herbs. Fresh mint pairs well with citrus, and fresh basil is great with berries.
• Chill the fruit salad for at least one hour so the flavors meld together.
• Add a little extra texture and sweetness with some mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries, or toasted coconut mixed into your fruit salad. Top with Whipped Cream or Cool Whip.

5 from 52 votes

Fruit Salad Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

This fruit salad recipe features an array of colorful, healthy fruits tossed in a citrus vanilla dressing, a bright and refreshing side dish.

Servings: 10

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Chill Time: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Equipment

• ball fruit-fresh produce protector
• fruit chopper

Video

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup pineapple juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons orange juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups green grapes
• ▢ 2 cups red grapes
• ▢ 1-2 cups cubed pineapple
• ▢ 1 cup sliced strawberries
• ▢ 1 cup blackberries
• ▢ 1 cup sliced kiwi

Instructions 

• Bring packed brown sugar, pineapple juice, and orange juice to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and let cool.
• Combine all the fruit in a large bowl. Pour dressing over fruit, toss to coat, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Notes

Recipe Tips.

• Don’t toss together too many fruits; stick to 4-6. Choose fruits with different colors and textures. 
• Avoid using fruit with a high water content, such as watermelon. Bananas tend to get soggy and slimy; avoid these, or add them right before serving.
• Use equal amounts of each type of fruit and cut them all to bite sizes.
• Gently toss to avoid crushing delicate fruit.
• Some fruits are treated by using Ball’s Fresh Fruit powder or soaking them in water with lemon juice or lime juice. However, none of the fruits listed on the recipe card are prone to browning.
• The sugar syrup will begin drawing out the natural juices in the fruits, so avoid tossing in the dressing too soon or storing leftovers for too long.
• Let the dressing cool completely before adding it to the fruit.
• Garnish with fresh herbs. Fresh mint pairs well with citrus, and fresh basil is great with berries.
• Chill the fruit salad for at least one hour so the flavors meld together. Add a little extra texture and sweetness with some mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries, or toasted coconut mixed into your fruit salad. Top with Whipped Cream or Cool Whip.

Make ahead of time. Make this salad up to one day in advance. Let the fresh fruit salad chill in the fridge overnight, or until you’re ready to serve it. Do not add the dressing until closer to serving.

Store. Store leftover best fruit salad recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Freezing is not ideal; thawed leftovers will be mushy and unappetizing. However, frozen fruit can be placed in a freezer Ziploc bag and added to your smoothies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 98kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0.3g, Saturated Fat: 0.04g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 236mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 104IU, Vitamin C: 37mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

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

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This recipe was first shared June, 2019.