As a healthy smoothie lover, I always have several types of fruit in my kitchen. On those times I don’t get around to using it all (or freezing it for later), a healthy homemade fruit salad has become my go-to to avoid waste. It helps that it takes minutes to throw together, too, and is endlessly adaptable to what fruits you have available. This time, I’ve combined simple but delicious fresh fruits like pineapple, kiwi, grapes, and several types of berries in the best sweet and tangy yet light honey lime dressing for fruit salad. It’s a dish that’s super juicy and refreshing with a satisfying mix of texture, color, and flavor. It’s the perfect fresh, vibrant, and healthy addition to practically any get-together, as crowd-pleasing as tanghulu (candied fruit), healthy fruit popsicles, and fruit and yogurt parfaits. This easy fruit salad is also perfect for encouraging the entire family to eat more fruit (and consume a heap of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals!). Looking for more ways to enjoy fruit this summer? Check out my recipes for simple watermelon salsa, pineapple cucumber salad, and an easy fruit punch.
What goes in a fruit salad?
The fruit you use in a homemade fruit salad is entirely up to you. For this salad, I used a combination of fruits that are often available all year long:
Berries: I used a combination of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries for different flavors and textures. Grapes: Use green or red grapes – I prefer seedless ones. Kiwi: Make sure they’re ripe; otherwise, they won’t be sweet enough. Pineapple: If pineapple isn’t in season, canned pineapple will work, too.
The Fruit Salad Dressing
Honey: I use raw honey. Dandelion honey (vegan), maple syrup, or agave also work. Lime: Use unwaxed lime, as you’ll need lime juice and zest. Lemon juice will also work. Apple cider vinegar: This adds extra depth to the acidity and tang.
For more flavor, optionally add a small amount of minced ginger, salt, a dash of cinnamon, vanilla extract, and/or finely ribboned mint leaves. Add a tablespoon of poppy seeds for crunch.
Other Fresh Fruit Salad Fruits
The combinations are practically endless based on season and flavor preference. Other fruits you could experiment with include:
Citrus: You can use whatever in-season seedless citrus. I.e., tangerines, mandarin oranges, clementines, oranges, grapefruit, etc. Peel the segments for the best texture. Apples: Sweet (like Gala or Fuji) or tart (Braeburn or Granny Smith) for a crisp crunch. Pears: Any kind, thinly sliced. Pomegranate: Deseed it yourself or buy just the seeds. Banana: If you want to add banana, I recommend only slicing it (around ½-inch thick) into the salad right before serving, as it doesn’t store particularly well. Melon: Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, etc., depending on what’s in season. Mango: When ripe and in-season for the best flavor. Learn how to peel mango here. Stone fruit: i.e., peaches, nectarines, plums, etc.
If using fruits that oxidize quickly (like apples, pears, bananas, peaches, etc.), brush/toss them with lemon, lime, orange, or pineapple juice and add them just before serving.
How to Make Fruit Salad
First, wash and thoroughly dry the fruits (be careful not to squash the berries). If you don’t dry the fruits properly, the salad may spoil faster. Then, peel, core, and chop the pineapple, peel (optional – I don’t always) and chop the kiwi, and de-stem and slice the strawberries. Then transfer them to a large bowl. Next, zest and juice the lime and combine it in a small bowl or jar with the honey and apple cider vinegar. Whisk well. Pour the fruit salad dressing over the fruit and toss gently to combine. Enjoy the fruit salad alone, with a dollop of vanilla yogurt, whipped cream/coconut cream, a scoop of ice cream, and/or a sprinkle of chopped nuts (walnuts, pistachios, almonds, pecans, etc.).
Should I refrigerate the fruit salad before serving?
While it’s not necessary to chill it first, fruit salad will taste even better when you chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or two before serving. Not only will it be even more refreshing, but this allows time for all the flavors to marinate and meld.
How to keep fruit salad fresh?
If you don’t plan to consume it immediately, transfer the homemade fruit salad to an airtight container in a refrigerator as quickly as possible after preparing it. Make sure to never leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours. In general, fruit salad will start to go mushy after about 24 hours. However, it may last up to 4 days in total. If you want to keep the fruit salad as fresh as possible, you can prepare the fruit and honey lime dressing and store them all in separate containers for 3-4 days, ready to assemble.
Other fruity dessert recipes
Easy peach crumble Quick and easy blueberry bread Fresh rhubarb crisp Southern-style fried apples
If you try this easy fruit salad recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
