Summer Fruit Salad is so simple and easy to make with the very best dressing to keep this salad from turning brown! This fruit salad recipe is flavorful, fresh, and sweet!
What Does a Fruit Salad Contain?
This recipe uses our favorite combination of fruits, but you can always swap out for what is in season, or what you have on hand! I like to use a mixture of strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, peaches, grapes, and oranges.
What is Fruit Salad Dressing Made of?
The dressing is a simple mixture of orange juice, lemon juice, and honey! It is light, fresh, and just sweet enough to add a little something extra.
This fruit salad recipe is almost embarrassingly easy to make! But, we love it so much and it’s something that I have enjoyed every year since my grandmother, and mother both always made it too! Sometimes we need a simple recipe, especially during the summer when it’s just too hot to cook! I call this summer fruit salad, but it really can be made year round. It’s perfect, slightly tangy and never overwhelmingly sweet. Also, if you’re grilling soon, this salad is perfect served with our Grilled Chicken Thighs!
Best Fruits to Use:
- Bananas: Swap these out for a couple of your favorite chopped apples if you don’t like them!
- Blueberries: Raspberries or blackberries work great here. Or, you can just add extra strawberries.
- Peaches: If you don’t have these, use nectarines, plums, or even small cubes of watermelon!
- Kiwi and Grapes: You could sub in sliced up pears, or even pitted summer sweet cherries for either of these.
- Oranges: I just use navel oranges. You can use tangerines, fresh or canned pineapple, or sub in a regular sized can of mandarine oranges instead.
How Long Does Fruit Salad Last?
Our special dressing of honey, orange, and lime, contains enough citrus to keep this from turning brown so fast! Once mixed up, I do think it’s generally best to eat this salad within about 3-4 days. If you don’t eat it quickly enough it turns brown-ish and the fruit starts to break down and become a little mushy. If you want to make this ahead and have it look its very best, then I’d suggest making no more than 8-10 hours in advance. The bananas are usually the biggest concern for turning brown. You can always leave them out and then just slice and add them closer to the time you are ready to serve. The same goes with using fruits like apples or pears.
A Few Recipe Notes:
- You will want to make sure you add some citrus to this recipe, it helps keep the fruits from turning brown. I prefer a combo of fresh orange and lime juice for the best flavor.
- You only need 1 Tablespoon total of orange juice for this salad and it is ok to use a bottle of OJ if that’s what you have instead of fresh.
- For the lemon juice you can swap with lime if that is your preference. For either lemon or lime make sure to use fresh squeezed if you can. The bottled doesn’t taste as fresh.
- Note on bananas: Make sure that they are firm! Even a little green still on the peel if possible. Don’t use bananas that are starting to brown or they will fall apart in the salad.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Summer Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 2 Cups Sliced Strawberries
- 2 Cups Blueberries
- 2 Cups Grapes Cut in half
- 3 Kiwis Sliced and cut into chunks
- 2 Nectarines/Peaches Sliced
- 2 Bananas Sliced
- 2 Oranges Segmented and cut into chunks
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the honey, orange juice, and lime juice until well combined.
- Add the sliced Strawberries, blueberries, grapes, kiwi, nectarines, bananas, and oranges to the bowl.
- Gently stir with a large spoon until the fruit is well coated in dressing.
- Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. This salad is best eaten within 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It was delicious!
I love to eat salads like this! Such pretty and delicious rainbow food!
I absolutely love fruit salads in the summer time and this one is no exception. Especially with that delicious dressing!
Such a perfect salad for summer picnics and cookouts and great to keep on hand for a refreshing snack or breakfast!
Just give me that bowl and a big spoon and I’m in heaven. I love fruit and what you have in that summer fruit salad is exactly what I enjoy. A bit of cottage cheese on the side and that is the perfect lunch for me.
So fresh and inviting that I can’t wait to get to the store and get everything I need for it. Every fruit would be perfect in this weather. Can’t wait! 🙂
This fruit salad is so delicious and beautiful too! I almost didn’t want to serve it and just keep it as a centerpiece on the table!
Perfect! You can never go wrong with a delicious fruit salad! Its so colorful and who doesn’t love fruit?
This Summer Fruit Salad is my kind of Salad! Loving all those rainbow colors! Yum!
I love a recipe that can be used in multiple ways. This is great for breakfast, brunch, dessert or an afternoon snack.
Nothing beats fresh fruit, especially in the summer. So refreshing.