How to Make Fruit Salad

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Fruit salad is a classic potluck contribution for a reason. It's easy to mix together a variety of fruits that will make a refreshing, flavorful side or dessert. For a fast fruit salad, mix strawberries, peaches, and berries with a little lemon juice, honey, and vinegar. If you'd like more of a syrupy salad, combine tropical fruits with an easy citrus-honey dressing. To make a creamy fruit salad that makes a light dessert, beat cream cheese with mayonnaise, sugar, and Greek yogurt. Then coat pieces of fruit in the creamy mixture and enjoy!

Ingredients

Quick and Easy Fruit Salad^{[1]
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1 pound (450 g) of strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
3 medium peaches, thinly sliced
1 cup (100 g) of blueberries
1 tablespoon (2 g) of fresh, chopped basil or mint
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of maple syrup or honey
2 teaspoons (9.9 ml) of balsamic vinegar

Makes about 6 servings

Fruit Salad with Citrus-Honey Dressing^{[2]
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1 small fresh pineapple (or ½ of a large one)
1 mango
1 peach
1 nectarine
¹⁄₂ pound (230 g) of strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 cups (300 g) of fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon (2 g) of finely chopped or julienned fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of honey
1 teaspoon (2 g) of orange zest
1 teaspoon (2 g) of lime zest
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh-squeezed orange juice
¹⁄₂ tablespoon (7.4 ml) of fresh lime juice

Makes about 6 servings

Creamy Fruit Salad^{[3]
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3 tablespoons (45 g) of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (70 g) of plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (58 g) of mayonnaise
1/4 cup (25 g) of granulated sugar
4 sweet apples
1 cup (150 g) of green grapes
1 cup (150 g) of red grapes
1 8-ounce (227 g) can of pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained
1 11-ounce (300 g) can of mandarin oranges, drained

Makes about 8 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Quick and Easy Fruit Salad

1
Cut the strawberries and peaches into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) slices. Rinse 1 pound (450 g) of hulled strawberries and 3 medium peaches. Then use a paring knife to cut the fruit into thin, even slices.
- If you can't find ripe peaches, substitute plums, loquats, or nectarines.
2
Toss the strawberries, peaches, blueberries, and basil together. Scoop the sliced strawberries and peaches into a serving bowl. Add 1 cup (100 g) of blueberries and 1 tablespoon (2 g) of fresh, chopped basil or mint. Use salad tongs or 2 large spoons to gently mix the fruit.
- If you prefer, use blackberries or raspberries instead of the blueberries.
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3
Pour the lemon juice, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar on the fruit. You'll need 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of maple syrup or honey, and 2 teaspoons (9.9 ml) of balsamic vinegar.
- The balsamic vinegar will give the fruit salad a slight tangy flavor. For a milder flavor, leave it out.
4
Mix the fruit salad and serve it immediately. Toss the fruit with the liquids until the fruit is coated. You can serve the fruit salad immediately or chill it until you're ready to eat. Refrigerate the fruit salad for up to 2 days.
- Keep in mind that the fruit salad will soften and liquid will pool in the bottom of the dish the longer it's stored.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Fruit Salad with Citrus-Honey Dressing

1
Squeeze the juices into a bowl with honey and citrus zest. Grate 1 teaspoon (2 g) of orange zest and 1 teaspoon (2 g) of lime zest into a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of honey,2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh-squeezed orange juice, and ¹⁄₂ tablespoon (7.4 ml) of fresh lime juice. Whisk until the dressing is combined.
- If you prefer, substitute agave for the honey.
2
Cut the pineapple, mango, peach, and nectarine into pieces. Remove the core from a pineapple and cut it into wedges or bite-sized chunks. You'll also need to peel a peach and mango before you cut them into bite-sized pieces. You can leave the peel on the nectarine before you cut it. Transfer the chopped fruit to a serving bowl.
- If you'd like a cold fruit salad, ensure that the fruit is chilled before you cut it or refrigerate the cut fruit for 30 minutes before you serve it.
3
Cut strawberries and add them to the bowl along with blueberries. Trim the stems from ¹⁄₂ pound (230 g) of strawberries and then cut each berry into 4 equal pieces. Put these in the serving bowl with the fruit and add 3 cups (300 g) of fresh blueberries.
- If you don't want quartered strawberries, slice them thinly or leave small berries whole.
4
Toss the fruit with the dressing and mint. Pour the citrus honey dressing over the fruit and use 2 large spoons to gently mix the fruit with the citrus honey dressing. Serve the fruit salad immediately.
- You can refrigerate the leftover fruit salad for up to 2 days, but it will soften and become wetter the longer it's stored.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creamy Fruit Salad

1
Beat the cream cheese, yogurt, mayonnaise, and sugar. Put 3 tablespoons (45 g) of cream cheese into the serving bowl and add 1/4 cup (70 g) of plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup (58 g) of mayonnaise, and 1/4 cup (25 g) of granulated sugar. Beat the creamy mixture with a wooden spoon or hand mixture until it's completely smooth.
- It's important to use softened cream cheese. If the cream cheese is still cold, the creamy mixture will have small lumps in it.
2
Chop the apples and cut the grapes in half. Remove the cores from 4 sweet apples and cut each apple into bite-sized pieces. Put 1 cup (150 g) of red grapes and 1 cup (150 g) of green grapes on the cutting board. Carefully slice each grape in half.
- For sweet apples, use Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Delicious, or Pink Lady.
- To quickly and easily cut grapes in half, place them between plastic container lids of the same size. Then, simply hold down the plastic lids and slice!
3
Mix the apples, grapes, and pineapple with the creamy mixture. Put the chopped apples and grape halves into the bowl with the creamy mixture. Then add the 8-ounce (227 g) can of drained pineapple. Use a large spoon to stir the fruit salad so the fruit is completely coated.
- Discard the pineapple juice from the can, drink it, or use it in another recipe.
4
Toss in the mandarin oranges and serve the creamy fruit salad. Drain an 11-ounce (300 g) can of mandarin oranges and add the fruit to the salad. Use a rubber spatula to very carefully mix them into the fruit salad so they don't burst. Then serve the fruit salad.
- While you can refrigerate the creamy fruit salad for up to a day, avoid storing leftovers because the apples will brown and the creamy mixture will liquefy.

Recipe Ideas

Fruit Pairings for Fruit Salads

Community Q&A

Question

Will the fruit salad taste good with any fruit, like mango or pomegranate?

Community Answer

You can add practically any type of fruit that suits your fancy. Some people even like to add a sweet cream or yogurt into the salad for a little different taste.
Question

Can I substitute other fruit?

PrincessCutieFuz26

Community Answer

Yes! Just make sure the fruit you swap in is in the same category. For example, if you want to substitute something for a tropical fruit salad, choose another tropical fruit (pineapple, kiwi, etc.).
Question

Can I add peak milk to the fruit salad?

Community Answer

You could add peak milk, but it might not taste good. It is your choice. Don’t add too much, otherwise you won’t be able to taste the fruit. Milk might not make it very refreshing if it is warm.