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Fruit Salad is the easiest, prettiest side dish of the whole summer, a big bowl of juicy tropical fruit tossed in a bright honey lime dressing that pulls every bite together. I make a giant batch for every cookout and the girls always sneak the mango pieces before it even hits the table. It is the perfect partner for a pitcher of our homemade limeade.
With sweet melon, pineapple, mango, and a handful of berries, this colorful fruit salad comes together in about 30 minutes and disappears even faster.
Fruit Salad Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 198kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, juicy, and refreshing with a bright honey citrus dressing
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, no cooking required, as simple as stirring up our copycat frosted lemonade
Quick Answer
To make the best fruit salad, dice a mix of cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, pineapple, mango, and kiwi and add them to a big bowl with drained mandarin oranges. Whisk together honey, a little orange syrup, fresh lime juice, and lime zest, then pour it over the fruit and toss gently. Fold in delicate blueberries and raspberries right before serving so they stay whole, and serve chilled.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The honey lime dressing ties it together. A simple drizzle of honey, lime juice, and zest adds just enough sweet-tart flavor to make ordinary fruit taste special.
- A mix of textures keeps it interesting. Soft melon, juicy pineapple, creamy mango, and tender kiwi give every spoonful something different to enjoy.
- Adding berries last keeps them pretty. Folding in the blueberries and raspberries at the very end stops them from bleeding and keeps the salad bright and colorful.
- Mandarin orange syrup adds natural sweetness. Reserving a little syrup from the canned mandarins gives the dressing extra citrus flavor without any extra sugar.
- It is completely no cook. There is zero cooking involved, just chopping and tossing, so it is the perfect easy side for a hot summer day.
- It feeds a crowd. This big, colorful bowl stretches to serve a whole cookout and looks gorgeous on any table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is bright, juicy, and refreshing, the kind of side dish that makes a whole plate feel like summer.
- It comes together with no cooking at all, so it is perfect next to grilled mains and a batch of our ham and cheese sliders.
- It is endlessly customizable with whatever fruit looks best, and it always disappears first at potlucks and barbecues.
Key Ingredients
A rainbow of fresh fruit and a simple three ingredient dressing are all you need. Here are the stars of this fruit salad.
- Melon trio: Diced cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon form the juicy, refreshing base of the salad.
- Pineapple and mango: These tropical fruits add bright sweetness and a soft, almost creamy texture.
- Kiwi and mandarin oranges: Tender kiwi rounds and sweet canned mandarins add tang and pretty pops of color.
- Blueberries and raspberries: Delicate berries add a fresh burst of flavor and are folded in last to keep them whole.
- Honey lime dressing: Honey, reserved orange syrup, fresh lime juice, and zest whisk into a bright dressing that coats every bite.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This fruit salad is endlessly flexible, so make it your own:
- Swap the fruit: Use whatever is in season, like strawberries, grapes, peaches, blackberries, or oranges.
- Add a creamy twist: Fold in a little vanilla yogurt or a splash of coconut milk for a richer fruit salad.
- Add fresh herbs: A little chopped mint or basil makes the salad taste extra fresh and bright.
- Make it a dessert: Spoon it over pound cake or pair it with our lemon blueberry trifle for a sweet finish.
How to Make Fruit Salad
- Add the diced cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, drained mandarin oranges, pineapple, mango, and kiwi to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, reserved mandarin orange syrup, fresh lime juice, and lime zest until smooth.
- Pour the honey citrus dressing over the fruit and gently toss to coat everything evenly.
- Right before serving, carefully fold in the blueberries and raspberries so they stay whole and do not bleed into the salad.
- Serve the fruit salad right away, or cover and chill until ready. Give it a gentle stir before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Dice the fruit evenly, into similar bite-sized pieces so every spoonful has a little of everything.
- Drain the mandarin oranges well, but save a little syrup for the dressing to add extra citrus sweetness.
- Add the berries last, and fold them in gently so they stay whole and do not turn the salad pink.
- Serve it cold, chilling the fruit salad for a bit makes it even more refreshing on a hot day.
- Use ripe fruit, the sweeter and juicier your fruit, the better the salad will taste.
- Toss right before serving, for the freshest look and texture, especially if making ahead.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This tropical fruit salad is the ultimate summer side, perfect alongside grilled mains, our honey garlic chicken, or a tray of baked ham and cheese sliders. It brightens up any cookout, picnic, or potluck spread.
Serve it for breakfast or brunch with yogurt and granola, or spoon it over pancakes and waffles. It is also wonderful next to our lemon chicken foil packets for an easy, fresh weeknight dinner.
For dessert, layer the fruit salad in pretty glasses with whipped cream, or serve it over pound cake or ice cream. However you serve it, this colorful bowl of fruit is always a hit.
Fruit Salad FAQs
You can prep fruit salad up to a day ahead. Dice the firmer fruits like melon, pineapple, and mango and store them covered in the fridge. Wait to add the dressing and the delicate berries until closer to serving so everything stays fresh and the berries keep their shape and color.
To keep fruit salad from getting watery, drain canned fruit well and add juicy berries last. Toss the salad just before serving rather than letting it sit dressed for hours. If you are making it ahead, store the fruit and dressing separately and combine them right before the meal.
A tropical fruit salad usually features pineapple, mango, and kiwi along with juicy melons like cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. Mandarin oranges and fresh berries round it out. Feel free to add other favorites like grapes, strawberries, or peaches depending on what is in season.
Fruit salad keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about two to three days. The melons and pineapple hold up best, while berries soften fastest. Give it a gentle stir before serving leftovers, and drain off any extra juice that has collected at the bottom.
No, but the honey lime dressing really makes this fruit salad special. The honey adds sweetness and the lime brings a bright tang that balances all the sweet fruit. If you prefer, you can skip it and let the natural juices be the dressing, or use just a squeeze of fresh lime.
Absolutely. The melons, pineapple, mango, kiwi, and mandarin oranges make a beautiful fruit salad all on their own. Berries add color and a fresh pop, but you can leave them out or swap in grapes or diced apple if you prefer something sturdier that holds up longer.
Planning a summer spread? Pair this fruit salad with our homemade limeade and candied grapes next.
Add our mandarin orange salad to your next potluck or holiday table.
Tropical Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups medium diced cantaloupe
- 1 & 1/2 cups medium diced honeydew
- 1 & 1/2 cups medium diced watermelon
- 15 ounce can mandarin oranges in syrup drained, syrup reserved
- 1 cup medium diced pineapple
- 2 mangoes medium diced
- 5 kiwi skin removed and sliced into rounds
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup reserved mandarin orange syrup
- 2 tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed
- zest of 1 lime
Instructions
- Place the cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, drained oranges, pineapple, mangoes, and kiwis in a big bowl.
- Whisk together the honey, orange syrup, lime juice, and zest in a small bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss to combine.
- If you are going to make this ahead of time, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Because of the fruit, this dish has a high water content. For best results, stir it well and then add the blueberries and raspberries. Carefully toss not to break up the berries, and serve immediately.
Notes
- This makes a large batch, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- Great for a make-ahead appetizer or side dish.
- Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces for easier eating.
- The best way to prevent the berries from breaking and staining the salad, add them just before serving.
- If making beforehand, toss the salad with the dressing just before serving for the freshest taste.
- Adjust the amount of honey in the dressing to your taste.
- Try to use ripe fruits for the best and sweetest flavor.
- If you prefer a more citrusy dressing, feel free to add more lime juice or zest.
Nutrition
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