This fresh fruit salad recipe is easy to make and is packed with vitamin C from the mandarin oranges, green grapes, fresh strawberries and pineapple. Plus, the honey lime poppy seeds dressing is a perfect twist for those summery hot days!
This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate link supports The Mom Nutritionist at no additional cost to you. I receive a commission if you choose to make a purchase through these links.
The Best Fruit Salad Recipe
A couple of weeks ago, I hosted some friends and their families over for dinner. At first, it felt a little daunting to have 15 hungry kids and adults over for dinner, but it’s actually quite easy, thanks to several easy recipes for feeding a crowd, especially this one!
This easy fruit salad recipe uses some of my favorite fruits including fresh pineapple, green grapes, blueberries, and vibrant strawberries. This colorful salad also includes a dressing made from orange juice, honey, lime zest and poppy seeds which pairs perfectly with this fruit cocktail. This fruit salad recipe can be made for a crowd or sized down to individual portions. It is one of those go-to easy recipes that taste great day of or even the next day.
Here is a quick list of fruit combinations that work well and look beautiful together! Also, please feel free to use whatever fruit you have on hand. This recipe tastes good with most fruits (just beware of using fruit that gets mushy or discolors quickly).
Some delicious fruit combinations:
- cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries
- watermelon, cherries, and blackberries
- apples, mandarines, pear
Why You’ll Love This Easy Fruit Salad Recipe
- It’s perfect for all ages. This is one of those healthy recipes that everyone loves and enjoys.
- It is so versatile. You can’t go wrong with mixing up fruits to add to this crowd pleaser. It is easy to switch it up and use seasonal fruits which are the best fruits to use as they are freshest and full of flavor!
- Easy and quick. This is definitely one of those super easy recipes that are perfect for a crowd because it is quick and you can’t go wrong with it. It makes for a perfect healthy side dish or dessert.
- Loaded with vitamin C. The lime juice (or lemon juice) used is great for supporting your immune system and keeping you healthy and feeling your best which is important when you are having company over.
- Healthy. This recipe does not use cool whip or any ingredients high in sweeteners or fat. This recipe is light, fresh and bright.
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
- Large bowl. The first thing you’re going to need is a large bowl to fit in all the chopped fruit.
- Pineapple. Feel free to use canned fruits in this simple fruit salad if you do not have access to fresh fruit. However, make sure to drain canned fruit well as to not add liquids to the salad.
- Mandarin oranges. For best results, add contrasting colors in fruit salads because it makes the dish colorful and inviting to eat.
- Fresh orange juice. This recipe includes a little bit of orange juice to help sweeten the bright honey lime dressing.
- Seedless grapes. Purchase seedless grapes because seeds can make this recipe bitter.
- Strawberries. Strawberries should have a nice red color, no dark spots and no mold.
- Blueberries. Use those plump juicy blueberries as they tend to be sweeter.
- Limes – lemons work too.
How To Make This Colorful Fruit Salad
- Prepare fruit: chop all the fruit (except blueberries) and place them together in a big bowl.
- Make dressing: in a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, lime zest, orange juice and poppy seeds.Pour the dressing over the fruit.
- Toss fruit with dressing: gently mix together fruit and dressing. And done!
Tips for Making Delicious Fruit Salad Recipes
- Chop the fruit into small, bite-sized pieces. Chopping your fruit small makes it easier to toss in the dressing and easier to eat.
- Avoid fruits that can discolor or change texture. Because you’ll be tossing the fruit salad and keeping it exposed to air while chopping and serving, avoid fruits like raspberries or bananas that can get mushy or discolor quickly.
- Add nuts for a boost of healthy fats. You can add some pistachios or pine nuts for a boost of healthy fats and a delicious unexpected crunch.
- Stay away from fruit that people are unfamiliar with. This salad is meant to feed a crowd, so you want the ingredients to be something that most people will like.
Popular Substitutions and Additions
- Squeeze lemon juice on top. The acidity of lemons helps prevent the browning of fruits.
- Add bananas when serving. Even though I stay away from adding bananas to the tossed salad, you can add a few slices on top just before serving.
- Sweeten with honey or maple syrup. If this fruit salad tastes too tart, feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup to sweeten to your preference.
- Use coconut yogurt instead of cool whip for a beautiful presentation. If you like to add cool whip to your fruit salads, try adding coconut yogurt instead as this helps add protein and keeps this recipe healthy.
How to Store Fresh Fruit Salad
The easiest way to keep fruit salad fresh is to use an acidic juice. Orange juice and lemon juice are a great choice.
It is also best to store fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These air-tight containers create the perfect level of moisture and humidity for cut fruit, helping the pieces stay fresher for longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but you will need to protect the fruit from browning, or your fruit salad will quickly become mushy and unappetizing. To keep fruit fresh, you need to protect it from oxygen which can be hard to do with a fruit salad. Try to stay away from cutting the fruit too far in advance because the best fruit salads are the freshest. Some fruit is okay to be chopped up to one day in advance: such as oranges, apples, pears, kiwis, pineapples and mangoes. Other fruit like bananas should be sliced just before serving.
The ingredients in this recipe uses a number of fruit that can easily be found in a supermarket. Feel free to switch it up or add some other fruits including: peaches, blackberries, honey dew melon, kiwi, mango or whatever is in season.
Fruit salad should be okay in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, depending on how ripe the fruit was at the beginning. If your fruit platter starts to look mushy and brown, blend it up in a smoothie for a quick refreshing drink. But after the second day, it should be tossed out.
For best results, only use fresh fruit. Frozen fruit is mushy and watery once thawed.
You may also like:
- Healthy Snickers Overnight Oats (With Yogurt)
- Homemade Low Sodium Pizza Sauce Recipe (easy)
- TikTok Green Goddess Salad With Chicken (nut-free)
The Best Fruit Salad Recipe for a Crowd With Honey Lime
Ingredients
- 3 cups green seedless grapes halved
- 3 cups pineapple cubed
- 2 cups strawberries hulled and diced
- 3 small mandarin oranges
- 3 cups blueberries
Honey Lime Dressing
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp lime zest
- 1 1/2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- Place all the fruit together in a large bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, lime zest, orange juice and poppy seeds.
- Pour dressing over fruit and toss to evenly coat.
Notes
- You can use canned fruit. Drain well.
- Fruit can be chopped one day in advance. However, if you are using bananas, slice and add right before serving.
- Dressing can be made one day in advance. Do not toss with the fruit salad until ready to serve.