This easy Fruit Salad is made with fresh fruit and a simple honey lime dressing. It takes about 15 minutes, feeds 10, and is one of my kids’ favorite side dishes.
After more than 14 years of writing recipes and feeding 8 kids, I still love how easy homemade fruit salad is to customize. I can use the ripest fruit, shop what is on sale, and make a side dish my whole family enjoys.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Ready in 15 minutes. Just wash, slice, and toss.
- Budget friendly. It costs about $1.81 per serving.
- Simple dressing. Honey and lime add fresh flavor.
- Great for a crowd. Easy to double or triple.
- Easy to customize. Use whatever fruit is in season or on sale.
The Easy Honey Lime Dressing
This dressing is just fresh lime juice and honey whisked together. It adds a little sweetness and a little tang that makes the fruit taste brighter. This dressing is easy to customize depending on the fruit that you use.
If you prefer a creamy salad, toss the fruit with vanilla yogurt or whipped topping instead, or try our Cheesecake Fruit Salad Recipe.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- Red Grapes (approximately 3 cups) – Seedless grapes are one of the most affordable fruits. We like to halve the large ones.
- Fresh Pineapple (diced) – A whole pineapple is usually cheaper than pre-cut. Pick one that smells sweet at the base.
- Fresh Strawberries (sliced) – Look for bright red berries
- Fresh Blueberries and Fresh Blackberries – You can add extra of whichever one is on sale
- Kiwi (peeled and sliced) – Ripe kiwi gives slightly when you press it
For the Dressing:
- Lime (juiced) – Fresh lime juice tastes brighter than bottled
- Honey – Use any kind
How to Make the Best Fruit Salad Recipe
Step 1 – Prepare Fruit – Prepare the fruit by washing them and cutting them. Then place all the fruit except for the kiwi in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2 – Combine Dressing Ingredients – Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 3 – Mix dressing with fruit – Drizzle the dressing over the bowl of fruit. Then gently toss the fruit to coat it with the dressing mixture.
Step 4 – Serve and Enjoy – Then stir in the kiwi. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Can you Make Fruit Salad Ahead of Time?
- The night before: Wash, dry, and cut the fruit. Store them together in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep the blueberries and blackberries whole and unwashed until the morning.
- The morning of: Rinse and dry the berries and add them to the container.
- Right before serving: Slice the kiwi, whisk the dressing, and toss everything together. Adding the dressing and kiwi last keeps the fruit from getting soft and juicy too soon.
Expert Tips
- Bananas – We love bananas in our fruit salad, but they can turn brown quickly. If you want to add them to your fruit salad, add them right before serving.
- Apples – We love chopped apples in our salad. But if your prefer to add the apples to your salad. Make sure to prepare them to ensure they do not turn brown.
- Dry Fruit – After washing and cutting fruit, make sure it has dried before combining everything together. You do not want the extra moisture in with the fruit.
- Fruit – When purchasing fruit, make sure it is all ripe. You make need to purchase pineapple and mangoes a few days prior to make this fruit salad.
- Serving – This fruit salad is delicious topped with whipped cream for delicious flavor. You can even add in chopped nuts.
Can I use Frozen Fruit?
Frozen fruit will not work in this recipe. Once the frozen fruit thaws it will become soft and mushy. We recommend sticking with fresh fruit in this recipe.
What can I add to Fruit Salad
Fruit Salad can be made with many different types of fruit. We love to add all different colors including reds, blues, and greens. These are some of my favorite options.
- Cantaloupe
- Mandarin Oranges
- Slices Peaches
- Different Types of Berries
- Pears
- Maraschino Cherries
- Mini Marshmallows
- Coconut
- Pomegranate
- Pineapple Tidbits
- Orange Segments
What to Serve with Fruit Salad?
Fruit salad is an easy side dish to serve as side dish with breakfast, lunch or dinner. These are some of my favorite recipes to serve with fruit salad.
- Grilled Chicken – This recipe has a very simple blend of seasonings but the results are fabulous. The marinade is really yummy and the entire family will love this chicken. It makes the perfect grilled recipe to serve at your summer BBQ’s.
- Pork Chops – We love cooking pork chops. They really make an easy dinner idea. They are easy to cook rather you are grilling them, baking or putting them in your crockpot. These pork chops come out so juicy and tender and everyone loves them.
- Grilled Steaks Kabobs – Our entire family loves this grilled steak kabobs recipe. It has the best marinade and even the veggies take on the best flavor. I love that everything is on the grill and my kitchen stays cool.
- Chicken Caesar Wrap – We love serving this wrap with Fruit Salad for a light side dish.
- Paula Deen Breakfast Casserole Recipe – Make a complete meal and serve this casserole with fruit salad.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days. The fruit will release juice as it sits, so give it a stir or drain some of the liquid before serving again.
Don’t let it go to waste: If your leftovers are getting soft, blend them into a smoothie, spoon over yogurt or oatmeal, or freeze them in popsicle molds for an easy snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s still delicious with just the fruit. The honey lime dressing adds a little sweetness and tang, so we recommend it if you have a lime on hand.
Apples, pears, and bananas brown quickly after they are cut. Add bananas right before serving, and toss apples and pears with lime juice as soon as you cut them.
Plan on about 1 cup per person. This recipe makes 10 servings.
You can mix a drained can of pineapple or mandarin oranges in with the fresh fruit to stretch it. Pat the canned fruit dry first so the salad doesn’t get watery.
More Easy Salad Recipes to Try
Fruit Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 pound Red Grapes approximately 3 cups
- 2 cups Fresh Pineapple diced
- 1 pound Strawberries sliced
- 6 ounces Fresh Blueberries
- 6 ounces Fresh Blackberries
- 3 Kiwi peeled and sliced
For the Dressing:
- 1 Lime juiced
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Wash all of the fruit thoroughly and pat dry.
- Slice the grapes in half if they are large. Dice the pineapple into bite-size pieces, slice the strawberries, and peel and slice the kiwi.
- Add the grapes, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries to a large serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lime juice and honey until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the fruit and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Fold in the sliced kiwi just before serving to help keep it from becoming too soft.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The fruit will release juices as it sits but will still be delicious.
- If preparing ahead of time, combine all of the fruit except the kiwi and refrigerate. Add the kiwi and the honey-lime dressing just before serving for the freshest flavor and texture.
