If you're looking for the best fresh fruit salad, this easy recipe is one you'll want to make time and time again! Full of grapes, nectarines, banana, mango, kiwi, strawberries, oranges, and pineapple, it is incredibly bright and refreshing! This easy, classic fruit salad recipe features a made-from-scratch honey citrus fruit sauce that just screams summertime!
The Best Summer Fruit Salad Recipe
A great fresh fruit salad is a summertime staple. Whether you're at a BBQ, picnic, or potluck, you can bet that a bowl of fruit salad is going to make an appearance.
This chilled fruit salad includes a sweet honey sauce with hints of vanilla and citrus that compliments the variety of fresh fruits wonderfully! It's cool, refreshing, and will make a wonderful addition to any summer menu!
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🥘 Ingredients
It should come as no surprise that the fruit is the star of the show here. The fresher your produce the better!
Fresh Fruit
- Red Grapes – 1 cup.
- Green Grapes – 1 cup.
- Bananas – 2 bananas, sliced.
- Nectarines – 2 nectarines, peeled and sectioned.
- Mango – 1 mango, cubed.
- Kiwis – 3-4 kiwis, peeled and sliced.
- Mandarin Oranges – 3-4 oranges, peeled and sectioned.
- Pineapple – ½ pineapple, peel removed and cut into cubes.
There are so many other fruits that you can choose to add to your fruit salad, based on seasonality and availability. Choose whatever you love, and that is FRESH!
Add blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, apricots, plumkots, apples, or pears.
Fruit Sauce
- Honey – 2 tablespoons (*see note).
- Lemon Juice – 2 tablespoons from your zested lemon.
- Lemon Zest – From 1 large lemon.
- Vanilla Extract - ½ a teaspoon.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
🔪 How To Make Simple Fresh Fruit Salad
There is absolutely no cooking involved in this recipe, it is super simple! You'll need a knife and cutting board for slicing fruit, a large and small mixing bowl, and a whisk.
- Make sauce. In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, lemon zest from 1 large lemon, and ½ a teaspoon of vanilla. Whisk lightly to combine. Set aside and allow the ingredients to marry as you cut your fruit.
- Combine fruit. After cutting your fruit, add them all to a large serving or mixing bowl (1 cup red grapes, 1 cup green grapes, 2 bananas, 2 nectarines, 1 mango, 3-4 kiwis, 3-4 mandarin oranges, ½ a pineapple). Pour the honey sauce over all of the fruit and toss lightly until the fruit and sauce are evenly distributed.
- Chill and serve. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or foil and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 2-4 hours, toss lightly once more before serving.
A simple fruit salad goes with just about anything! You can't go wrong with summer classics like cheese burgers or BBQ ribs!
No matter what you choose, a side of fresh fruit salad will only make it better. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Add more honey as needed to thicken the sauce (or to taste), if desired.
- You should have roughly 1-2 cups of each fruit type (if you prefer to buy cut fruit).
- When making the fruit sauce, other citrus fruit juice, pineapple juice, and orange zest are also tasty and can be used in place of lemon.
- If cutting your fruit in advance, wait until you are ready to serve to add the bananas. They turn mushy quickly in the fridge.
- Storing: In an airtight container, leftover fresh fruit salad will last for 1-2 days, it is best fresh!
🍍 More Great Salad Recipes!
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📋 Recipe
Fruit Salad
Ingredients
Fruit Sauce
- 2 tablespoon honey (*see note)
- 1 large lemon (zested and juiced, use 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh Fruit
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 cup green grapes
- 2 large bananas (peeled and sliced)
- 2 large nectarines (or white nectarines, pit removed and cut into cubes)
- 1 large mango (peeled and cubed)
- 3-4 kiwis (peeled, sliced, cut into chunks)
- 3-4 mandarin oranges (peeled and sectioned)
- ½ pineapple (peel and core removed, cut into cubes)
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Whisk lightly to combine. Set aside and allow the ingredients to marry as you cut your fruit.2 tablespoon honey, 1 large lemon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- After cutting your fruit, add them all to a large serving bowl or mixing bowl. Pour the honey fruit sauce over all of the fruit and toss lightly until everything is thoroughly combined.1 cup red grapes, 1 cup green grapes, 2 large bananas, 2 large nectarines, 1 large mango, 3-4 kiwis, 3-4 mandarin oranges, ½ pineapple
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 2-4 hours, toss lightly once more before serving.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- Add more honey as needed to thicken the sauce (or to taste), if desired.
- You should have roughly 1-2 cups of each fruit type (if you prefer to buy cut fruit).
- When making the fruit sauce, other citrus fruit juice, pineapple juice, and orange zest are also tasty and can be used in place of lemon.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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