The Best Fruit Salad – A Beautiful Mess

This is the most delicious fruit salad I have ever had. The honey citrus dressing makes it sweet and slightly tart at the same time.

It’s the perfect salad for a summer brunch or picnic. My kids and I ate the entire bowl in one day!

Fruit Salad Ingredients:

Strawberries
Grapes
Raspberries
Banana
Pineapple
Oranges
Blackberries
Kiwi

Fruit Salad Dressing Ingredients:

Orange juice
Honey
Grated Orange Zest
Grated Lime Zest
Lime Juice
Vanilla Extract

Fruit Salad Dressing:

In a bowl, mix together the orange juice, honey, grated orange zest, grated lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk the ingredients together until the honey is fully dissolved.

How to Assemble Fruit Salad:

You can make this recipe several hours before serving, but if you have any fruits that brown easily (bananas, apples), don’t cut them until just before serving. Save aside a few of your prettiest fruits (I like the berries and kiwi) to layer on the top after the fruit is mixed.

Chop all your fruits into bite-size pieces. Add them to a large bowl and mix.

Add the dressing to the fruit salad. Be sure there is not any extra dressing sitting at the bottom of the bowl. If there is, drain it out.

Refrigerate before serving. It’s ideal to assemble the salad one to two hours before serving to let the flavors mingle.

Tips for Making:

Use whatever fruit you have on hand. Feel free to make swaps for seasonal fruits and customize it to your preferences.
Do not skip the dressing! The dressing makes this recipe and it’s worth the effort—I promise!
You can make your salad up to four hours before serving, but if you use any fruits that brown easily (like bananas or apples), save them for last.

Serving Suggestions/Goes Great With:

Browse our recipe archives to find more delicious recipes to go with this summer fruit salad!

FAQ:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen fruit?

I recommend fresh fruit for this recipe whenever possible.

Can I make this recipe the night before?

You can make it a few hours before. I wouldn’t recommend doing it the night before because my strawberries were a little soggy the next day.

How long can I store leftovers in the fridge?

3-4 days at the most. I recommend eating it as quickly as possible.

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Get the Recipe

A recipe for classic fruit salad. The citrus honey dressing makes the flavors bright and delicious.

Instructions

For the Dressing:

In a bowl, mix together the orange juice, honey, grated orange zest, grated lime zest, lime juice and vanilla extract.
Whisk the ingredients together until the honey is fully dissolved.

For the Fruit Salad:

In a large bowl, add cut fruit and dressing and mix well. If there is any extra dressing sitting at the bottom of the bowl, drain it.
Chill for up to four hours before serving.

Notes

Use whatever fruit you have on hand. Feel free to make swaps for seasonal fruits and customize it to your preferences.
Do not skip the dressing! The dressing makes this recipe and it’s worth the effort-I promise!
You can make your salad ahead of time, but if you use any fruits that brown easily (like bananas or apples) or fruits that get soggy, add them last.