This stunning summer fruit salad is a must-have for any barbecue, picnic, or 4th of July celebration. Made with gorgeous, perfectly ripe summer berries, grapes, bananas, pineapple, and a mouthwatering medley of other fruits soaked in a tangy, sweet citrus glaze.
Its bright, sweet flavor will refresh your palate in between helpings of barbecue – perfect as a side dish or as a light, summery dessert. Of course, you can customize this easy fruit salad however you like. Mix in your favorite fruits or add a secret ingredient or two (like fresh chopped herbs) to really wow your guests.
This fruit salad is super easy to customize. You can use any combination of fresh fruit. This particular recipe calls for blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, bananas, oranges, and grapes, but feel free to use whatever fruits are in season that you'll enjoy the most.
To make your summer fruit salad from scratch, start by making the sweet-tart citrus dressing. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, lemon, and orange zest into a pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then once the mixture is boiling, lower it to a simmer.
Cook the glaze for 5 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Take the pot off the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Put the pot off to the side to allow the glaze to cool. To build your salad, arrange the fruit in a clear glass bowl – part of the appeal of a summer fruit salad is the beautiful way it looks!
Try layering the fruits in this order: pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, oranges, grapes, and blueberries. It'll give a lovely variation of color and textures. Finally, pour the cooled citrus dressing over the top of the salad. Wrap it in cling film and place it in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours, then serve, and enjoy!.
Uses the freshest fruit you can find to make your fruit salad.
The secret to a phenomenal summer fruit salad is to use a variety of different colors, textures, and flavors so that each bite is bursting with juicy flavor and a combo of crunchy and soft fruit.
For more crunch, add some pomegranate seeds.
For a fresher flavor, add in some chopped mint or slices of cucumber. Other herbs like thyme and rosemary would be lovely as well.
For a creamy dressing, mix the fruit with Greek yogurt, Cool Whip, or sour cream.
Melons are always wonderful in a fruit salad. Cantaloupe and honeydew are especially good.
You can pour some condensed milk over the top for a sweet creamy fruit salad.
For a more tropical fruit salad, add in mango, dragon fruit, lychee, papaya, mangosteen, and passion fruit.
Enjoy your summer fruit salad with a dollop of yogurt or Cool Whip as a light dessert, or enjoy it as a side dish with your main meal. It's amazing as a side with grilled chicken, barbecue ribs, grilled shrimp skewers, grilled pork chops, fried chicken, and pasta salad – anything you might summer at a backyard picnic or barbecue.
Wrap and chill the salad in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Put the orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, lemon, and orange zest into a pot.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, lower to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until it thickens slightly.
Take the pot off the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Leave to cool.
Arrange the fruit in a clear glass bowl in the following order: pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, oranges, grapes, and finally, blueberries.
Pour the citrus dressing over the top of the fruit.
Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours, then serve.
You can make your summer fruit salad up to one day in advance.