This salad packs all the goodness of summer into one dish.
If you’re looking for a salad that’s vibrant, fruity, beautiful and delicious, look no further than this salad. Serve it with the best ever potato salad, classic pasta salad, homemade coleslaw and your favorite grilled meats for an outdoor grilling experience!
How to Make Summer Fruit Salad
This is one of those salads that people go back to many times.
Give yourself plenty of time to prep the fruit, then it’s quick and easy to assemble.
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ingredients you need
The possibilities are endless with this incredible salad. No matter which fruit you choose, you can’t go wrong.
fruit for salad
orange – Cut into bite-sized pieces.You can also use Mandarin
kiwi fruit – Peel and cut into slices, then cut in half
strawberry – Remove the stem, cut off the white part and cut into thick slices
berry – We love the combination of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
Pineapple – Fresh is best, but in a pinch canning (and then draining) is fine too
mango – Cut off the skin, then carefully slice away pieces from the tough center
Grape – Seedless, red, green or a combination of both
for dressing
Citrus – Zest the lemons and limes and juice them separately
Honey – Room temperature
Orange juice – Fresh squeezed is best
Cointreau (orange liqueur) – optional, adults only
for toppings
coconut – shredded, sugared, baked
Tips for Making the Perfect Summer Fruit Salad
fresh best – Use a variety of fresh, ripe summer fruits such as berries, melons, and stone fruits to create colorful, flavorful salads. Try to avoid canned or frozen fruit if possible.
Adds “crunch” to salads – Roasted sweet shredded coconut adds amazing flavor and texture to salads. Don’t skip this, add it right before serving.
Cooling Fruit Salad – If desired, the salad can be made an hour or two before serving. Definitely the best when served refrigerated. However, we do not recommend preparing the salad within two hours of serving.
Pro tip: We can’t express enough how much the “wow” factor toasted coconut brings to this salad. Be very careful when toasting coconut, though. Use a spatula to frequently move the coconut while baking. Once it starts to turn light brown, you’re pretty close. Be careful, it will go from light brown to burnt in a very short time.
how to serve
This salad can be served on its own or in large bowls for a family-friendly meal.
After chilling the salad in the fridge for an hour, we like to transfer it to a large cake and top it with toasted coconut.
If there is too much liquid, you can tip the bowl over the sink and let some of the liquid pour out. Keep a bowl of toasted coconut on the side so guests can add more if desired.
Other Fruit Recipes Worth Trying
When fresh fruits are in season, there are plenty of ways to feature them in stunning recipes. Here are some of our favorite products that we’re sure you and your family will love too.
Classic Fruit Tart
Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler
Best Peach Crisp Ever
Caprese Salad with Grilled Peaches
Wildberry Parfait with Mascarpone Cheese
Classic Cherry Pie
Crispy Blueberry Tart
Strawberry Pavlova
Raspberry Linzer Sticks
There is no doubt that these are amazing. But, isn’t this salad calling your name?
Make the salad a few hours before serving, or make it right at the table.
Regardless, when you serve this summer fruit salad at your next summer gathering, it’s going to be the talk of the town!
It truly is the most epic summer salad. When you serve this, you’ll be the star of the BBQ!
Ready to make the best fruit salad in town? Go for it!
When you do, be sure to snap a photo, post it on Instagram and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and the hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon
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Toast the coconut flakes and set aside to cool.
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
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Zest lemons and limes and place in a small bowl. Juice the lemons and limes and add to the zest.
1 lemon, 1 lime
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Add honey, orange juice, and Cointreau (if using), and stir until combined.
⅓ cup honey, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tablespoon Cointreau
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Put the fruit in a large bowl and pour the sauce over the fruit. Stir gently until all fruit is coated.
2 oranges, 2 kiwis, 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup raspberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup blackberries, 1 cup pineapple, 1 mango, 1 cup seedless grapes
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Sprinkle with toasted coconut and serve, or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (up to 2 hours).
Use any kind of fruit you want. We highly recommend fresh fruit. Canned or frozen can be substituted in a pinch, but the freshness (and overall taste) won’t be as good as fresh.
Keep an eye on the coconut as you toast it. Once it starts to turn light brown, it will be ready in a very short time. This operation can be done up to 24 hours in advance.
Salad is best eaten immediately, or within 1 hour (refrigerated). It will stay delicious for hours. Give it a stir every now and then. Have extra toasted coconut on hand.
Calories: 162kcal | carbohydrate: 38G | protein: 2G | fat: 2G | Saturated fat: 1G | Polyunsaturated fats: 0.3G | Monounsaturated fats: 0.2G | sodium: 18mg | Potassium: Chapter 326mg | fiber: 6G | sugar: 29G | Vitamin A: Chapter 457IU | Vitamin C: 86mg | calcium: 48mg | iron: 1mg
Updated: This recipe was originally published in July 2018, but has been updated in June 2023 with an improved tweak to the recipe, new tips and a great new video!