Easy Fruit Salad

I’ll have some salad but make it a fruit salad! This no-bake dessert or snack couldn’t be easier to make, is jammed packed with copious amounts of fresh fruit and is incredibly delicious! Berries, kiwi, fresh mint and citrus combine to create the most colourful, refreshing and satisfying spoonful! There’s no need to fuss over presentation here! The array of colourful and vibrant fruit does all the work for you! This mouthwatering dish tastes as good as it looks and is sure to impress all your guests!

It's berry season! The grocery stores are overflowing with fresh and seasonal fruits! I couldn’t think of a better way to get your daily fruit intake than by making my Easy Fruit Salad recipe! This salad consists of 4 different types of berries, specifically blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. The berries impart fruitiness, sweetness, tartness and texture to this dish. Toss in a few kiwis for good measure to give this salad a pop of green colour, incremental sweetness and some tang! Finally, fresh mint leaves round out and balance the flavours, adding coolness, complexity, freshness and sweetness to this dish.

You can enjoy the salad as is, but I love tossing it in an aromatic, bright and refreshing Citrus Dressing. The dressing combines freshly squeezed orange juice, orange liqueur such as Cointreau, lime zest and honey! That’s it! The dressing completes this fruit salad by imparting acidity, brightness and delicate floral notes.

If you’re looking for an easy dessert to make this spring or summer, look no further than my Easy Fruit Salad recipe! This 10 – minute dish makes for the perfect addition to your Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, brunch or BBQ festivities. This recipe couldn’t be easier to make, comes together quickly and uses a handful (or two) of fresh and simple ingredients. Prepare it a day in advance or the day of - you really can’t go wrong! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!

Wondering what to do with any leftovers?! Use this fruit salad as a topping for your favourite ice cream, add it to your breakfast chia pudding, serve it alongside some pancakes or add it to your bowl of yoghurt and granola!

For more fun and exciting no-bake dessert ideas, try my Croissant with Strawberries and Cream, Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars, Tropical Chia Pudding and Chocolate Blueberry Yoghurt Bites recipes!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 - 8

Ingredients:

Fruit Salad

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (approx. 1 pint)

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, halved and cut into 1/3 inch slices

• 1 ½ cups fresh blackberries

• 1 ½ cups fresh raspberries

• 3 ripe kiwis, peeled, halved and cut into 1/3 inch slices

• 1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, chiffonade (approx. 5 mint leaves) (See Notes below)

• A few small, fresh mint leaves, as garnish

Citrus Dressing

• 1 – 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice (See Notes below)

• 1 Tbsp orange liqueur, specifically Cointreau (optional)

• Zest of 1 lime

• 1 tsp honey

Instructions:

1. Rinse the fruits and pat them dry with a tea or paper towel.

2. To a large salad bowl, add the orange juice, Cointreau (optional), lime zest, honey and whisk until fully incorporated.

3. Toss in the blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, kiwi and mint. Using salad servers, carefully mix until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and coated in Citrus Dressing. Garnish with a few small mint leaves and serve and enjoy!

Notes:

1. Drying the Fruits: Once the fruits have been rinsed, pat them dry with a tea or paper towel. This will help keep the berries firmer and fresher for longer, prevent spoilage and allows the Citrus Dressing to adhere to the fruit.

2. What is Chiffonade?: Chiffonade is a French culinary technique used for cutting mint, basil and other leafy greens, resulting in thinly sliced ribbons. I love using this technique for mint leaves. Not only does it add tons of herbaceous flavour throughout the dish but it also makes for a prettier presentation. Start by gathering your mint leaves and stacking them, one on top of the other. Then, lengthwise, start rolling the mint leaves into a log. Hold the ends in place with your fingers and using a sharp knife, carefully slice the mint into thin strips.

3. Alcohol-Free:  I love adding a little Cointreau to this recipe for an incremental flavour boost. In my experience, it acts as somewhat of a preservative and keeps the fruit salad fresher for longer. If you want to keep this dish alcohol-free, simply omit the Cointreau and prepare the Citrus Dressing using 2 Tbsp of freshly squeezed orange juice.

4. Storing Leftovers: If you’re fortunate enough to have any leftover fruit salad, simply store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.