This is a refreshing and colorful fruit salad to add to your Thanksgiving feast. Made with seasonal fresh fruit and tossed in a light citrus honey dressing, it’s the perfect side dish or dessert to clean your palate after a savory Thanksgiving meal. It’s bound to be a holiday favorite!
I love Thanksgiving, a time of celebrating harvest and the blessings for the year, not to mention all the amazing food like my baked brie, and roasted smashed potatoes to share together with family and friends. With all the delicious hearty entrees on Thanksgiving, this beautiful and light rainbow fruit cocktail salad brings a welcomed bit of freshness to the table. It’s easy to assemble and makes for a beautiful centerpiece!
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Ingredients & Notes
I’m using fresh seasonal, Fall fruit for this salad for the best flavor, texture and quality.
Clementine oranges - Cuties are a favorite in our house during this time of the year. They’re quick and easy to peel, and so juicy and sweet.
Apples - Fall varieties such as honey crisp, Gala and red golden are all great.
Golden Kiwi - These are my favorite kiwi. If you can get these, they have a wonderful floral, sweet and tropical taste. Green kiwi work nicely as well.
Pomegranate - The sweet and tart arils add a juicy vibrance to the salad.
Pear - Bartlett and Anjou works well for fruit salad as they are firm. Use pears that are not overly ripe, you don’t want pears that are too soft and mushy.
Lemon - The juice is added to the dressing to enhance the fruit flavors and also to prevent them from browning.
Honey - Adds a hint of sweetness and helps meld the flavors together.
Instructions
Make the salad dressing by combining the honey and lemon then whisk it together.
Wash and cut the fruit into bite size pieces. No need to peel the apples or pear.
Mix it gently together and drizzle the dressing over the fruit evenly. Let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.
How to serve a Thanksgiving fruit salad
Serve this refreshing salad as an appetizer or for dessert to clean your palate after your meal!
Fall fruit salad ideas
This salad is customizable to your own liking. Mix and match with your favorite fall fruit and add the dressing to taste. Not only is it fresh and delicious, it’s super healthy too!
Here are some ideas of fall fruit combos:
- Grapes, apples and blackberries
- Apples, red grapes and mandarin oranges
- Pear, pomegranate and blackberries
- Figs, grapes and persimmons
Tips for making the best fruit salad
Fall flavors - Spice it up with a sprinkle of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or a pinch of clove.
Add texture - The perfect fruit salad will have a combination of textures. Have a balanced mixture of soft fruit like kiwi and oranges contrasted with crunchy and crisp fruit like apple, pear and grapes. Seeds and nuts are also great to incorporate for a bit more crunch.
Make it colorful - A colorful mixture of fruit will make the salad more appetizing and appealing.
Dressing - Try mixing maple syrup and orange juice for more Fall flavors.
What to serve with a Fall fruit salad
Any delicious appetizers or dessert will go well. Here are some of my favorites!
Pro Tips
- For a nice presentation, cut the kiwi last and add them at the top to prevent them from crushing, then add the pomegranate as a garnish to prevent bleeding onto the other fruit.
- You can make this salad in advance, chop the fruit and keep them in separate containers, when ready to serve, assemble it and add the dressing.
- Letting the dressing sit will help the fruit marinate and combine the delicious fruit flavors.
- Add other Fall fruit like figs, grapes and persimmons for a colorful variety to your salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
The salad keeps well overnight in an airtight container.
Lemon juice helps keep the fruit longer and it prevents it from turning brown.
Coating the fruit with acidic juices such as lemon, orange and lime will help to delay the browning.
More holiday recipes to enjoy
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Thanksgiving Fruit Salad
Ingredients
For the fruit salad
- 4 clementine oranges, peeled and separated Cuties or Halos
- 2 pears, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 apples, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- 2 kiwis, cut into bite size pieces
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and honey together. Set aside.
- Add all the cut fruit except the kiwi into a large serving bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the fruit and with a large spoon gently combine together.
- Cover and let it chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Add the kiwi on top of the salad right before serving.
Notes
- For a nice presentation, cut the kiwi last and add them at the top to prevent them from crushing, then add the pomegranate as a garnish to prevent bleeding onto the other fruit.
- You can make this salad in advance, chop the fruit and keep them in separate containers, when ready to serve, assemble it and add the dressing.
- Use seasonal fall fruit like honey crisp, gala and red golden apples and firm Bartlett or Anjou pears.
- Lemon juice is added to the dressing to enhance the fruit flavors and also to prevent them from browning.
- The salad with dressing keeps well overnight in an airtight container.
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