Description
This summer fruit salad is bright and colorful with loads of fresh juicy fruit and a citrus ginger mint dressing. It's a healthy, refreshing choice for dessert after a summer braai which is a South African style BBQ.
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
- 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced (small lemon about 2 tablespoons)
- 3 large juicy oranges (zest before slicing) makes roughly 1 cup of juice
- 1/2 half of a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- chopped fresh mint
- 2 teaspoons sugar
For the Fruit Salad
- 250 grams grapes (half a tub of fresh grapes) slice the grapes in half or leave them whole, I did half slice and half whole.
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, halved
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 3 whole nectarines, pitted and sliced
- 2 kiwi, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 orange, quatered with the peels on
- fresh mint, left whole
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (see notes)
Instructions
- Zest, slice and juice the oranges. Juice the fresh lemon and grate the ginger. In a measuring jug or medium bowl whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, grated ginger and sugar (maple syrup or honey).
- In a large bowl, add the strawberries, blueberries, grapes, sliced nectarines, kiwi chunks or cubes and the grapes. Toss them all together. Now add the quartered orange pieces placing them randomly in the fruit salad. Finish with the fresh mint leaves and toasted pine nuts.
- To serve immediately, pour half the dressing over the salad, carve into smaller bowls and enjoy with the remaining dressing on the table to be added as needed.
To serve the fruit salad later, cover in cling wrap without the dressing and store in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, follow the step above, add a little and gently toss.
Notes
Tips for this recipe
- To get more juice out of your oranges, hold it in your hand and roll it back and forth to soften and release more juice. This can be done for the lemon too.
- Don't forget to zest first then cut.
- This salad is very easy to make so I wouldn't bother with prepping everything and then storing them in airtight containers. It's better to serve the vinaigrette on the side and make it a 'help yourself' service. Should there be any fruit over, toss it into the blender and make a fruit smoothie.
- The only make-ahead suggestion from me would the vinaigrette but without the mint, that can be added before serving.
Tip: How to Toast Pine Nuts
- Heat a Pan: Place a dry skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Avoid adding any oil or butter. Once the pan is hot, add the pine nuts in a single layer.
- Toast and Stir: Cook the pine nuts, stirring frequently to prevent burning. They toast quickly, usually in 3-5 minutes so watch them closely. As soon as they start turning golden brown and become fragrant, remove them from the heat.
Frequently Asked Questions for Fruit Salad
Stone fruit like: nectarines, plums, peaches and cherries. You can also add banana's, fresh pineapple, grapes, fresh berries, kiwi, raspberries, apple, melon, citrus like: mandarin oranges and grapefruit.
More tropical fruit: papaya's and mangoes.
Where can I find the best fresh fruit?
When the fruit is season you will find a variety of in-season fruit at the grocery store, but don't stop there, look at your local farmer's market and any local markets. And you can use any of your favorite combination of fruits.
You can and should use the fruit that you and your family love, what's in-season and then make it your own and enjoy!
Frozen fruit, once thawed will be soggy so it is not advised to use frozen fruit in a fruit salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 17
- Sodium: 3
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 0.4
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 3