Description
This vibrant and refreshing fruit salad combines a variety of fresh fruits tossed in a sweet and tangy apricot glaze, perfect for serving at parties, brunches, or as a healthy snack. Featuring pineapple, grapes, strawberries, kiwi, mango, blueberries, raspberries, and mandarin oranges, it’s colorful, flavorful, and garnished with fresh mint for an optional aromatic touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Glaze Ingredients
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Fruit Ingredients
- 1 pineapple, chopped smaller than usual
- 2 cups purple grapes, halved
- 2 cups green grapes, halved
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 5 kiwi, peeled and quartered
- 2 large mangos (or 4 small mangos), chopped
- 10 ounces blueberries
- 6 ounces raspberries (optional)
- 2 (11-ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
- Fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the glaze: In a large serving bowl, combine 1/3 cup apricot preserves, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon and stir the ingredients together until smooth and well mixed.
- Chop the pineapple: Chop the pineapple into smaller pieces than usual and add it immediately to the bowl with the glaze to start combining flavors.
- Prepare the grapes: Using a serrated knife, halve about 2 cups each of purple and green grapes. Add these halved grapes to the bowl with the pineapple and glaze.
- Prep the strawberries: Hull 1 pound of strawberries and slice each into quarters. Add the quartered strawberries to the bowl.
- Prepare the kiwi: Chop the ends off the kiwi, peel with a peeler or paring knife, then quarter each kiwi. Optionally, chop the quarters once more without making pieces too small. Add the kiwi to the bowl carefully.
- Chop the mangos: Stand the mango upright, slice as close as possible to the pit on each side, score the flesh without cutting the peel, flip it to flesh out the cubes, and then slice off the fruit from the peel. Add chopped mango to the bowl.
- Add berries: Add 10 ounces of blueberries and optional 6 ounces of raspberries to the bowl. Gently stir all fruits and glaze together with care to avoid crushing the delicate berries.
- Add mandarin oranges: Drain 2 cans (11 ounces each) of mandarin oranges fully, then add them gently to the bowl. Stir everything very gently to combine without bruising the fruit.
- Serve and garnish: Serve the fruit salad immediately, optionally garnished with fresh mint leaves. This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator and consumed quickly to retain flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon completely for the best flavor infusion.
- Be gentle when stirring to avoid crushing soft fruits like blueberries and raspberries.
- Prepare the fruit just before serving to keep it fresh and flavorful.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 1-2 days for best taste.
- Optional fresh mint garnish adds a refreshing aroma and visual appeal.