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Chris Cooks

My Most Requested Fruit Salad | Chris Cooks

July 2, 2023

Fruit salad. Yawn, amiright? No! Everyone loves it, and everyone has their version they make that is always a "popular" hit. But a trend I see with a lot of fruit salads is using second or third tier fruits and mixing it with higher and higher ratios of non-fruit ingredients until it's basically dessert. Whipped cream and Snickers bars tossed with apples? Tasty, for sure, but don't tell me that's a fruit salad.

My Top Requested Fruit Salad  |  Chris Loves Julia

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Here's a game, let's list the things that ruin a fruit salad. Apples. Grapes. Honeydew melon can sometimes be ok but usually it's meh, and cantaloupe is the worst. And probably most controversial on the list, watermelon. I love watermelon, don't get me wrong. But tossed in with other fruit it just turns to, well, water. And there's too much variation in sweetness.

My Top Requested Fruit Salad  |  Chris Loves Julia

No, for the best fruit salad you want only real food; top tier/first string players for the fruit; and a little something extra. This salad is all that. Three fruits - oranges, strawberries, kiwis (way more kiwi than you're used to seeing in a fruit salad). Dressed up a little with lime juice, mint, honey and flake salt (yes, salt - just a touch). It's so simple, but doesn't taste that way at all.

My Top Requested Fruit Salad  |  Chris Loves Julia

So, now that I've stirred that pot, let's hear it! How many of my "no" fruits do you use in your fruit salad? Any you think you'll opt out of next time? Feel like giving this one a try? Let me know in the comments what you think!

My Top Requested Fruit Salad

Recipe by Chris Marcum
4.7 from 3 votes
Course: Chris Cooks, Recipes
Servings

0

15

minutes

3 fruits (all top tier), 7 total ingredients. A bit of cutting but well worth it.

Ingredients

Directions

  • Add the fruit to a bowl. If making ahead, keep the fruit in the fridge up to service. Just before serving time, add the lime, honey, mint and salt. Toss and enjoy.
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  1. Have you ever cut up all the fruit a day ahead and then mixed it all together with the dressing? I want to do this but want to make sure it won’t all turn to mush. Thanks!

  2. 5 stars
    It looks delicious but is there any other fruit you recommend to substitute kiwi? I have a food allergy.
    Thanks a lot!

  3. You’re spot on when it comes to the “No fruit” list. Put bananas on that list too. I agree with everything you said. The fruits Chris used are the best. I will hear no further discussion. Haha

  4. Bananas are a huge no-no for me. Also, I don't love pitted cherries in a fruit salad. They get mushy and a teeny bit brown where the pitter went in and pit went out. I don't love apples either, but the "filler fruit" (cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapples) as long as bananas are nowhere near the fruit salad. I bet mango would be amazing in this fruit salad algorithm you've settled on!!

  5. Mel’s Kitchen Cafe has one very similar to this that I make often. It is so good! Would be perfect for any summer get together.

  6. My favorite fruit salad recipe ever is the one you did last summer and it has watermelon in it! I can't believe you've changed your mind haha. I still love it, and so does everyone I serve it to. We'll have to give this one a try too!

  7. I’m definitely going to make this all summer long now! I’ve always thought some fruits in a fruit salad get watery. I’m so excited you all shared 🧡

  8. This definitely sounds amazing!
    I've gotta say, I threw together a quick fruit salad yesterday, from what we had on hand, which was peaches, apples (two different kinds), and cantaloupe, and it was shockingly delicious! Because my son believes nothing can be called a salad that doesn't include lettuce, we served it on top of salt and peppered butter lettuce with dinner, and it may have been the best thing I've eaten so far this summer!

  9. I add halved red or black seedless grapes occasionally, and have no shame. Also, oranges here in Nebraska are very hit or miss—mostly miss. What would you recommend in their place when great oranges aren’t available?

  10. Oh boy, they’re going to hate my melon mosaic salad at the Fourth of July party. Watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, & avocado, topped with a hot honey dressing. Too late to change now.

  11. 5 stars
    I actually thought you were gonna say do not put bananas in a fruit salad.🤪. I will definitely need to try this fruit salad recipe.

  12. This looks delicious. I’m allergic to kiwi (ugh - I know). Trying to think about what would be a good substitute with similar texture and sweetness level.

  13. 5 stars
    Agreed on honeydew and cantaloupe as no-gos. Mostly bc I don’t like them any way and they invade the flavor of everything else in the cup. Bananas are also a no-go for mixing in a salad bc of texture.

  14. We live in central America so we don't have access to most of those fruits. I like to make fruit salad with papaya, pineapple strawberries when we can get them and add fresh squeezed oranges if they are in season and if not you can add lemon and add some sugar. This last time the mangoes were in season so I added some mangoes. Delicious served half frozen.

  15. THIS I will be trying! I've been guilty of the melon salad (all melons), and you're right...iffy on the sweetness. I've made a similar dressing for my Christmas morning citrus salad with grapefruit, oranges, and pomegranate, so I know it's be a wonderful addition to your combination. Thanks for sharing!

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