Serve this pretty and easy breakfast fruit salad at your next special brunch occasion. It’s a refreshing summer breakfast that you can make with your favorite fruits. It’s the perfect way to load your morning with healthy, fiber-filled ingredients.
Coated in a simple dressing, this bright and breezy breakfast or brunch dish is as tasty as it is eye-catching.
You will love to use this breakfast fruit bowl as a base to add to. Top it with crunchy granola, creamy yogurt or toasted seeds. This easy fruit salad recipe will be loved by anyone you serve it to and is a party pleaser, for sure.
For other summery breakfasts, try these Cottage Cheese with Fruit, Overnight Oats with Coconut Milk or my Strawberry Almond Milk Smoothie.
Why have fruit salad for breakfast
- Nutrient powerhouse: A breakfast fruit salad is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it a nutritious way to start your day. Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and cherries are rich in vitamin C, while nectarines and apples provide dietary fiber.
- Refreshing and hydrating: Fruits have a high water content, which helps keep you hydrated in the morning. A breakfast fruit salad can be really refreshing, especially during warm summer months.
- Digestive health: Fresh fruit contains lots of good dietary fiber.
- Quick and easy: You can pre-cut some fruits the night before or use pre-washed and packaged fruits to save time.
- Natural sugars: Unlike breakfast items like cereal or pastries, this breakfast fruit salad gets most of its sweetness from natural, unprocessed sources like fruit.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Versatility and variety: You can mix and match various fruits based on what's in season or what you have on hand. This versatility allows you to create a unique and exciting fruit salad every morning. This recipe can be changed up to suit what’s available – making it adjustable.
- Bright and beautiful: This colorful fruit salad is really pretty to lay out for guests. It makes a great side dish to a brunch menu.
- Satisfying: Despite being low in calories, a breakfast fruit salad can be surprisingly filling.
- Deliciously sweet and tart: I love the sweet and slightly sour balance of this breakfast fruit salad.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Strawberries: Look for firm, ripe fresh strawberries with bright red color and fresh green caps. Avoid mushy or bruised ones. Firm strawberries will last longer so you can enjoy your batch of fruit salad over a day or two.
- Blueberries: Choose plump and firm fresh berries. Avoid wrinkly blueberries.
- Blackberries: Choose shiny, plump blackberries that are uniformly colored.
- Cherries: Select cherries with deep color, whether they are sweet or sour varieties.
- Nectarines: Pick ripe nectarines that give slightly to gentle pressure. Peaches are the perfect alternative. Other stone fruit like plums and fresh prunes are tasty, too.
- Apple: Use a crisp and flavorful apple variety such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala. Red or green apples will do nicely.
- Mint: Use fresh and not dried mint. Fresh mint lifts the whole dish and gives it a grown-up flavor.
- Orange juice: Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the best taste. Check the label if using store-bought juice to ensure it is 100% pure orange juice without added sugars or other additives. Orange juice keeps the fruit from turning brown.
- Lime juice: Use freshly squeezed lime juice for a zesty, tangy flavor. Lemon juice is a great alternative.
- Maple syrup: Opt for pure maple syrup without any artificial additives. Grade A or B maple syrup works well for the dressing.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make a breakfast fruit salad
STEP 1: In a jug or small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing.
STEP 2: Wash the fruits in cold water. Prepare the ingredients as follows:
- Hull the strawberries. Cut them into halves or quarters.
- Slice or dice the nectarines.
- Core the apple and slice it or cut it into pieces.
Combine the fruits in a large bowl, pour over the sauce and toss everything together, gently.
Top tips
- Wash all the fruits thoroughly before using them in the salad to remove any dirt, pesticides, or residues. Use organic fruits if possible.
- Use ripe fruit: You want your fruit to be bursting with flavor.
- Prepare in advance: You can prepare the fruits in advance, but it's best to assemble the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and prevent the fruits from releasing excess juice.
- Experiment: Feel free to add other seasonal fruits or berries of your choice to personalize the salad according to your preferences.
- Adjust sweetness: Adjust the amount of maple syrup in the dressing to suit your taste. You can start with a smaller quantity and add more if desired.
- Garnish the salad with a few extra mint leaves on top for a pop of color and a refreshing aroma.
More breakfast fruit ideas
- Banana: Adds a softer, creamy texture to the salad. Be sure to pop in the banana slices close to serving so they don’t turn brown.
- Grapes: Choose seedless green or red grapes. They are beautifully sweet.
- Tropical fruits: Pineapple, papaya, kiwi, fresh coconut, mango, dragon fruit and lychees make the loveliest combination. Serve them with toasted coconut!
- Pomegranate seeds: For a pretty glowing red jewels. It really looks like a festive fruit salad with the seeds dotted on the surface. Great as a Christmas fruit salad in the holiday season.
- Canned: Mandarin oranges, canned lychees and peaches turn this breakfast fruit salad into a real treat.
Add-in ideas
- Yogurt: For added protein. For a vegan-friendly option, go for coconut yogurt.
- Cottage cheese: Another protein source – a creamy scoop of cottage cheese or gives the dish a lovely tart taste.
- Spices: Cinnamon or nutmeg add a little something cozy, great for a winter fruit salad.
- Vanilla extract: Add a drop of pure vanilla extract to the maple syrup and then stir through.
Topping ideas
- Nuts & seeds: Toasted almonds, walnuts, sunflower and flax seeds are so tasty as a topping or addition. They also add healthy fats and other benefits to the meal.
- Unsweetened granola: Try this with my Applesauce Granola.
- Other herbs: Lemon balm, spearmint and fresh thyme are lovely in this recipe.
- Edible flowers: Sprinkle over a few picked lavender flowers (the tiny purple blossoms), rose petals or elderflowers.
Variations
- Make it sugar-free: Skip the maple syrup in the dressing.
- Choose different types of fruits: see my suggestions above.
- Make it higher in protein: Add in a dollop of nut butter for extra protein. Sprinkle in chia seeds or flax seeds for other protein additions.
- Make a seasonal fruit salad: Use fruits that are in season to get the most flavor. You can really customize the recipe and make it seasonal.
Serving suggestions
- As is – just a beautiful bowl of glowy, glossy fruit salad.
- Over oatmeal or chia seeds. This is a great way to add protein or make this breakfast fruit salad bulkier.
- Over toast, French toast, waffles, pancakes or crepes
- Alongside other breakfast dishes for brunch: Fruit salad makes a lovely addition to a breakfast spread. It also accommodates a lot of dietary needs as it is vegan and gluten free.
- Over cakes: It goes beautifully with my 3-Ingredient Yogurt Cake.
- Turn it into a dessert: Serve your fruit salad with a scoop of berry sorbet for an instant healthy dessert. Choose ice cream for a more decadent one.
- Layer it in a glass: Layer in yogurt, fruit salad, nuts and granola in a tall glass and serve it with a long spoon.
Storage
Once prepared, store the fruit salad in an airtight container or covered bowl in the refrigerator. The cold temperature will help slow down the ripening process and preserve the freshness of the fruits.
Fruit salads are best enjoyed when they are fresh. Try to consume the salad within 2-3 days.
Consider storing the dressing separately. This prevents the fruits from becoming too soggy and maintains their natural texture.
FAQs
Can I use frozen fruit?
Yes, but thaw and drain any excess liquid, texture will be a little different.
Can I use canned fruit?
Yes, but stick to unsweetened if possible.
How can I add more protein?
Add yogurt, cottage cheese or nur butter. Chia seeds and flax seeds also add protein.
How can I prevent certain fruits like apples and bananas from browning
The lime dressing which is high in ascorbic acid should help prevent them from turning brown. Additionally, keep the fruits cold and limit air exposure.
Related recipes
Looking for other recipes that include fruits? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Breakfast Fruit Salad
Easy to customize depending on the season, you’ll proudly serve up this pretty bowl of goodness to friends and family. This healthy breakfast or afternoon snack will be a go-to recipe here on out.
If you love this recipe as much as we do, click on the 5-stars below!
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: big or 4 small portions
Ingredients
Fruits
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- ½ cup blackberries
- ½ cup cherry halves *pitted
- 1 nectarine or peach
- 1 small apple
- 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
Fruit Salad Dressing
- 8 tablespoon fresh orange juice (around 1 orange)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup *optional
You can find detailed step-by step-photos above the recipe card.
Instructions
Dressing
- Make the sauce by whisking together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Salad
- Wash all the fruits thoroughly under cold water to ensure they are clean.
- Hull the strawberries (remove the green leafy top) and then cut them into halves or quarters, depending on their size.
- Cut the nectarine into slices or bite-sized pieces. You can leave the skin on for extra fiber and nutrients.
- Core the apple and cut it into bite-sized pieces. As with the nectarines, you can leave the skin on if you prefer.
- In a large bowl, combine all the fruits. Add the sauce and gently toss. Top with fresh mint leaves.
- Serve as is or over a bowl of oatmeal or chia seeds.
Video
Tips & Notes
- Wash all the fruits thoroughly before using them in the salad to remove any dirt, pesticides, or residues. Use organic fruits if possible.
- Use ripe fruit: You want your fruit to be bursting with flavor.
- Prepare in advance: You can prepare the fruits in advance, but it's best to assemble the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and prevent the fruits from releasing excess juice.
- Experiment: Feel free to add other seasonal fruits or berries of your choice to personalize the salad according to your preferences.
- Adjust sweetness: Adjust the amount of maple syrup in the dressing to suit your taste. You can start with a smaller quantity and add more if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1. | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 670mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 598IU | Vitamin C: 109mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.
Tried this recipe?Leave a rating and comment telling us how you liked it! Or tag @wholefoodsoulfood__kitchen on Instagram so we can admire your creations!
Leave a Reply