The Best Fruit Salad
Treat your family and friends to a refreshing, colorful blend of fruit and grains! This delightful Fruit Salad recipe is the perfect side dish for your spring meals and celebrations.
Why this is The Best Fruit Salad
As soon as the weather starts to warm up, I start to crave fresh, colorful fruit! We eat a lot of fruit at our house, but occasionally I like to brighten up our meals by serving up a lovely fruit salad. This Fruit Salad recipe offers up show-stopping color and fruity flavor with the surprising addition of chewy couscous. It might sound odd, but stick with me here. We cook it up in coconut milk giving it a delightfully subtle and lightly sweetened flavor. It also adds fantastic texture that really makes this a standout dish. And topped with a citrusy honey dressing and crunchy almonds, it seriously becomes one of the most delicious salads you’ve ever eaten.
This salad makes the perfect addition to Spring holiday and brunch menus. Share it with your friends and family and I guarantee you will be handing out the recipe. It’s totally unique, and totally delicious.
Ingredients for Fruit Salad:
- Kiwi– Green grapes would make a good substitution if you can’t find ripe kiwi.
- Pineapple– Pineapple adds a yummy tropical flavor that goes lovely with the coconut couscous.
- Raspberries– You could also use strawberries here!
- Mango– Mango also adds to the tropical flair and is so delicious in this salad. Diced peaches would make a good substitute.
- Couscous– There are a few different types of couscous on the market. We used pearl couscous in this recipe. Quinoa also works and makes a good gluten-free option.
- Sliced Almonds– Chopped macadamia nuts would also be delicious.
- Oranges– You will use the peel and the juice in the dressing. Lime would also be good!
- Honey– We have only used honey, it goes beautifully with the fruit. Agave would also work.
How To Make This Fruit Salad Recipe:
- Peel and chop the kiwi, mango, and pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Put the fruit into a serving bowl.
- Bring the water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Once boiling, add the couscous along with a pinch of salt. Give it a good stir, then cover with a lid and remove from the heat. Allow the couscous to absorb all the liquid and come to room temperature, then add to the bowl with the fruit.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat. Gently stir in the raspberries.
Tips & Suggestions
We love a good make-ahead recipe, but this recipe really shines when you prep it and eat it the same day.
Choose fruits that are ripe and sweet but not too mushy, so they hold their shape when you toss them with the couscous.
If you can find whole wheat couscous, go ahead and use it in this Fruit Salad recipe! You’ll add extra fiber and nutrients and you’ll still enjoy a delicately-textured grain.
Let your couscous fully cool before tossing with the fruits. You can serve this salad at room temperature or chilled. It’s delicious both ways!
This salad will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
More Delicious Fruit Recipes:
The Best Fruit Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 medium kiwi
- 2 cups pineapple
- 2 cups raspberries
- 2 cups blueberries
- 2 medium mangoes
- 1 cup pearled couscous uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons toasted almonds sliced (optional)
Citrus Dressing
- 4 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoon orange zest
- 4 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Peel and chop kiwi, pineapple, and mangoes.
- Bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, add the couscous and stir to combine. Turn the heat off and cover pot with a lid. Remove from heat and let sit until water is absorbed. Cool to room temperature.
- Combine all fruit into a medium bowl, except raspberries. Once couscous is cooled, add to the bowl.
- For the dressing, whisk the orange juice, zest and honey together. Pour over the fruit and couscous. Fold gently to coat. Add raspberries very last so that they don't get mushed while combining. Top with toasted almonds. Serve cold and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
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