Summer Fruit Salad

Celebrate summertime produce by making a Summer Fruit Salad with Watermelon! This easy side dish calls for fresh watermelon, berries and more. And it’s got a zesty fruit salad dressing to bring it all together. This watermelon fruit salad recipe is great to serve alongside breakfast and brunch or even at a potluck!

Overhead of a white plate holding a serving of Summer Fruit Salad next to mint, forks and a geometric blue towel

Fruit Salad.

You either love it or you hate it. (And chances are, your feelings on it probably center around the fruit that’s in it, as well as the dressing it’s tossed in.)

I’m one of those people who loooooooves using seasonal ingredients to make the best, freshest fruit salad around.

This Watermelon Fruit Salad is where it’s at for the summer months.

Why I love this recipe:

Before we dive in, let me be clear: We’re not using marshmallow fluff in this fruit salad. If you’re looking for a recipe that features that, this isn’t it.

If you’re looking for a recipe that’s quick and easy? This recipe is for you.

This crisp and refreshing fresh fruit salad calls for seasonal fruits with a light, slightly sweet vinaigrette.

Fresh watermelon is tossed with all the berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries) and grapes. And then we drizzle it with a decadent lime-honey vinaigrette and garnish with fresh mint to take it to another level.

Whether you serve this alongside pancakes or at a barbecue, your people are bound to be thrilled!

Other summer fruit recipes to try: Blackberry Peach Hand Pies | Strawberry Pancakes with Dark Chocolate Drizzle | Raspberry Yogurt Fruit Dip | Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Peaches | Dairy Free Blackberry Cobbler

Want to host your friends this summer and serve this dish? Head on over to my Outdoor Entertaining Recipe Index for some ideas!

Bowls of fruit to make fruit salad on marble with a blue towel

What you’ll need to make this recipe:

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Let’s talk ingredients!

In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

Here’s what you need:

  • Watermelon — you want the freshest seedless watermelon you can get your hands on it. Use a sharp knife to cut it in a ½” dice for uniformness.
  • Fresh berries — we’re using a combination of blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in this fruit salad. Feel free to add more of one and less of another if you like one better than another.
  • Red grapes — my younger daughter chose these for their color. Any type of grape works here if you prefer green grapes or even black grapes. I do not recommend using cotton candy grapes, as they’ll change the flavor of this fruit salad.
  • Lime — we need this for its zest, as well as its juice. Store-bought shelf stable lime juice does not yield the same wonderful citrus flavors, so please juice your own.
  • Honey simple syrup — this is going to provide the sweetness in the fruit salad dressing. I love the honey undertones of it, but you can use regular simple syrup if you don’t have this on hand.
  • Fresh mint leaves — these are part of our garnish and add a lovely pop of color, as well as flavor to the final fruit salad
Collage showing how to make and mix summer fruit salad

How do you make Summer Fruit Salad?

Clean and chop the fruit. This means washing all the berries and slicing the strawberries. You’ll also dice the watermelon and half the grapes. Toss ‘em into a large bowl.

Make the dressing. In a mason jar, measure in the lime zest, honey simple syrup and lime juice. Shake until combined.

Dress the fruit salad. Drizzle the dressing on top. Add the mint leaves, too, and toss to combine.

It’s ready to serve, so enjoy immediately!

A bowl of Summer Fruit Salad with serving tongs next to a geometric towel

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

I love a recipe that’s versatile for all times of day. And as someone who’s got kids, I’m all about serving this easy fruit salad recipe morning, mid-day and evening because, well, who doesn’t want to eat more fruit, especially in the summertime?

If you’re planning to share this recipe with friends this summer, I think that’s a brilliant idea because it makes a decently large fruit salad!

Here are a few tips and tricks to make it as easy as possible:

  • Pre-chop and clean all your fruit. You can do this up to a day in advance. Be sure to pat the berries dry before storing in the fridge so they hold their shape.
  • Make the dressing in advance, too. Simply shake it in a mason jar and pop that into the fridge. Keep it cold, then drizzle on top of the fruit salad right before serving.
  • Customize it to your tastebuds. If you don’t love blueberries as much, consider adding raspberries in place of them. The beauty in this fruit salad is that all these summer fruits play nicely together, so you can mix and match them based off what you like.
A plate of berry fruit salad with watermelon in front of a jar of honey

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make simple fruit salad?

This simple fruit salad is featuring a lot of wonderfully fresh berries, grapes and watermelon. You can mix and match the berries, depending on what you like best.

How do you keep fruit from browning in a fruit salad?

Since we’re using a combination of berries, watermelon and grapes, we do not have to worry about this because none of these fruits brown.

Do I have to use a seedless watermelon in this recipe?

If you want to use a regular watermelon with seeds, you sure can, though I will say this recipe is easier to make if your watermelon is seedless. That way, your family and guests won’t be spitting seeds out as they eat the fruit salad.

Close up of Summer Fruit Salad in a white bowl

Quick tips for the best fruit salad with watermelon:

  • How to store fruit salad: Place in an airtight storage container. Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. The fruit will become softer as it sits in the dressing.
  • Prep it in advance. Clean, slice and chop the fruit early. Store it in the fridge covered. Make the dressing early, too, and store in a mason jar in the fridge. Toss together when it’s time to eat.

What to pair with this recipe:

A plate of berry fruit salad with watermelon in front of a jar of honey
Yield: 8 servings

Summer Fruit Salad with Watermelon

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 16 minutes

Celebrate summertime produce by making a Summer Fruit Salad with Watermelon! This easy side dish calls for fresh watermelon, berries and more. And it’s got a zesty fruit salad dressing to bring it all together. This watermelon fruit salad recipe is great to serve alongside breakfast and brunch or even at a potluck!

Ingredients

Fruit Salad

  • 2 cups watermelon (400g), cubed in ½” dice
  • 6 oz. blackberries (170g)
  • 16 oz. strawberries (454 g), sliced
  • 6 oz. raspberries
  • 8 oz. blueberries
  • 2 ½ cups red grapes, halved (16 oz.)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, for garnish

Fruit Salad Dressing

Instructions

  1. Clean and chop the fruit. Wash all the berries. Slice the strawberries. Dice the watermelon and half the grapes. Add to a large bowl, and set aside.
  2. Make the dressing. In a mason jar, measure in the lime zest, honey simple syrup and lime juice. Shake until combined.
  3. Pour the dressing on top of the fruit salad. Garnish with the mint leaves.
  4. Toss to combine, and enjoy immediately!

Notes

How to store fruit salad: Place in an airtight storage container. Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. The fruit will become softer as it sits in the dressing.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 148Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 7gSugar: 26gProtein: 2g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

How much did you love this recipe?

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