Festive Summer Fruit Salad

Name: Festive Summer Fruit Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 people
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 400 g watermelon flesh, pips removed and cut into 2 cm cubes; 300 g ripe but firm mango flesh, cut into bite-sized cubes; 400 g fresh pineapple flesh, peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces; 200 g seedless green grapes, halved lengthways; 125 g blueberries; 15 ml finely sliced fresh mint leaves, plus a few small leaves to serve; 30 ml fresh lime juice; 5 ml finely grated lime zest; 15 ml honey

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25 min totalPrep: 25 min Serves 6 people Dessert

Festive Summer Fruit Salad – festive fruit salad recipe photo

This Festive Summer Fruit Salad recipe brings together juicy watermelon, sweet mango and pineapple with a little lime and fresh mint. It suits a hot South African Christmas beautifully: there is no stove to switch on, and a chilled bowl makes a welcome finish to lunch when everyone has had enough of rich food.

Choose ripe fruit that still holds its shape, especially the mango. Green grapes add crunch, while blueberries bring a darker splash of colour among the sunny yellows and watermelon pink. The dressing is deliberately light so the fruit stays the main attraction. Prepare the firmer fruit ahead, then add the watermelon and dressing shortly before serving to keep the bowl fresh rather than watery.

Ingredients

Servings6

For the fruit salad

400 g watermelon flesh, pips removed and cut into 2 cm cubes
300 g ripe but firm mango flesh, cut into bite-sized cubes
400 g fresh pineapple flesh, peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
200 g seedless green grapes, halved lengthways
125 g blueberries
15 ml finely sliced fresh mint leaves, plus a few small leaves to serve

For the lime dressing

30 ml fresh lime juice
5 ml finely grated lime zest
15 ml honey

Instructions

1
Rinse the grapes, blueberries and mint, then drain and dry gently. Wash the watermelon, mango and pineapple skins before cutting. The fruit weights listed are the prepared weights, without peel, pips or cores.
2
Prepare the fruit as listed. Place the watermelon in a separate bowl so any excess juice can collect beneath it.
3
Combine the mango, pineapple, grapes and blueberries in a large serving bowl. If preparing ahead, cover and refrigerate this bowl and the watermelon separately for up to 4 hours.
4
Whisk the lime juice, lime zest and honey in a small bowl until the honey dissolves. Keep chilled if not using immediately.
5
Just before serving, lift the watermelon from its collected juice with a slotted spoon and add it to the other fruit.
6
Add the sliced mint and drizzle over the dressing. Fold everything together gently with two large spoons, taking care not to crush the mango or blueberries.
7
Scatter over the extra mint leaves and serve straight away, preferably in chilled bowls.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 130 kcal
Carbohydrates: 33 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Saturated fat: 0.1 g
Sugar: 27 g
Fibre: 2.6 g
Sodium: 3 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Estimated values based on the ingredients used.

Notes

Christmas tips

Keep the prepared fruit refrigerated until serving. For an outdoor Christmas lunch, bring out a small bowl at a time and keep the rest cold.
Use ripe, sweet fruit and taste before dressing. If the pineapple is particularly sharp, add another 5 ml honey; the nutrition estimate excludes this extra honey.
Serve in a wide, shallow bowl so guests can help themselves without digging through and bruising the fruit.
For young children, quarter grapes lengthways rather than simply halving them, and cut the other fruit into suitable small pieces.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this fruit salad the night before?

For the best texture, prepare it on the day, up to 4 hours ahead. You can make the dressing the night before and refrigerate it in a sealed jar. Keep watermelon separate and add the mint and dressing just before serving.

What can I use instead of blueberries?

Use the same weight of hulled, quartered strawberries or firm, ripe nectarine pieces. Fold strawberries in at the end because they soften more quickly.

How long will leftovers keep?

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and eat within 24 hours; the fruit will release juice and soften. Discard salad left out for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the temperature is above 32°C.

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