This will be The Best Fruit Salad to ever cross your lips! The honey-lime dressing is sweet, tangy and pairs perfectly with whatever fruit is in season. It’s cool, refreshing and tastes even better when made a day in advance!
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That big ol’ bowl of rainbow-colored juiciness was a total accident. I actually shot the above photo with my iPhone and after sharing it on Instagram, I realized quite quickly that sometimes the simplest of recipes can be the biggest of hits.
I was inundated with requests for the recipe, and since I am never one to deny the culinarily curious, I present to you The Best Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing!
I brought this fruit salad as a super last-minute potluck addition for a friend’s brunch and, call me crazy, but it was gone before the platter of bacon!
I’ve awarded it the title of “The Best Fruit Salad” because it encompasses everything you want in this side dish staple:
- A rainbow of color
- A refreshing crunch
- A balance of sweetness and tanginess
You can serve it as is or layer it up with yogurt for the ultimate parfait. Best of all, we’re talking about a fruit salad here, not nuclear fission, so use this recipe as a basic template but feel free to swap in whatever fruit is in season to really make the most of this dish 365 days a year.
- Strawberries or raspberries: I love both of these berries! Strawberries add a classic touch, while raspberries contribute a slightly tart and bold flavor.
- Cantaloupe: Pick a cantaloupe that smells sweet at the stem end and feels slightly soft. A smooth, tan netted pattern on the skin means it’s ripe.
- Pineapple: Choose a pineapple with a fragrant, sweet smell at the base. The leaves at the crown should be green and pluck out easily. Press the skin; it should give slightly but not feel too soft. See my pineapple guide for how to easily cut your pineapple.
- Honeydew melon: A ripe honeydew will have a creamy color and a sweet fragrance. Press on the blossom end – if it gives slightly, it’s ready. Even though the interior is a light green, there shouldn’t be a green tint on the skin.
- Blueberries: Choose plump, firm blueberries with a uniform color. Blackberries would be delicious, too!
- Grapes: My #1 tip for the grapes – go seedless! Whether they’re red, green or purple, opting for seedless grapes makes for a smoother snacking experience.
- Pomegranate arils: I love the burst of tartness and crunch these add to any dish. Select a pomegranate with smooth, unblemished skin and a heavy feel for its size. Or, opt for pre-packaged arils for convenience!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
This simple fruit salad dressing is made without any cream or other heavy ingredients you might see in other recipes. All you need is:
- Honey: Brings sweetness with a touch of complexity to balance the acidity of the lime.
- Fresh lime juice and lime zest: This dynamic duo adds a zesty, citrusy kick to the dressing. It not only enhances the flavor but also brightens up the entire salad.
Assembling this fruit salad is a total breeze.
- Slice, dice and chop your fruit.
- Toss all the fruit into a bowl.
- Make the honey-lime dressing. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime zest and lime juice.
- Add the dressing to the bowl with the fruit and toss to combine.
Pro Tip: Serve the fruit salad in a carved-out watermelon half or pineapple bowl for a creative and stunning presentation.
Seasonal Variations
Here are some suggestions for fruit combinations, but feel free to let your creativity guide you!
- Summer Fruit Salad: For a summertime twist, use mango, kiwi and papaya.
- Fall Fruit Salad: In the fall, I love adding crisp apples (Honeycrisp is my favorite!), pears and figs. Sometimes I’ll even toss in a handful of chopped walnuts just before serving.
- Winter Fruit Salad: Grapefruit, blood oranges and persimmons are perfect for a wintery mix. Or, try my favorite citrus salad with honey dressing.
- Mix and match fruits based on what’s in season and what you like best.
- Make it in advance! This allows the fruit to marinate in the honey-lime dressing, amplify the flavors.
- Add bananas and apples only if you plan to serve the fruit salad immediately. Both can brown and change texture over time.
- Don’t use frozen fruit! Stick to fresh fruit to maintain the salad’s crispness and prevent the unwanted texture that comes with thawing frozen fruit (soft, mushy and watery).
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, this salad is so delicious that there might not be much left to store!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! I often whip it up a day in advance and toss it with the honey-lime dressing then keep it covered in the fridge until it’s ready to serve. The added chill time amplifies the flavors.
It’s best to use fresh fruit for optimal texture. Frozen fruit tends to become mushy and watery as it thaws.
Be sure to thoroughly dry washed fruit before adding it to the salad to prevent excess water from accumulating at the bottom.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries or raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups diced cantaloupe
- 1 1/2 cups diced pineapple
- 1 1/2 cups diced honeydew melon
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup halved grapes
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Fresh mint, for garnishing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, honeydew melon, blueberries, grapes and pomegranate arils.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime zest and lime juice. Add the dressing to the bowl with the fruit and toss to combine.
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve immediately or store, covered securely with plastic wrap, in the fridge.
Kelly’s Notes
- Mix and match fruits based on what’s in season and what you like best.
- Add bananas and apples only if you plan to serve the fruit salad immediately. Both can brown and change texture over time.
- Don’t use frozen fruit! Stick to fresh fruit to maintain the salad’s crispness and prevent the unwanted texture that comes with thawing frozen fruit (soft, mushy and watery).
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
So yummy! I served this yesterday at a bridal shower brunch and guests really enjoyed it. That honey-lime dressing is delish! Thank you for sharing it
I’m thrilled to hear that you and the guests enjoyed the recipe, Jennifer!
AWESOMENESS! I had a hankering for exactly this type of salad. And it’s great to bring for my lunch at work!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Sharon!
Awesome recipe! Perfect for summer. Loved the dressing, very light and bright.
I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe, Ellen!
I made the honey lime dressing and did put a bit of orange juice in one time thanks Kelly.
You are so welcome, Kevin! Enjoy!
Really easy and refreshing! I used drained canned pineapple in place of fresh, and it worked well. I didn’t add the pomegranate, due to personal preference, but I think it was fine without it. I also added whole milk Greek yogurt to the dressing. It made a nice creamy dressing and the tanginess was perfect. Low or no fat would probably also work fine. This will be my go-to fruit salad!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Hana!
This was so delightfully tangy and fresh. Excellent.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Sarah!
Bought my fruit and I’m ready to make this for Easter lunch. I wanted a fruit salad for my Easter table and this looks like it will fit the bill. Thanks for posting it. I’m looking forwarding to eating it and I know my family will enjoy it!
I hope you and your family enjoy the fruit salad, Lynn!
Delicious and refreshing, as well as light tasting
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Carol!
I make this all the time and it so so good!
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Kristi!
Loved this recipe! I used a few different fruits and added just a pinch of salt to the dressing, but all-in-all this is a beautiful and tasty twist on the classic fruit salad.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Erin!
Just Wow! That dressing is absolutely killer. I am a huge lime fan and the honey (I used orange blossom) tempers it so well. More than the sum of its parts, so simple yet effective. I used late season watermelon and cantaloupe and dressing those lightly did a lot for off-peak fruit. Added grapes, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries and pom airels on a very large oversized platter in layers that created a mountain that took everyone’s breath away. I never before dressed fruit salad but I’m a convert. I will now need to explore your site in depth.
This is what I love to read, Anne! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, and welcome to Just a Taste! :)
I am really sorry that i found this recipe just now because it makes for a great study snack and it is delicious quick and amazing. I just added some caramel flavoured syrup to the dressing and removed the pomegranate and it’s truly the best fruit salad ever! Thank you soooo so much for skipping me the headache of trying to think of a quick simple and delicious snack ever single time I start studying.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Mila! Good luck with studying!
Simple and delicious. Not much more need be said.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Mady!
I made this last night, with a bit of hesitation. Due to fact that I’m not a big lime fan. But after reading the reviews I thought I would give it a try.
I am so glad I did, just delicious and the lime … just but the finesse to it. Just goes to show you how not to judge anything without first knowing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Rhonda!
I made the fruit salad with honey-lime dressing minus the pomegranate and it was delicious. Thank you just a taste. Next time in going to add white peaches
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Marvette!
Great for Memorial Day get together. Looking forward to eating it .
Thanks again Kelly!
Pat
You are so welcome, Pat! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Can you use lemon instead of limes & some frozen fruit?
Absolutely, Sheila!
Love making this salad….great fruit combos and delicious dressing. I make what I have on hand…apples, pears, raisins….. Thanks for a great recipe!
You are so welcome, Ann! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying it!
I made this last weekend for a neighborhood brunch. Winner, winner! Thank you!
You are so welcome, Mary! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Weights as well as volumes please. The majority of the world isn’t American.
Hi Neil – I don’t provide metric conversions for my recipes, as I cannot guarantee they would be 100% accurate without being tested. However, you are welcome to use an online converter. :)
I made this a few years ago and we all loved it .. lost the recipe .. so thanks again!
So glad you found the recipe again, Jo!
How far in advance can this be made? Will it be ok to make a day before a gathering?
Absolutely, Thea! I often whip it up a day in advance and toss it with the honey-lime dressing then keep it covered in the fridge until it’s ready to serve. The added chill time amplifies the flavors. :)
Amazing and tangy. The best recipe out there for fruit salad. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Tonya! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I didn’t have all the fruit for this recipe but I used what I had. Fortunately I had pomegranate arils because they added a nice fresh pop of flavor. Served with Jalapeño brats. I will definitely make this again. So easy and delicious. Thank You!
You are so welcome, Freya! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
My go to fruit recipe for family gatherings and work pot luck. Making for the 3rd time in 3 months. This time for a Father’s Day brunch. We love it so much.
Yay! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Colleen!
Excellent and the dressing is the best, fresh and tangy. I tried it with maple syrup instead of honey and it’s yummy
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Camille!
Had it for brunch this morning. So light and fresh tasting.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Cindy!
it was delicious and amazing thanks for the recipe
You are so welcome, Misty! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
I took your fruit salad to my brunch time book club with the honey and lime dressing. It is beautiful in appearance and the dressing is perfect. It was 3/4 gone by eight women. Guess they liked it!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Glenda!
My fruit salad consisted of oranges, apples, strawberries, mangoes, and kiwi. I don’t usually sweeten my fruit salads with any kind of sugar. I like the natural blend of sweetness from the fruit. I am taking my fruit salad to work and decided I would sweeten it a little so I tried the recipe with the honey, lime juice, and lime zest. I tried a bowl of fruit before I took it to work and YUMMY! Not too sweet and blends with the natural sweetness of all of the fruits. I will definitely use this dressing on my fruit salads again. Thanks for sharing it.
You are so welcome, Dianne! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Delicious! Just the right amount of sweetness and tartness.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the fruit salad, Susan!
Love the fruit salad with honey lime dressing! As far as prep time, unless you are using pre-cut fruits, make sure you factor in cutting time for the melons, pineapple, strawberries and grapes…took me a couple of hours! Still, was worth it! Great salad!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Melba!
I used the freshest fruits we had-lots of watermelon, berries and pineapple. The dressing is the absolute best! The lime balances sweetness of honey-its perfect! Everyone asks for recipe. I like a bit of salty with my fruits so I add just a sprinkle of feta, not much at all.
So thrilled you enjoyed the recipe! And I love your addition of feta cheese!
I made a fruit salad of strawberries, apples and peaches, then decided that I wanted a dressing for it, so started searching the web. I’ll admit I was kind of dubious about the honey. I though it might make the salad too sweet so I backed off on the amount. Because my salad contained peaches, I added a tiny splash of peach brandy to the dressing. It was soooo good! I have a party to go to on Saturday and am thinking about making this again, maybe with your suggested fruits.
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe for the honey-lime dressing!
I made the basic fruit/green salad with spring mix, different-colored cherry tomatoes, Maine blueberries, and seedless watermelon chunks. I needed a fruit salad dressing and found this recipe. I didn’t have a lime for the zest, so just used honey and lime juice. It was delicious!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I didn’t make it yet but I will for my niece’s graduation party. I want to know if this really makes 8 servings.
Your bowl looks like it makes a lot more. She will have a lot of people with a lot of other food. Should I double it
and double the dressing? I’m sure it will be awesome.
Hi Shery – Yes, this recipe yields 8 servings so you’d have to gauge how hungry your group may be in order to determine the amount you’d need. I always err on people having big appetites :)
I also made this the first time for Easter, and everyone raved about it. I didn’t have any fresh limes, but instead used the real lime juice in a bottle and I had lemons, so used lemon zest. It was really good! Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome, Jackie! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
So delicious! I brought this to a picnic today & it was completely gone in about 15 minutes!
Woohoo! This is what I love to hear, Susanna!
This was delicious for my spring tea party.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
Add this recipe for a graduation party the first time ever. I had so much that I had to put it in a round tupper ware cake holder. Every bite was eaten. Big hit.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Mary!
This is amazing – my family raved about it. It is a keeper :)
I’m so thrilled to hear this, Julie!
We just had your salad with the lime/honey dressing for Easter morning breakfast. It was a terrific hit with the whole family. I made a huge bowl of it, and every morsel was devoured and exclaimed over. Many thanks.
Love hearing this, Susie! I’m so thrilled the recipe was enjoyed by all!
Ah, April in New England when soon the buds on the trees will sprout. What do I turn to? The best fruit salad with honey-lime dressing! I’m eating it right now and it’s delicious. Thanks for this receipe. :)
You are so welcome, Skye! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
I never used a dressing before on a fruit salad, so I was a bit wary when someone gave me this recipe to use for a bridal shower. I love it! I just don’t want it to soak in too much, so I will put the dressing on only about a couple of hours beforehand.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Karen!
I love that it’s lime and honey super simple and super delicious. Admittedly I made a fruit salad dressing yesterday from another website and to put it politely it wasn’t really to my taste it had alot of lemonyness a shovel of zest a bucket of juice both lemon and orange it asked for a 1/4 cup of brown sugar but it was more like a kilo of brown sugar to get it tasting half appealing. So I wasn’t that keen to pour it all over the giant bowl of fruity deliciousness i had just spent the last 2 hours cutting up without atleast having a look if this was anything else out there. Needless to say your dressing won the competition and made it to the table ☺ x
I’m so glad you enjoyed the honey-lime dressing recipe, Sami! :)
I love that it doesn’t have refined sugar in it. Even with a lot of substitutions for the fruit, it was delicious! My favorite new dressing!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!