Ginger Honey Fall Fruit Salad
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Fall Fruit Salad with Ginger, Honey and Lemon Syrup is a mildly sweet, not too citrus but still full of flavor winter fruit salad recipe that your entire family with love. Unlike our Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad recipe with cheesecake or our regular fruit salad with maple syrup, this fall fruit salad rides the line with one foot on the dessert tray and one foot on the side dish tray and is truly an “adult” fruit salad full of flavor.
Unlike a fruit cocktail that can be super sticky and sweet, this fruit salad balances fruits available in the winter time with the fall flavors of ginger.
And since preparation is as simple as cutting fruits and a short simple syrup, this recipe is also an easy fruit salad that can be done quickly and is totally adjustable.
Fall Fruit Salad Recipe
I think its often hard to really consider fruit side dishes in the winter months.
In fact, so many fruits are actually unavailable so I have put together the perfect combination of available fresh fruit and canned fruits so you can still enjoy your favorites all winter long.
Combining produce available fruits like fresh Kiwi and Mango (I just bought some and its December so I know they are available) with year round canned fruits like pineapples and mandarin oranges, make a large colorful and flavorful fruit bowl that is awesome for your upcoming holiday menus.
This is a perfect fruit salad, and the ginger added makes the recipe a wonderful balance of the natural sweetness of your fruit with your honey, lemon, and ginger flavors.
To get the most out of your fruit salad, you should use fresh fruits when possible, but don’t stress too much if you have to use cans either! I often find working with citrus fruits so much easier in cans so grab oranges and pineapples that way, even if fresh are out there.
Suggested Fruit Ingredients
- 1 can, 11 oz, mandarin oranges
- 1 can, 20 oz, pineapple chunks
- 1/2 pound fresh strawberries, sliced thin (more if you love them like I do!)
- 3 kiwi fruits, skins removed and sliced into rounds and then halves
- 1 mango, sliced into bite sized chunks
Ginger Honey Dressing
- 1/2 cup honey
- (SEE NOTE ABOUT GINGER) 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- juice of 1/2 fresh lemon (Translates to about 2 tablespoons of lemon if you use bottled lemon juice over fresh)
Optional Ingredients
- Mini Marshmallows
- Poppy seeds
- Mint sprigs
Equipment
How to make Fall Fruit Salad
- Drain – To make your fruit salad you first want to drain your fruits and set aside in a bowl so they can mingle
- Create- Now make your fresh homemade honey and lemon dressing. Ginger is a strong spice, but I am a fan, so I include it. Start with just a bit and work your way up as it can really take over the recipe.
- Combine – Mix everything well together, soaking the fruits in the delicious and sweet coating
- Chill – Put in fridge so you can chill the salad and allow the flavors to work together for perfection. Your fruit will produce plenty of juice once given a time to rest, so mix before serving.
Can I used Canned Fruit in Fruit Salad?
I think you can do anything you want when it comes to a recipe. The only issue with canned fruit is it can be really juicy and getting out all the liquids, which can be syrupy and sweet, can be pretty hard. Just make sure to drain well as your fruits let out their own juices as they sit in the bowl.
Other fruit choices that you can add:
- Starfruit
- Papaya
- Raspberries
- Seedless Watermelon
- Honey Dew
- Cantaloupe
- Banana (only add day of because it turns brown)
- Gauva
- Grapefruit
Can I substitute the honey?
Sure, you can substitute the honey!
There are other choices like maple syrup (which we use in this Fruit Salad), or feel free to try Agave. When you change out to different syrups or citrus (like Lime) you just change the flavoring. You would need to test out the levels to make sure you have the right balance.
Ground Ginger
Ginger is a really strong spice and absolutely makes this tropical salad unique. That being said, its not for everyone. The honey and lemon dressing is just fine on its own or you can lower the ginger to just a sprinkle and adjust more to your liking.
Serving a Fall Tropical Fruit Salad for a Crowd
Serve Tropical fruit salad to a crowd in mini mason jars, over yogurt or granola or even over vanilla pudding.
Fruit salad is also super fun with added marshmallows. It also doesn’t hurt to have a can of whipped cream or cool whip if you are serving tropical salad as a side dessert. Pretty much any time you have fruit, its special, so you can really up the special!
Apple a Day
Another great choice for this fruit salad is to add a green apple for color and tartness. I use an apple corer and slicer to cut apples quickly and I LOVE it. Its also made packing school lunches that much more tolerable.
More Easy Fruit Recipes
- Try these 20 Easy Side Dish Recipes!
- Fruit Salad with Cool Whip and Marshmallows
- Easy Fruit Salad Recipe
- Frog Eye Salad for a Crowd
- Easy Mandarin Salad
Fall Fruit Salad with Ginger, Honey and Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 can 11 oz, mandarin oranges
- 1 can 20 oz, pineapple chunks
- 1/2 pound fresh strawberries sliced thin
- 3 kiwi fruits skins removed and sliced into rounds and then halves
- 1 mango sliced
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger see note on ginger
- juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
- marshmallows optional
Instructions
- Drain oranges and pineapples, no need to reserve juice.
- Add mandarin oranges, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi and mango to a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- Add honey, juice of lemon and (optional) ginger. Whisk well.
- Pour dressing over fruit and mix well.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight for flavors to mingle. The fruit will let off a bit more juice during the cold process. Mix well before serving.
- Store fruit salad covered in the refrigerator and serve or pack in small individual jelly size mason jars.
Video
Notes
Tropical Fruit Salad TIPS:
- For the lemon you want to squeeze the lemon juice into the salad with your hand. When you squeeze it by hand, make sure you don’t let any seeds slip into the fruit salad, because ick.
- Then place it into the lemon squeezing gadget, cut sided down and squeeze the remaining juice out.
- I always spray my measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray before measuring the honey. This makes sure that nothing sticks inside your measuring cup and is a good rule to follow.
- Serve over Vanilla Pudding, Granola, Yogurt, or even ice cream!
- Ginger is super strong. Start light and move your way up.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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