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Fruit Salad Recipe

Fruit Salad Recipe
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★★★★★

4.9 from 5 reviews

A refreshing and vibrant fruit salad combining crisp apples, juicy oranges, sweet grapes, tart cranberries, and toasted pecans, all tossed in a subtly spiced citrus dressing. Perfect as a healthy snack or a colorful side dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruit

  • 2 medium green apples
  • 2 medium red apples
  • 1 cup grapes
  • 3 medium navel oranges

Dry Ingredients

  • ¾ cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup pecans
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ¼ tsp apple pie spice

Citrus & Juices

  • 1 medium lemon (juiced)
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

  1. Toast Pecans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and place them in the oven as it heats up. Once you start to smell the toasted aroma—usually when the oven has fully preheated—remove the pecans and let them cool.
  2. Prepare Dressing: In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, lemon zest, and orange zest. Whisk the mixture thoroughly to blend all ingredients.
  3. Simmer Dressing: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sugar to dissolve fully.
  4. Strain and Cool: Pour the dressing through a fine mesh strainer to remove zest and spice bits. Set aside and allow it to cool completely before tossing with the fruit.
  5. Prepare Apples: Core and slice both green and red apples into bite-sized pieces. To prevent browning, toss the apple pieces with juice from half a lemon.
  6. Prepare Oranges: Peel the navel oranges carefully, removing all white pith, then cut them into bite-sized segments.
  7. Combine Salad: In a large mixing bowl, gently toss together the apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and orange pieces. Drizzle the cooled dressing over the fruit mixture and toss lightly to coat evenly.

Notes

  • Use fresh juices and zest for the best flavor impact.
  • Toast pecans carefully as they can burn quickly; remove as soon as they release aroma.
  • Toss apple pieces with lemon juice promptly to avoid browning.
  • This salad can be served immediately or chilled for an hour to meld flavors.
  • Optional: Add a handful of fresh mint leaves for an extra refreshing taste.

Nutrition

Keywords: fruit salad, healthy snack, citrus dressing, toasted pecans, fruit mix, quick salad

Find it online: https://victoriablair.com/fruit-salad-recipe/