Rustic Fall Fruit Salad Recipe: A Sweet Autumn Treat

A vibrant fall fruit salad bursts with seasonal colors and refreshing flavors that dance across your palate.

Sweet and crisp ingredients celebrate autumn’s bountiful harvest in a delightful medley of textures.

These carefully selected produce pieces complement each other with surprising harmony and natural elegance.

Rich fall ingredients promise a nutritious blend that energizes and delights simultaneously.

Culinary creativity redefines simple components into a spectacular dish that feels both familiar and exciting.

Nutritionists and home cooks appreciate how this recipe balances nutritional value with pure deliciousness.

Professional chefs understand that complex flavor profiles emerge from thoughtful ingredient combinations.

Why Fall Fruit Salad Is Always in Season

• Burst with Seasonal Freshness: Celebrate autumn's bounty by combining crisp apples, juicy grapes, and sweet blackberries in one vibrant, colorful salad.
• Elevate with Simple Dressing: Orange zest, maple syrup, and cinnamon create a warm, aromatic coating that perfectly complements the mixed fruits, adding depth and complexity to each bite.
• Quick and Effortless Preparation: This no-cook recipe comes together in minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights, last-minute gatherings, or spontaneous healthy snacking.
• Nutritious and Delightful Texture: Crunchy pecans provide a satisfying contrast to the soft fruits, while delivering a protein-packed crunch that makes this salad both wholesome and delicious.

Ingredients for Seasonal Fruit Salad

• Orange Zest: Bright citrus flavor that adds a fresh, aromatic touch to the dressing.
• Orange Juice: Provides natural sweetness and helps blend the dressing smoothly.
• Maple Syrup: Natural sweetener that complements the fall fruit flavors.
• Ground Cinnamon: Warm spice that enhances the seasonal fall taste.

• Grapes, Blackberries: Juicy berries that add burst of color and sweet-tart flavor.
• Apples: Crisp fall fruit that provides a crunchy texture and classic autumn taste.

• Pecans: Nutty and rich, adds a satisfying crunch and depth to the fruit salad.

Assembling a Fall Fruit Salad

Step 1: Create Vibrant Dressing

• Orange zest
• Orange juice
• Maple syrup
• Ground cinnamon

In a spacious mixing bowl, zest and juice the orange. Pour in maple syrup and sprinkle ground cinnamon. Whisk ingredients vigorously until they form a smooth, aromatic liquid.

Step 2: Chop Fresh Fruits

• Grapes
• Blackberries
• Pecans
• Apples

Carefully slice grapes in half. Roughly chop blackberries. Roughly chop pecans into smaller pieces. Dice apples into uniform bite-sized cubes, ensuring each piece is roughly similar in size.

Step 3: Combine Fruits With Dressing

Gently add grapes, blackberries, chopped pecans, and apple cubes into the bowl with prepared dressing. Use a soft spatula to delicately toss fruits, ensuring every piece gets evenly coated with the zesty maple dressing.

Step 4: Serve And Enjoy

Transfer fruit medley to a beautiful serving dish. Serve immediately for the freshest taste and crispest texture.

Tips for Best Fruit Texture & Flavor

• Prevent Browning: Toss apple pieces in the citrus dressing immediately after cutting to stop oxidation and keep them looking fresh.
• Enhance Flavor Depth: Toast pecans lightly in a dry skillet before adding to the salad for a richer, nuttier taste.
• Customize Sweetness: Adjust maple syrup quantity based on the natural sweetness of your fruits for a perfectly balanced dressing.
• Maximize Freshness: Prepare the salad just before serving to maintain the crisp texture of fruits and prevent sogginess.
• Texture Variation: Mix different sized fruit pieces to create an interesting and appealing mouthfeel in every bite.

Store & Chill Fruit Salad Properly

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Keep the fruit salad chilled to maintain freshness and prevent browning.
• Prevent Browning: Splash a bit of extra orange juice over the fruit before storing to help slow down oxidation and keep apples looking crisp.
• Reheating: This salad is best enjoyed cold. Gently stir before serving to redistribute the dressing and revive the fruit's flavors. Avoid microwaving to preserve the fruit's texture and crunch.

Serve This Salad With These Dishes

• Pair with Creamy Yogurt: Dollop Greek yogurt on top for a luxurious, tangy contrast that complements the sweet and spicy fruit salad.
• Match with Warm Cinnamon Toast: Serve alongside crispy, buttery cinnamon toast to echo the warming cinnamon notes and provide a delightful textural crunch.
• Sip Spiced Apple Cider: Enjoy a chilled or warm spiced apple cider that harmonizes with the fall flavors, enhancing the maple and cinnamon undertones of the salad.
• Complement with Soft Cheese: Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese for a rich, creamy element that balances the fruit's sweetness and adds depth to the dish.

Fun Ways to Tweak Fall Fruit Salad

• Autumn Berry Blend: Swap blackberries with raspberries and add sliced strawberries for a vibrant red color palette. The tangy berries complement the sweet maple dressing perfectly.
• Tropical Fall Fusion: Replace pecans with toasted macadamia nuts and mix in diced mango chunks. Incorporate a splash of coconut milk into the dressing for a creamy tropical twist.
• Harvest Spice Special: Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds instead of pecans and add diced pears alongside the apples. Include a pinch of nutmeg with the cinnamon to enhance the warm fall flavors.
• Citrus Crunch Edition: Mix in mandarin orange segments and use candied walnuts instead of plain pecans. Zest both orange and lemon into the dressing for a brighter, more complex citrus profile.

Fall Fruit Salad Recipe

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4.6 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Mexican-inspired fall fruit salad combines seasonal produce with zesty lime and chili powder for a refreshing twist. Colorful ingredients dance together, delivering unexpected flavor complexity that will delight your adventurous palate.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Fruits:

• 16 ounces (454 grams) red seedless grapes
• 12 ounces (340 grams) blackberries
• 2 large sweet apples, cubed

Nuts:

• 1 cup chopped pecans

Dressing Ingredients:

• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Juice of 1 orange

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Instructions

1. Craft a vibrant dressing by whisking orange zest, freshly squeezed orange juice, rich maple syrup, and aromatic ground cinnamon in a spacious mixing bowl until thoroughly blended.
2. Gently introduce plump grapes, juicy blackberries, and roughly chopped pecans into the fragrant dressing mixture.
3. Carefully dice crisp apples into uniform, bite-sized cubes and fold them into the fruit medley.
4. Tenderly toss all ingredients to ensure each morsel is lavishly coated with the citrusy, sweet dressing.
5. For optimal flavor and texture, serve the salad immediately, allowing the fruits to showcase their peak freshness and vibrant colors.
6. Alternatively, securely cover the salad and refrigerate, preserving its delightful taste until you’re ready to indulge in this seasonal delicacy.

Notes

• Dress fruits right before serving to prevent browning and maintain crisp textures.
• Choose ripe, firm apples for the best flavor and crunch in this seasonal salad.
• Maple syrup and cinnamon create a warm, autumnal flavor profile that complements fall fruits.
• Customize the salad by adding other seasonal fruits like pears or pomegranate seeds.
• Chop nuts just before adding to preserve their crispness and prevent sogginess.
• Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but best enjoyed fresh on the day of preparation.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 220
• Sugar: 19 g
• Sodium: 2 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 29 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg