Fruit Salad

Jeff the Chef

I’m not usually a Fruit Salad kind of guy, but I’m all about this one. Mainly because it’s so easy, minimal, and is so fruit-centered.

Fruit Salad
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Fruit Salad

Recipe by Make It Like a Man!Course: Dessert
Makes

6

servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1 Tbs fruit spice blend (see notes)

  • 1 Tbs butter (optional)

  • Pinch of salt

  • 1 lb. strawberries, hulled

  • 1 pint blueberries

  • 1 large bunch of green grapes

  • 1 small pineapple

Directions

  • Stir sugar, water, and spice in a small saucepot over a medium flame. Once it begins to boil, stop stirring, turn the heat down, and let simmer for until syrupy, about 7 minutes. Stir in (butter and) salt. Let cool to room temperature. Strain. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Meanwhile, cut strawberries into bite-size pieces and place them in a large mixing bowl. Pour in blueberries. Add grapes. Prep the pineapple and cut the flesh into bite-size wedges. Add to bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
  • To serve, drizze 1 tsp of dressing (or more to taste) over a serving of fruit.

Notes

  • I used a fruit spice blend from Spice and Tease; substitute a mixture of star anise, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, or ask an AI to create spice blend for fresh fruit for you, or a Christmas blend.

You might be thinking, “Those must be pretty small grapes,” when you notice how close they are in size to the blueberries. Nope, they’re breeding blueberries that are nearly the size of grapes these days. Fortunately, though, they taste good.

Social Learning

The dressing for this salad is excellent. You want to go really, really, really light with it, though. Seriously, a little goes a long way and it’s easy to take it too far. Use just enough to present a little hint of flavor to the fruit. The fruit should be glistening with it, but it should not be collecting in the bottom of the bowl. If you want, you can mix the dressing with something like crème fraîche to make a salad that is more obviously dressed and sort of ambrosian.

I love the flavor of the brown sugar, although I’m not crazy about the color. However, since you use very little of it on the fruit it doesn’t really present itself as much of a color in the salad, excep it does make the pineapple look a tiny bit caramelized.

If you have leftover dressing, you won’t find it hard to use up. It’s great on cottage cheese or oatmeal, for instance.

The butter changes the texture of the syrup, adding a bit of body. You may feel that the syrup without the butter is a better match for the fruit. I like it both ways.

Fruit Salad

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! unless otherwise credited. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thank you, Kesor. Make It Like a Man! is ranked by Feedspot as #15 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs.

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36 thoughts on “Fruit Salad”

  4. I can imagine this on Christmas Day as a great accompaniment to a pavlova. It would be great for breakfast on Boxing Day.

    Reply

  5. We’ve moved into the hot and humid salad season here on the Texas coast, so this already has been added to the rotation. Your note about using the dressing with cottage cheese of oatmeal’s appealing, too. I’m eager to try this!

    Reply

  6. I love a good fruit salad when I am dining out but I have never made or served one. Weird, huh? This sounds really good and quite simple. Thanks!

    Reply

  7. It’s always good to have a nice fruit salad with a spiced dressing up your sleeve, particularly as the weather is getting hot and humid. I can imagine how refreshing this one is.

    Reply

  8. The dressing is indeed a highlight, and you’re right – a little goes a long way. The combination of brown sugar and butter creates a delicious syrup that subtly enhances the flavor of the fruit. Plus, the versatility of the dressing makes it a pantry staple for adding a touch of sweetness to various dishes.

    Reply

  9. In my part of the world, the tropics, we love a good fruit salad, particularly in Summer. We always make a special one for Christmas, but not with a spice blend or a dressing. Interesting. Passionfruit is a secret ingredient in ours. I envy you those blueberries. Looks great Jeff. I’m looking forward to a a Summery fruit salad again now.

    Reply

  12. This looks WAY better than the fruit salad that comes in cans. We always have fruit around during the summer, but I don’t think I’ve ever added a dressing and turned it into salad. Making it happen!

    Reply

  14. Interesting. I’ve never made a dressing for a fresh fruit salad and was really intrigued with the butter! Thanks for the recipe

    Reply

    • Not everyone will be on board with the butter, but I liked it.

      Reply

  15. I am definitely not much of a fruit salad person but this does sound rather delicious Jeff. Butter is always good!
    cheers
    sherry

    Reply

  16. I actually am a fruit salad kind of guy. 😉 I serve it often especially in the summer months. But I make mine a bit different, with sugar and lemon juice (uncooked) which makes me curious to check out this cooked dressing. And the butter is really intriguing…

    Reply

  17. Love the fruit combination – I get really annoyed when fruit salads are mainly melons as I am not really into them, but berries and grapes and pineapples. I also love stone fruit if it is season (am missing it during winter) It is the sort of thing I would be happy to have with granola or even with a piece of cake and some yoghurt.

    Reply

  18. Fresh fruit is practically all I’m thinking about during the summer. This is such a pretty combination of fruits and I love the simplicity of the flavors and beauty. 🙂 ~Valentina

    Reply

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