Winter Fruit Salad (With Honey Ginger Dressing

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This Fall/ winter fruit salad combines several seasonal fruits, all tossed in a tangy-sweet honey ginger dressing (Vegan option available!) for a fresh, vibrant, and super delicious addition to any meal—including Thanksgiving or Christmas brunch/lunch!

There is never a time when I don’t have at least half a dozen different types of fruit in my kitchen (all the better to whip up delicious smoothies and yogurt granola bowls!). During the cooler Fall/Winter months, it’s also the perfect excuse to prepare this winter fruit salad recipe! Whether you’re looking for something fresh and healthy for Christmas brunch/lunch or simply an everyday dessert/snack, this Christmas fruit salad has it all!

With a combination of apples, winter citrus, pomegranate, and kiwi, this winter/ fall fruit salad is vibrant and packed with color, flavor, and nutrients. Better yet, the combination of sweet and tart fruits all finished with an equally delicious, tangy-sweet honey ginger dressing (vegan option included) makes for a wonderfully balanced flavor and a great way to get everyone eating tons of fruit!

Plus, you can prepare this Winter/ Christmas/ Thanksgiving fruit salad (did I mention it’s versatile?!) in just minutes, or even make some or all of it ahead for a fuss-free addition to the holiday celebrations (or any day!). It’ll stay fresh (and crisp) even after hours in the fridge! Best of all, this recipe is also super versatile and can easily be used to use up whatever fruits you have lying around!

Looking for more ways to enjoy apples this fall/winter? You might also like this homemade cloudy apple juice, hot mulled apple cider, sweet stuffed apples, or simple broccoli apple salad!

The Winter Fruit Salad Ingredients

Citrus: You can use whatever in-season seedless citrus. I’ve made this fall fruit salad before with tangerines, mandarins, and clementines. This time, I used a combination of clementines and pink grapefruit.
Green apple: You can use sweet (like Gala or Fuji) or tart (Braeburn or Granny Smith) apples for this fall fruit salad, based on which you prefer. I often just use whatever I have available.
Pomegranate: I love adding pomegranate arils to practically every other dish as a garnish. However, in this winter fruit salad recipe, they’re one of the star ingredients! Deseed it yourself or buy just the seeds.
Kiwi: Make sure they’re ripe, otherwise they won’t be sweet enough.
Herbs: While technically optional, I love adding extra flavor to the dish with herbs. This time I used a little thyme. However, fresh mint would also work very well.
Lemon: Just a little to toss with the apples and stop them from browning. If you don’t want to add too much extra tang, you could use orange juice instead.

The honey ginger dressing:

Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is best. You could alternatively use lime juice or even a combination of the two. You may also be able to use orange juice, though I haven’t tried.
Ginger: Technically optional, but I love the bright zing it provides. I use homemade ginger juice. Alternatively, you could use a small amount of minced ginger.
Sweetener: This dressing classically uses honey (I use raw honey). However, if you want to make this a vegan fruit salad, you can use either dandelion honey OR maple syrup instead.
Salt & Pepper: Add to taste or even omit entirely. I like the sweet and salt and slightly spicy (thanks to the pepper) flavor. However, you could also omit it entirely and use poppy seeds in the honey ginger dressing instead (if you still want the black flecks and slight crunch).

Optional Add-ins and Variations

Dried cranberries: A perfect addition to this fall/winter fruit salad recipe. I like to add a big handful to add pockets of super sweetness to the dish.
Pears: Apples make for a wonderful addition to this fall fruit salad. Use 1 or 2 pears, finely sliced.
Red seedless grapes: Grapes are a great addition to a Thanksgiving/ Christmas fruit salad. Add ½-1 cup of sliced grapes. Green grapes would also work.
Banana: If you want to add banana, I recommend only slicing it (around ½-inch thick to hold its shape) into the fall fruit salad before serving as it doesn’t store particularly well.
Berries: If you’re able to get a hold of high-quality berries when making this fruit salad for Christmas/Thanksgiving, then feel free to add some. Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries would all work well.
Zest: Since we’re already using lemon or lime and orange as part of this winter fruit salad, we might as well take advantage of the zest too. I recommend zesting the fruits before juicing/slicing them. You can then add a little to the fruit salad and save the remainder to freeze until needed (yay for reducing waste!).
Yogurt: If you want a ‘creamy’ dressing, you could add a few spoonfuls of yogurt (dairy or dairy-free like coconut yogurt).
Poppy seeds: To add to the dressing. ½-1 tablespoon should be more than enough.
Cinnamon: You can add a little cinnamon powder to the fruit salad dressing for extra flavor. All you need is a tiny pinch!

How to Make Winter Fruit Salad?

Step 1: Prepare the fruit

First, deseed the pomegranate (steps here). Then, slice the kiwis (you can leave the skin on or remove it).

Next, slice the apple. I sliced thin wedge-shaped slices and tossed them gently in a bit of lemon juice to stop them from browning (the lemon ginger dressing will further help).

Finally, peel and separate the citrus fruit into individual segments. You can leave the ‘skin’/membrane on, or if you prefer super-tender pieces, then take the time to peel the skin from each segment (100% not necessary, though).

After each fruit is ready, add it to a large mixing bowl (or serving bowl).

Sliced ingredients for winter fruit salad

Step 2: Prepare the dressing

Add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl or jar and whisk/ shake well until thoroughly combined. Then give it a taste and adjust any of the ingredients to personal taste.

If the honey isn’t dissolving into the mixture properly, you can heat it in the microwave for just 10-15 seconds, which should help.

Step 3: Mix and serve

Combine the ginger honey dressing with the fresh fruits and gently toss to combine. Then serve and enjoy!

It’ll taste even better if you give it an hour or two in the fridge to ‘marinate’ and allow the flavors to meld!

How to Serve?

Honestly, this winter fruit salad tastes delicious as is. However, you could also serve it:

Topped with a little whipped cream or dairy-free coconut whipped cream.
With a dollop of yogurt (dairy or dairy-free, like coconut yogurt, almond yogurt, or soy yogurt).
With a scoop of vanilla ice cream (follow this ice-cream recipe, using regular sugar).
Sprinkle with some nuts like pecans, walnuts, or pistachios (only when serving so they don’t soften in the fruit salad).

You could also serve the fruit salad for Christmas/ Thanksgiving within chocolate cups by brushing two layers of dark chocolate inside a silicone mold (in your shape of choice).

How Make Ahead and Store?

Make-Ahead: You can prepare this winter fruit salad, complete with dressing, the evening before it’s needed. Though I like to serve it within 6-8 hours for the best texture/color.

If you want to keep the fruit salad as fresh as possible, there is still some prep you can do. This included mixing the ginger honey dressing, peeling the citrus, and deseeding the pomegranate. Then, store each in separate containers in the fridge until you’re ready to continue with the recipe. You can do this several days (3-4) in advance.

Store: Store the leftovers in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap for 2 days in the refrigerator (it will last up to 4 but is best within the first 2). Ensure you store it in the fridge right until serving for a wonderfully crisp and non-mushy fall fruit salad.

FAQs

Can you freeze fruit salad?

I would only recommend freezing this fruit salad if you plan to use it from frozen in smoothies. I don’t recommend freezing it to thaw and enjoy as a fruit salad as the textures will be affected.

Can I use canned fruit?

I prefer not to, for the best texture. However, you can probably get away with using canned citrus, like mandarin/clementine slices.

How long does fruit salad last in the fridge?

While fruit salad will technically last up to four days in the refrigerator, I prefer to use it within the first two for the best texture, color, etc.

Is fruit salad healthy?

I would say so! A combination of different colored fruits means lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Even the dressing is fairly healthy with a simple combination of citrus juice and a natural sweetener like honey or maple. In fact, the main thing to watch out for in fruit salad is the sugar content. While most are natural sugars, it’s sugar nonetheless, so I like to eat it in moderation.

What are the best dressings for fruit salad?

Honestly, this honey-lime dressing IS my preferred dressing for fruit salads year-round. Alternatively, I also enjoy a creamy version that combines the honey-citrus dressing with Greek yogurt and a little vanilla (optionally).

Recipe Top Tips and Notes

Slicing the fruit: The way you chop the fruit is entirely up to you. I made my winter fruit salad with fairly large pieces. However, the kiwi and apple slices could easily be halved or even quartered based on how much you want to be able to fit on each spoonful.
Dealing with pomegranate: Take care when dealing with the opening and deseeding of the pomegranate as the juice stains! While you can buy the already prepared pomegranate seeds (arils) to cut down on prep time, I usually prefer to deseed my own for the best flavor/texture.
Serve chilled: That way, all the fruits will be crisp and cool.
Experiment with fruits: This Winter/ Fall fruit salad is incredibly versatile. Experiment with what fruits you have to hand (and let me know in the comments) for many variations.
Using oil in the dressing: Adding a tablespoon or so of oil (perhaps coconut oil) to the dressing can better help it coat the fruits. However, I usually omit it, as I don’t find that it’s needed.
Sweet or sour dressing: If you prefer the extra tang, then use lemon or lime juice. If you’d like the fruit salad dressing to be on the sweeter side, then orange juice is the way to go!
Use shape cutters: If you want to make a highly decorative Christmas fruit salad (or another event), you can use little shaped cutters on the apples and kiwi. Hearts, stars, trees, etc. The ‘scraps’ can be saved for smoothies and yogurt bowls.

More Recipes

If you try this easy winter fruit salad recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!

Winter Fruit Salad (With Honey Ginger Dressing | Vegan Option)