A vibrant and festive Thanksgiving fruit salad featuring a variety of fresh fruits tossed with a spiced citrus dressing and toasted pecans for added crunch.
Total Time:30 minutes
Yield:6 servings
Ingredients
Fruit Salad Ingredients:
2 medium green apples
2 medium red apples
¾ cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecans
1 cup grapes
3 medium navel oranges
1 medium lemon, juiced
Dressing Ingredients:
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
Toast Pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and place in the oven while it’s heating. Remove pecans when you can smell their aroma, approximately when the oven reaches temperature. Let pecans cool.
Prepare Dressing: In a small saucepan, whisk together orange juice, white sugar, apple pie spice, lemon zest, and orange zest. Place over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Simmer for 4 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh strainer and cool completely.
Prepare Fruit: Core and slice both green and red apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss the apple pieces with juice from half a lemon to prevent browning. Peel the oranges, removing all the white pith, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Toss Salad: In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and orange pieces. Drizzle the cooled dressing over the fruit mixture and gently toss to combine.
Serve: Serve the fruit salad fresh as a refreshing side dish or dessert for your Thanksgiving meal.
Notes
To save time, pecans can be toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, instead of using the oven.
If you prefer a less sweet dressing, reduce the sugar amount to 2 tablespoons.
For added texture, consider including a handful of chopped celery or apples with skins on if you don't mind a more rustic look.
Ensure the dressing is completely cooled before adding to the fruit to keep the salad fresh and crisp.
This salad is best served the same day it’s made to maintain the texture and freshness of the fruits.
