Summer fruit salad
A bright summer fruit salad with berries, mango, nectarines and kiwi, dressed in honey–lime and fresh mint. Quick to make, zesty and picnic-ready.
This summer fruit salad is exactly what you want to bring to a picnic, barbeque or lazy breakfast — bright, juicy fruit kissed with a sticky honey–lime dressing and fresh mint. It’s fuss-free but looks and tastes like you’ve made an effort.
The trick is a short maceration for the berries so they soften and release a little juice to flavour the whole salad. Assemble in 20 minutes and serve immediately for the best texture and colour.
Ingredients
- 300 g Strawberries
- 150 g Raspberries
- 150 g Blueberries
- 1 Mango — large, ripe
- 2 Nectarines — ripe but firm
- 3 Kiwi
- 15 g Fresh mint — leaves, lightly packed
- 50 g Honey
- 30 ml Lime juice — about 2 limes
- 50 ml Orange juice — freshly squeezed if possible
- Sea salt — pinch
Equipment
- citrus juicer
Instructions
Wash all the berries and pat dry on kitchen paper. Hull and quarter the strawberries. Leave raspberries and blueberries whole. Peel the mango, slice away the cheeks from the stone and dice the flesh. Slice the nectarines into thin wedges. Peel and slice the kiwi. Put all the prepared fruit into a large mixing bowl.
Make the dressing: whisk the honey, lime juice, orange juice and a pinch of sea salt in a small bowl until smooth and slightly runny.
Pour roughly half the dressing over the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Gently fold the berries to coat — do not mash them. Leave the berries to macerate at room temperature so they release their juices and absorb the dressing.
After 20 minutes, add the diced mango, nectarine wedges and kiwi to the macerated berries. Pour over the remaining dressing, tear in the fresh mint leaves and fold everything together gently once or twice. Taste and adjust with a tiny extra pinch of sea salt or a squeeze of lime if needed. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Macerate only the berries rather than all the fruit — they benefit most from the short rest and their juices flavour the whole salad.
- If making ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss with the fruit no more than 30 minutes before serving to avoid soggy pieces.
- Use a ripe but firm mango and nectarines so the fruit holds its shape; overripe stone fruit will become mushy once dressed.
- Gently fold, don’t stir. Use a large spoon and lift the fruit from the bottom to coat without crushing it.
- Leftovers keep 24–36 hours in the fridge, but textures will soften — pour off any excess liquid before serving.
Substitutions
Honey → Maple syrup, same quantity
Stays closeMango → Peaches or extra nectarines, same quantity (2–3 fruit depending on size)
Stays closeLime juice → Lemon juice, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 150
- Calories
- 3 g
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 30 g
- Sugar
- 10 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prepare and chop the fruit an hour or two ahead and keep chilled, but only add the dressing and mint up to 30 minutes before serving to preserve texture.
How long will leftovers keep?
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24–36 hours. Fruit will soften and release liquid; drain before serving.
Can I use tinned fruit instead of fresh?
Tinned fruit works in a pinch but adds more syrup and changes texture. Drain thoroughly and reduce or omit extra dressing to avoid an overly sweet salad.
How can I stop the fruit going brown?
Cut fruit as late as possible and toss any apple or banana with a little citrus juice. This recipe avoids those fruits to keep colours vibrant.
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