Fall Fruit Salad: Easy 20-Minute Recipe with Maple Dressing
This fall fruit salad is the bowl I bring to every October brunch and Thanksgiving table, because it’s the one thing on the table that tastes fresh and bright next to all the cozy, heavy dishes. Crisp apples, juicy pears, red grapes, orange segments and ruby pomegranate get tossed in a simple maple lime dressing with a pinch of cinnamon. It takes 20 minutes and zero cooking.
Fall is the cheapest time of year for apples, pears and grapes, so this is also a smart budget recipe. I make a big bowl on Sunday, and it turns into breakfast toppings, lunchbox sides and after-school snacks for a couple of days. The dressing keeps the fruit from browning, which is the trick to a fruit salad that still looks good on day two.
Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 0 minutes | Total: 20 minutes | Serves: 8 | Diet: vegan, gluten-free, no-cook
Why You’ll Love This Fall Fruit Salad
- It’s ready in 20 minutes. Just chopping and tossing.
- It stays fresh. Lime juice keeps the apples and pears from turning brown.
- It uses cheap seasonal fruit. Apples, pears and grapes are at their best price in the fall.
- It’s naturally vegan and gluten free. Everyone at the table can enjoy it.
- It’s a great balance on a holiday table. Something crisp and light among all the casseroles.
Ingredients
Every ingredient in this fall fruit salad is easy to find in October and November. Feel free to swap fruit based on what’s on sale.
For the Fruit
- 2 crisp apples, such as Honeycrisp or Gala, cored and diced (360g)
- 2 ripe but firm pears, cored and diced (350g)
- 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved (300g)
- 2 navel oranges, peeled and segmented, or 3 clementines (260g)
- 1 cup pomegranate arils, or 1/2 cup dried cranberries (150g)
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, optional (40g)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, optional
For the Maple Lime Dressing
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (40g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice (30ml)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (2g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1.5g)
- 1 small pinch fine salt
Ingredient Notes
Apples: Choose a crisp, sweet apple like Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji or Pink Lady. Mix red and green apples for more color.
Pears: Bartlett, Anjou or Bosc all work. They should be ripe but still firm, so they hold their shape.
Pomegranate: Pomegranate arils add sparkle and crunch. A whole pomegranate is often cheaper than a cup of pre-packed arils. If they’re pricey, dried cranberries work well.
How to Make Fall Fruit Salad
- Whisk the Dressing. In a large bowl, whisk the maple syrup, lime juice, orange zest, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
- Cut the Apples and Pears. Dice the apples and pears into 1/2-inch pieces and add them straight to the bowl. Toss in the dressing right away so the lime juice keeps them from browning.
- Add the Rest of the Fruit. Add the halved grapes and orange segments, along with any juice from cutting the oranges. Toss gently.
- Finish. Fold in the pomegranate arils. Taste and add a little more maple or lime if needed.
- Top and Serve. Right before serving, scatter the toasted pecans and mint over the top. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Tips for the Best Fall Fruit Salad
Make the dressing first. That way you can toss each batch of apples and pears in it as soon as they’re cut, which keeps them from browning.
Cut everything about the same size. Half-inch pieces make the fall fruit salad easy to eat with a spoon or fork.
Use ripe but firm pears. Soft pears turn mushy when tossed. If yours are very ripe, add them last and fold gently.
Add nuts at the end. Pecans soften if they sit in the dressing. Sprinkle them on right before serving.
Chill it briefly. Fifteen minutes in the fridge makes it extra refreshing, but it’s great at room temperature too.
How to Seed a Pomegranate Without the Mess
Cut the pomegranate in half around its middle. Hold one half cut-side down over a large bowl of water and whack the back firmly with a wooden spoon. The arils fall into the water and sink, while the white pith floats to the top. Skim off the pith, drain the arils and you’re done in about five minutes, with no red splatters on your shirt.
One medium pomegranate gives you about 1 cup of arils, which is exactly what this fall fruit salad needs. Extra arils keep in the fridge for 5 days and are lovely on oatmeal or salads.
Building a Fruit Salad That Feels Like Fall
A good fall fruit salad needs a mix of textures. Apples bring the crunch, pears bring a soft, juicy sweetness, grapes add little bursts of juice, oranges add brightness and pomegranate gives you a pop of tartness and color. When you have all five, every spoonful tastes a little different, which keeps people going back to the bowl.
The dressing ties it together. Maple syrup gives a warm, caramel-like sweetness that feels right for the season, lime keeps everything fresh and the cinnamon makes it smell like an apple orchard. Just a small pinch of salt makes the fruit taste sweeter and more vivid, so don’t skip it.
If you want to make it more filling for breakfast, serve each bowl with a big spoonful of plant yogurt and a handful of granola.
Variations
- Creamy: Fold in 1/2 cup vanilla plant yogurt right before serving for a creamy fruit salad.
- Crunchy granola: Top with granola instead of pecans for a breakfast bowl.
- Persimmon: Add a diced Fuyu persimmon if you can find one.
- Kiwi: Kiwi adds green color and a tangy bite.
- Honey crisp and cheddar style: Add cubes of vegan cheddar for a sweet and salty snack plate.
Apples are one of the most affordable fruits around, and they bring plenty of fiber to this bowl. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has an interesting page on apples and their health benefits.
What It Costs
My breakdown this fall: two apples $1.20, two pears $1.40, grapes $2.00, oranges $1.00, a pomegranate $1.50, and lime, maple syrup and cinnamon about $0.70. Pecans add about $0.80. That’s roughly $8 for 8 cups of fall fruit salad, or about $1 per serving.
How to Serve It
Serve it as a side at brunch, on a Thanksgiving buffet or as a light dessert. It’s also lovely spooned over vegan yogurt or oatmeal. For a cozy fall snack platter, set it next to a bowl of crunchy baked cinnamon apple chips, and for a holiday dessert table, it brings a fresh bite next to a warm spiced pear crisp.
Packing It for Snacks and Outings
A fall fruit salad travels well, which makes it great for packed lunches, road trips and those last warm weekends outside. Spoon it into small jars or containers with tight lids and keep the nuts in a separate little bag. It stays crisp in a cooler for several hours. Kids love it in lunchboxes, and it’s an easy healthy snack to grab after school.
Storage
Fridge: Store the fruit salad, without nuts, in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Give it a gentle stir before serving.
Make ahead: You can cut the grapes and oranges and mix the dressing the night before. Cut the apples and pears the day of for the crispest texture.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing it, since the fruit turns soft and watery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep fall fruit salad from turning brown?
Toss the apples and pears in the lime and maple dressing as soon as you cut them. The acid in the lime juice slows browning for hours.
Can I make it the night before?
You can, but it’s best within 24 hours. For the freshest result, prep the dressing and sturdier fruit the night before and cut the apples and pears in the morning.
What other fruits can I add?
Persimmons, kiwi, figs, bananas and clementines all fit the season. Add bananas right before serving since they brown quickly.
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Honey works, but it isn’t vegan. Agave or a little brown sugar dissolved in the lime juice are good vegan swaps.
Is this fruit salad healthy?
It’s mostly fresh fruit with a light dressing, so it’s full of fiber and vitamin C. The maple syrup adds a little sugar, which you can cut back on if your fruit is very sweet.
Make a Bowl This Week
This fall fruit salad is simple, colorful and perfectly in season. It brings a fresh crunch to your holiday table and makes healthy snacking easy all week. For more seasonal ideas, browse my vegan snack recipes.
If this fruit salad brightened up your table, share the recipe with a friend who’s hosting this season, and follow me on Pinterest for more fresh and cozy vegan recipes. After you make it, leave a star rating in the recipe card below and tell me in the comments which fruits you added. Happy cooking!
