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Home » Recipes » Salads & Side Dish Recipes

Watermelon and Berry Salad

Published: Jul 1, 2020 · Modified: Jun 18, 2023 by Jan Nunes

Vertical image of bright red cubes of watermelon, green kiwi, and blueberries piled on a white platter. A light green dressing is in a carafe along with a potted basil plant is in the background.
Vertical image of bright red cubes of watermelon, green kiwi, and blueberries piled on a white platter. A light green dressing is in a carafe along with a potted basil plant is in the background.

Simple Watermelon and Berry Salad has watermelon, kiwis, blueberries, and a sweet and salty honey basil dressing. This summer fruit salad is always popular at buffets and potlucks!

Simply layer the watermelon and berries in a shallow dish or platter for a spectacular look. The 5 ingredient dressing is loaded with sweet and herbal flavors and mixes in minutes.

This Watermelon and Berry Salad is a perfect make-ahead dish for entertaining or for summer suppers of grilled chicken, fish, or even burgers.

Vertical image of bright red cubes of watermelon, green kiwi, and blueberries piled on a white platter. A light green dressing is in a carafe along with a potted basil plant is in the background.
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Jump to:
  • Ingredients for Watermelon and Berry Salad
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • My Top Tips
  • Substitutions & Variations
  • More Great Salads You Might Like
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

One of the first side dishes I think of when planning a buffet or get-together is a fruit salad or fruit bowl and if it is summer a watermelon salad is a must.

Like my Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint, this Watermelon and Berry Salad has a sweet and salty herbal dressing that takes the fruit from simply refreshing and sweet to refreshing and irresistibly sophisticated.

To keep the fruit brilliant in color I prefer to pour the dressing onto the fruit just before serving or to serve it on the side in a cruet.

This way the stunning colors of the watermelon and berries stay brilliant and guests can use as much or as little of the dressing as they like.

With only 30 minutes of prep time, a watermelon, blueberry, and kiwi fruit salad is an easy choice when planning an eye-catching side dish for a picnic, barbecue, or spontaneous party. Have I convinced you? Great! So, Let's Cook!

Ingredients for Watermelon and Berry Salad

The Fruit

Fruit ingredients, clockwise from top right: watermelon, kiwis, and blueberries.

The fruits used in this watermelon salad are all fresh:

  • Watermelon - I buy cut watermelon since I don't need a whole one and it lets me see the quality of the melon. Choose a deep red watermelon that does not look dry.
  • Kiwis - Kiwis that are soft but not too ripe are best for fruit salads so that they don't break up when the salad is stirred and scooped.
  • Blueberries - Choose full round berries with rich dark color for the best taste.

The Honey Basil Dressing

Dressing ingredients, clockwise from top right: fresh basil leaves, orange blossom honey, limes, salt, safflower oil.

The dressing ingredients are:

  • Fresh Basil Leaves - Fresh basil gives herbal notes to the dressing. If you can't get fresh basil you can omit it. Do not substitute dried basil. It will not have the same fresh flavor.
  • Orange Blossom Honey - Orange blossom honey is sweet and will give soft orange flower notes to the dressing.
  • Limes - Fresh lime juice is best. Do not substitute bottled lime juice. It does not taste the same as fresh.
  • Safflower Oil - I generally use safflower oil for its neutral flavor and nutritional content of being rich in polyunsaturated fats. You can use any neutral-flavored oil though.
  • Salt - Sweet always benefits from a small amount of salt to boost the flavors.

Step-by-Step Instructions

A cutting board with watermelon being cut into cubes.
A cutting board with kiwis being peeled and sliced.

PREPARE THE FRUIT. Prepping the fruit is very simple. All you need is a good knife and a vegetable peeler. I start by cutting the watermelon into bite-sized chunks.

Next, I peel the kiwis with a vegetable peeler and slice them about ⅓" thick and cut each slice into quarters. The blueberries only need a quick rinse of water and gentle drying on a paper towel.

The fruit is then ready to be placed in a large bowl or on a serving platter.

The dressing is being mixed in a dressing mixer. Cut fruit, squezzed limes, and a kitchen peeler, knife, and measuring cup surround the dressing mixer.

MAKE THE DRESSING. I use fresh limes and usually, 2 limes are enough to make ¼ cup of lime juice. I just cut the limes in half and squeeze them by hand.

Put the safflower oil, lime juice, orange blossom honey, salt, and chopped basil in a salad dressing blender (or a small food processor) and pulse the dressing until it is well mixed and emulsified.

Close up view of the prepared fruit; cubes of watermelon, slices of kiwi, and blueberries.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD - Gently layer and combine all of the fruit in a large serving bowl or place the fruit onto a large platter. Set the cruet of Honey Basil Dressing near the platter.

My Top Tips

♡ Keep The Fruit Brillant! - Serving the dressing on the side is key to keeping your fruit gorgeous and brilliant in color.

♡ Get More Juice From Limes - If you have trouble juicing the limes you can put them in the microwave for a few seconds to make it easier to get every bit of juice from the limes. Rolling the limes on a hard surface will also soften the pulp and make squeezing them easier.

♡ Layer the Fruit - Layer the fruit gently onto a platter or into a bowl. I use the order of watermelon, kiwi, and then the berries for each layer. This keeps the more delicate berries from being broken and makes a beautiful display of the fruit salad.

Substitutions & Variations

Substitute Blackberries - I really like blackberries and have often substituted them for blueberries. Blackberries are a little sweeter and less delicate than blueberries, so they work well in this recipe.

Add Mint - Mint is another great choice for adding an herbal note to the dressing. you like mint add 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Even if you love mint, fresh mint leaves can overpower a dish, so a little goes a long way.

Substitute Your Favorite Fruits - We live in a time when the fruit in this recipe is available almost always year-round. But, if you can't find any of the fruits in this recipe, feel free to substitute any ripe gorgeous fruit for the ones listed here.

If you decide to use peeled and sliced bananas, be sure to add them just before serving to keep them from turning dark.

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Pale green dressing is being poured over bright red watermelon, kiwis, and blueberries.

This beautiful Watermelon and Berry Salad is so easy to make and will bring a refreshing taste and a pop of color to your table!

📖 Recipe

Square image of bright red cubes of watermelon, green kiwi, and blueberries piled on a white platter. A light green dressing is in a carafe along with a potted basil plant is in the background.

Watermelon and Berry Salad

5 from 2 votes
Encharted Cook | Jan Nunes
Simple Watermelon and Berry Salad has watermelon, kiwis, blueberries, and a sweet and salty honey basil dressing. This fruit salad is always popular at buffets and potlucks!
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Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 262 kcal

Ingredients
 

The Fruit

  • 3 Pounds Ripe Watermelon, Cut in Bite Sized Cubes
  • 4 Each Kiwi, Peeled, Sliced, and Quartered
  • 8 Ounces Blueberries

Honey Basil Dressing

  • ⅔ Cup Safflower Oil
  • ¼ Cup Lime Juice, Freshly Squeezed
  • ¼ Cup Orange Blossom Honey
  • 1 ¼ Teaspoons Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Finely Chopped

Instructions
 

Prepare the Fruit

  • Cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes. Peel the kiwi and slice them ⅓" thick and then quarter each slice. Wash the blueberries and drain well.
    3 Pounds Ripe Watermelon, 4 Each Kiwi, 8 Ounces Blueberries

Honey Basil Dressing

  • Put oil, lime juice, orange blossom honey, salt, and finely chopped basil into a small food processor. Pulse processor until all of the ingredients are well combined. Pour the dressing into a cruet and set it aside.
    ⅔ Cup Safflower Oil, ¼ Cup Lime Juice, ¼ Cup Orange Blossom Honey, 1 ¼ Teaspoons Salt, 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil

Assemble the Salad

  • Gently combine all of the fruit in a large serving bowl or place the fruit onto a large platter. Pour the dressing over the fruit.
    Alternatively, set the cruet of Honey Basil Dressing near the platter, so each guest can add the dressing to their portion to their liking.

Video

Encharted Cook Notes

My Top Tips 
Keep the Fruit Brilliant! - Serving the dressing on the side is key to keeping your fruit gorgeous and brilliant in color.
Get More Juice From Limes - If you have trouble juicing the limes you can put them in the microwave for a few seconds to make it easier to get every bit of juice from the limes. Rolling the limes on a hard surface will also soften the pulp and make squeezing them easier.
Layer the Fruit - Layer the fruit gently onto a platter or into a bowl. I use the order of watermelon, kiwi, and then the berries for each layer. This keeps the more delicate berries from being broken and makes a beautiful display of the fruit salad.
Substitutions & Variations
Substitute Blackberries - Blackberries can be substituted for all or some of the blueberries.
Add Mint - If you like mint add a couple of teaspoons of chopped fresh mint leaves to the fruit.
Substitute Your Favorite Fruits - Feel free to substitute any ripe gorgeous fruit for the ones listed here. If you decide to use peeled and sliced bananas, be sure to add them just before serving to keep them from turning dark.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1010IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.

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Jan Nunes, owner and content creator at Encharted Cook.

Hello and Welcome to Encharted Cook!

I'm Jan and I love to cook for friends and family. Over the years I have learned that many recipes are related and if you learn to make one delicious dish and you can make many more. So come join me as I chart recipes and ingredients and share my favorite dishes.

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