Name: Watermelon and Berry Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 Pounds Ripe Watermelon (Cut in Bite Sized Cubes); 4 Each Kiwi (Peeled, Sliced, and Quartered); 8 Ounces Blueberries; 2/3 Cup Safflower Oil; 1/4 Cup Lime Juice (Freshly Squeezed); 1/4 Cup Orange Blossom Honey; 1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt; 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil (Finely Chopped)

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Refreshing Watermelon and Berry Salad has a sweet & salty honey basil dressing. This fruit salad is always popular at buffets and potlucks!

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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Ingredients
Instructions
My Top Tips
Substitutions & Variations
Related Posts
📖 Recipe

One of the first side dishes I think of when planning a buffet or get-together is a fruit salad or fruit bowl. This Watermelon and Berry Salad has a sweet and salty herbal dressing that takes the fruit from refreshing and sweet to refreshing and sophisticated.

I prefer to not pour the dressing immediately over the fruit salad, and instead, I like 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

the fruit

The fruit used in this salad are watermelon, kiwis, and blueberries.

the dressing

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

The dressing ingredients are fresh basil leaves, orange blossom honey, limes, salt, and safflower oil.

Instructions

Square image of watermelon being cut into cubes on a green cutting board. Kiwis, blueberries, and more watermelon are on a wooden board in the background.

Square image of cut circles and quarters of kiwi are on a green cutting board. A peeler is cutting through the skin of a kiwi on a cutting board.

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.

PREPARE THE FRUIT - Prepping the fruit is very simple. All you need is a good knife and a vegetable peeler. I start with cutting the watermelon into bite-sized chunks of about ¾". Next, I peel the kiwis with a vegetable peeler and slice them about ⅓" thick and cut each slice into quarters. The blueberries just need a quick rinse of water and a gentle drying on a paper towel. The fruit is then ready to be placed in a large bowl or on a serving platter.

MAKE THE DRESSING - All that's left to make is the Honey Basil 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.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD - Gently layer and combine all of the 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 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.

♥ USE A SMALL JAR - If you do not have a small food processor, just put all of the dressing ingredients in a small, lidded, glass jar and shake vigorously.

♥ 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 the 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 be overpower a dish, so a little goes a long way.

♥ SUBSTITUTE YOUR FAVORITE FRUITS - We live in a time that 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.

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 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.

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5 from 2 votes