Watermelon and Berry Fruit Salad

Why You'll Love This Watermelon & Berry Fruit Salad Recipe!

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 Fruit Salad has a sweet and salty herbal dressing that takes the fruit from simply refreshing and sweet to refreshing and irresistibly sophisticated.

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

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!

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. If you like mint, add 1 teaspoon of 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.

How to Make this Watermelon and Berry Fruit Salad

Step 1 - 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 then cut each slice into quarters.

Blueberries only need a quick water rinse and gentle drying on a paper towel.

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

Step 2 - 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.

Step 3 - Assemble the Salad. Gently layer and combine 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.