My favorite Watermelon and Berry Salad has a sweet and salty honey basil dressing! This is my go to side dish with refreshing watermelon and a gorgeous combination of kiwis and blueberries. This fruit salad is always popular at buffets and potlucks!
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One of the first side dishes I think of when planning a buffet or get-together is a fruit salad or fruit bowl. This particular fruit 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 fruit 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 and berry fruit salad combination 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
The dressing ingredients are fresh basil leaves, orange blossom honey, limes, salt, and safflower oil.
Instructions
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 3/4". Next, I peel the kiwis with a vegetable peeler and slice them about 1/3" 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 1/4 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.
This beautiful fruit salad is so easy to make and will bring a pop of color to your table!
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Watermelon and Berry Salad
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
- 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
Instructions
Prepare the Fruit
- Cut watermelon into bite sized cubes. Peel kiwi and slice 1/3" thick and then quarter each slice. Wash blueberries and drain well.
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 dressing into a cruet and set aside.
Assemble the Salad
- Gently 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.
- Each guest can add the dressing to their portion to their liking.
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