Best Summer Fruit Salad (Easy Picnic Food)

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This is the perfect summer fruit salad for picnics, BBQs, and pool parties! It’s a colorful mix of the season’s freshest fruits in a sweet pineapple dressing.

I just found an easy picnic food that’ll sweeten even the hottest days! It’s an easy vegan fruit salad that puts the spotlight on summer’s best fruits.

Fresh oranges, kiwis, grapes, pineapple chunks, and blueberries are tossed in a maple pineapple dressing that amps up their deliciousness and keeps them from turning brown.

Oh, and don’t forget the refreshing mint leaves for a touch of sophistication.

white rectangle dish of summer fruit salad.

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Planning what to bring in your picnic basket doesn’t have to be complicated! Browse our recipes for portable delights like vegetarian Sloppy Joes and vegan blueberry muffins, perfect for your next outdoor feast.

Why You’ll Love This Summer Fruit Salad Recipe

This picnic fruit salad is a cinch to make! It doesn’t require any cooking or complicated prep work.
This fresh fruit salad is perfect for taking on the go. After making it, just pop it in the cooler and bring it to the beach, pool, park, or backyard.
This vegan fruit salad is made with real fresh fruits! Satisfy your sweet tooth with nature’s candy.

Ingredients And Substitutions

Mandarin oranges – Don’t these bright orange fruits just scream summer? Sweet and juicy, oranges are simply perfect for hot-weather snacking.

Kiwis – This summer fruit salad features tropical favorites like the fresh and tangy kiwi fruit!

Seedless red grapes – Make sure you pick seedless grapes—no one wants to bite down on seeds when eating a fruit salad!

Pineapple – This refreshing summer dessert will be incomplete without juicy pineapple chunks.

Blueberries – Nothing satisfies those sweet cravings better on a hot summer day than cold blueberries.

Mint leaves – The fresh flavor that mint leaves add takes this easy picnic food from good to great.

Pure maple syrup – Feel free to use your favorite vegan sweetener to balance the tartness of the pineapple fruit salad dressing.

Pineapple juice – Pineapple juice provides a bright flavor and keeps the colorful fruit pieces from browning quickly for an attractive picnic feast.

Tips For Making This Recipe

Use Chilled Fruits

This fruit salad is best enjoyed cold. If you want to serve your summer fruit salad immediately, refrigerate the fruits ahead of time.

Try a Different Dressing

Make a dressing inspired by the flavors you love! Swap pineapple juice for a combination of fresh lime juice (or lemon juice) and orange juice, or add salt and ginger to the dressing to give it depth.

Serving Suggestions

Add this fresh fruit salad on top of lemon blueberry pound cake, vegan vanilla ice cream, blueberry lavender smoothie bowl, or red hot berry protein parfait! You can also make a fruit pie from scratch with our vegan pie crust, or, if you need pool snack ideas, serve it with chocolate-covered rice cakes.

Easy Picnic Food Recipe FAQs

Can I make this summer fruit salad ahead of time?

Yes. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Are there other fruits I can add to this picnic fruit salad?

Of course! Try it with other in-season fruits like fresh mangoes, apricots, plums, cantaloupe, and watermelon. But if you’ll make the salad ahead of time, add the mushier fruits right before serving.

What fruits are best in summer?

Make this fruit salad with your favorite fruits that especially taste best during summertime. They include cherries, strawberries, and peaches.

Can I use frozen fruits for this easy picnic food?

Sure, but thaw them first so they don’t add excess liquid to the mix. This is also a summer fruit salad, so why not take advantage of seasonal fruits?

Can I freeze summer fruit salad?

You can freeze this summer salad in an airtight container for up to 2 months. The frozen fruits will be perfect for recipes like our Greek yogurt smoothie!

More Delicious Vegan Summer Dessert Recipes

I found this recipe for Mexican-Style Fruit Salad that I HAVE to try!

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Summer Fruit Salad

This is the perfect summer fruit salad for picnics, BBQs, and pool parties! It's a colorful mix of the season's freshest fruits in a sweet pineapple dressing.

Louisa

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Equipment

Ingredients

6 to 8 mandarin oranges
4 kiwis, peeled, halved, and sliced
2 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1 medium pineapple, cut into chunks
1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 cup mint leaves, loosely packed
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Instructions

Peel and separate the mandarin oranges into segments. Remove the white strings, then place the orange segments into a large bowl.
Add the sliced kiwis, grapes, pineapple chunks, and blueberries.
Top with mint leaves.
Combine the maple syrup and pineapple juice, then pour the mixture over the fruits.
Gently toss to combine and serve.

Notes

This fruit salad is best enjoyed cold. If you want to serve your summer fruit salad immediately, refrigerate the fruits ahead of time.
Make a dressing inspired by the flavors you love! Swap pineapple juice for a combination of fresh lime juice (or lemon juice) and orange juice, or add salt and ginger to the dressing to give it depth.
Add this fresh fruit salad on top of lemon blueberry pound cake, vegan vanilla ice cream, blueberry lavender smoothie bowl, or red hot berry protein parfait! You can also make a fruit pie from scratch with our vegan pie crust, or, if you need pool snack ideas, serve it with chocolate-covered rice cakes.