Thanksgiving Fruit Salad Recipe

Introduction

This Thanksgiving Fruit Salad is a vibrant and refreshing side dish that combines the natural sweetness of apples, grapes, and oranges with the warm flavors of toasted pecans and a spiced citrus dressing. It’s a perfect balance of textures and tastes to brighten up your holiday table.

Ingredients

• 2 medium green apples
• 2 medium red apples
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup grapes
• 3 medium navel oranges
• 1 medium lemon (juiced)
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ tsp apple pie spice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and place them in the oven as it heats. Remove the pecans once you can smell their aroma, around the time the oven reaches temperature, and allow them to cool.
2. Step 2: In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, white sugar, apple pie spice, lemon zest, and orange zest. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk to mix the ingredients.
3. Step 3: Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Step 4: Strain the dressing through a fine mesh strainer and let it cool completely.
5. Step 5: Core and slice the green and red apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss them with the juice from half a lemon to prevent browning.
6. Step 6: Peel the oranges and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
7. Step 7: In a large bowl, combine the prepared apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and oranges.
8. Step 8: Drizzle the cooled dressing over the fruit mixture and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

• For added texture, try substituting walnuts or almonds for the pecans.
• If you prefer a less sweet salad, reduce the sugar in the dressing to 2 tablespoons.
• To make this salad ahead, prepare all components separately and toss with dressing just before serving to keep fruits fresh and crisp.

Storage

Store the fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To maintain freshness and prevent the fruit from becoming soggy, keep the dressing separate until ready to serve. If refrigerated after tossing, give it a gentle toss before serving to redistribute the dressing.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other types of apples in this salad?

Absolutely! Feel free to use any crisp apple variety like Honeycrisp or Fuji to suit your taste and availability.

Is it necessary to toast the pecans?

Toasting pecans enhances their flavor and adds a pleasant crunch to the salad, but you can skip this step if short on time.

Thanksgiving Fruit Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 103 reviews

This Thanksgiving Fruit Salad combines a vibrant mix of fresh apples, oranges, grapes, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans, all tossed in a warm, spiced citrus dressing. The fruit is fresh and crisp, balanced with the nutty crunch of toasted pecans and a sweet, tangy dressing infused with orange juice, lemon, and apple pie spice. A perfect and refreshing side dish to complement your Thanksgiving meal.

• Author: Mila
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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Fruit

• 2 medium green apples
• 2 medium red apples
• 1 cup grapes
• 3 medium navel oranges

Additional Ingredients

• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 medium lemon (juiced)

Dressing

• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ tsp apple pie spice
• zest of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 orange

Instructions

1. Toast Pecans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven as it heats. Remove the pecans once you smell their aroma, approximately when the oven reaches temperature. Let them cool completely.
2. Prepare Citrus Dressing: In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, white sugar, apple pie spice, lemon zest, and orange zest. Place over medium heat and whisk the mixture together, bringing it to a low boil. Allow it to simmer gently for 3-4 minutes to meld the flavors.
3. Strain and Cool Dressing: Strain the spiced citrus mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove zest and spice bits. Set the dressing aside to cool completely before using.
4. Prepare Apples: Core and slice green and red apples into bite-sized pieces. To prevent browning, toss the apple slices with the juice of half a lemon immediately after cutting.
5. Prepare Oranges: Peel the navel oranges completely, removing all white pith, and cut into bite-sized segments.
6. Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the prepared apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and orange segments.
7. Toss with Dressing: Drizzle the cooled citrus dressing over the fruit and gently toss everything together to combine thoroughly but without bruising the fruit.
8. Serve: Serve the Thanksgiving Fruit Salad fresh as a colorful, delicious side dish for your holiday meal.

Notes

• To toast pecans evenly, spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
• Tossing apple slices in lemon juice helps maintain their bright color and prevents oxidation.
• Allow the dressing to cool completely before adding to the fruit to avoid warming or wilting the salad.
• This fruit salad can be prepared a few hours in advance and refrigerated for optimal flavor melding.
• For extra crunch, consider adding chopped celery or fresh chopped mint leaves.

Keywords: Thanksgiving fruit salad, holiday fruit salad, pecan fruit salad, citrus dressing, apple pie spice fruit salad, fresh fruit side dish