Fall Fruit Salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas Recipe
A vibrant and festive Fall Fruit Salad perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas, featuring a blend of fresh apples, oranges, grapes, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans, all tossed in a zesty citrus dressing infused with apple pie spice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit Salad 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
Dressing Ingredients:
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Toast pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven while it heats. Remove the pecans once you smell their toasted aroma, typically coinciding with the oven reaching temperature. Allow pecans to cool.
- Make dressing: In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, lemon zest, and orange zest. Place over medium heat and whisk continuously to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove zest and cool completely.
- Prepare apples: Core and slice green and red apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss the apple pieces with juice from half a lemon to prevent browning and maintain freshness.
- Prepare oranges: Peel the navel oranges carefully removing all white pith, then cut the segments into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and orange pieces.
- Toss salad with dressing: Drizzle the cooled dressing over the fruit mixture and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving to enhance flavors.
Notes
- To prevent apples from browning, tossing them with lemon juice is essential.
- Toasted pecans add a delightful crunch and deeper flavor.
- The dressing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
- For a festive touch, add a handful of pomegranate seeds or fresh cranberries.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be stored in the fridge for up to a day.
Keywords: Fall fruit salad, Thanksgiving fruit salad, Christmas salad, apple fruit salad, citrus dressing, toasted pecans
