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Fall Fruit Salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas Recipe

4.8 from 55 reviews

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.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Prepare oranges: Peel the navel oranges carefully removing all white pith, then cut the segments into bite-sized pieces.
  5. Assemble salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and orange pieces.
  6. Toss salad with dressing: Drizzle the cooled dressing over the fruit mixture and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
  7. 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