These Thanksgiving Fruit Salad (Fall Fruit Salad) flavors bring a light, refreshing contrast to heavy holiday dishes. With juicy seasonal fruit and a sweet citrus-spiced dressing, this salad adds brightness and balance to your Thanksgiving table.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Bright - The citrus in the dressing keeps everything lively and prevents browning.
- Colorful - A mix of fruits like pears, apples, pomegranate, and grapes makes it visually stunning.
- Textured - Crisp fruit, juicy mandarins, and crunchy pecans/dried cranberries deliver pleasing contrast.
- Easy - No cooking required - just chop, toss, chill, and serve.
Fall Fruit Salads are definitely a favorite of mine. I've shared my apple pecan salad, a brie and prosciutto salad, and a pear and vinaigrette salad- but they all have the traditional lettuce varieties with tasty toppings.
This time, I wanted to share an easy fruit salad that is perfect for Thanksgiving! With delicious fall fresh fruit and a sweet citrus dressing, you will want to make this all the time!
What This Recipe Needs
- Red Grapes (seedless, halved) - Provide juicy pops and sweetness, while being easy to eat.
- Mandarins (canned, drained) - Add citrus brightness and juicy segments without extra prep.
- Bartlett Pears & Gala Apple - These firm fruits contribute body and bite; they also soak up the dressing nicely.
- Pomegranate Seeds - Bring a burst of tartness, color, and little "jewels" in each bite.
- Blackberries - Add deep color, softness, and a subtle tart note.
- Dried Cranberries - Boost chewiness, color contrast, and a balance of sweet-tart flavor.
- Pecan Halves - Provide nuttiness and crunch to round it out.
- Orange Juice & Zest - Form the citrus base of the dressing, giving bright acidity and aroma.
- Honey and Brown Sugar - Sweetens the dressing while blending with the citrus.
Substitutions
- Use clementine or tangerine segments instead of canned mandarins.
- Swap maple syrup for honey.
- Use chia or dried cherries instead of dried cranberries.
- Replace pecans with walnuts, almonds, or toasted seeds.
For more cold salads, check out my family's favorite mandarin orange salad, cheesecake salad, and this tasty Christmas Fruit Salad.
How to Make Thanksgiving Fruit Salad (Fall Fruit Salad)?
- Step 1: Prep fruit by rinsing, drying, and chopping. Drain mandarins. In a large bowl, combine chopped fruit, mandarins, pomegranate seeds, blueberries, and pecans.
- Step 2: Zest the orange into the bowl, then squeeze the juice into a separate container. Add brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice to the orange juice, and stir.
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- Step 3: Pour dressing over the fruit, mixing well.
- Step 4: Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Variations
- Apple-Cranberry Pecan Salad - Emphasize apples and cranberries, drop blackberries. Try adding candied cranberries for a fun added sparkle and pop of sweetness!
- Citrus & Kiwi Salad - Add kiwi and orange slices for extra tropical brightness.
- Spiced Ginger Fruit Salad - Stir in grated ginger or a dash of ground ginger in the dressing.
- Maple Pecan Fruit Salad - Use pure maple syrup in the dressing and toss in candied pecans or try my glazed walnuts.
Expert Tips
- Chop fruits uniformly so the salad mixes well and each bite has balance.
- Drain excess juice from mandarins or thawed fruit so the dressing doesn't turn soupy.
- Toss gently - especially with softer fruits - to avoid crushing or turning colors.
- Chill before serving - letting it rest 30-60 minutes in the fridge helps flavors meld without wilting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Just peel and pull mandarin slice apart.
Cranberries. These tart and tasty fruits are delicious and perfect in a sauce or relish.
The acid from citrus juice (like lemon, orange, or pineapple juice) helps to keep the fruit from browning.
If you can make it the same day, you will eat it best; otherwise, you might get some browning of the apples and pears. However, making it the night before in addition to tossing it in the orange dressing should help the fruit from turning brown.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 days; stir gently before serving again.
It's not ideal - frozen fruit tends to release water when thawed. If you must, let it thaw and drain well, then fold in last.
More Related Recipes
Don't miss my other favorite Thanksgiving recipes, including my Turkey Cheeseball, Candy Corn on the Cob, Homemade Gravy and Mashed Potatoes, and my favorite Green Bean Casserole!
Video
Thanksgiving Fruit Salad (Fall Fruit Salad)
Ingredients
Thanksgiving Fruit Salad
- 1 ½ cups Red Grapes seedless, halved
- 15 oz Canned Mandarins packed in water, drained
- 2 Bartlett Pears
- 1 Gala Apple
- ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds
- ½ cup Blackberries
- ½ cup Dried Cranberries
- ½ cup Pecan halves
- Orange zest - use orange for the dressing
Orange Dressing
- ½ cup orange juice juice from 1 orange
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Rinse and dry all fruit.1 ½ cups Red Grapes, 2 Bartlett Pears, 1 Gala Apple, ½ cup Blackberries
- Halve grapes, and chop pears and apples.
- Combine chopped fruit, drained mandarins, pomegranate seeds, blackberries, and pecans. Zest the orange and add to the fruit.15 oz Canned Mandarins, ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds, ½ cup Dried Cranberries, ½ cup Pecan halves, Orange zest - use orange for the dressing
- Mix orange juice, honey, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup honey, ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¼ cup brown sugar
- Add the dressing to the fruit and stir.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- I use this easy squeezer to juice citrus and recommend using a good zester like this.
- Make Ahead: If you can make it the same day you will eat it, it's best; otherwise, you might get some browning of the apples and pears. However, making it the night before in addition to tossing it in the orange dressing should help the fruit from turning brown.
Susan Mappus says
This fruit salad is delicious and a hit with young and old at our Thanksgiving table.
Lisa says
What a great side dish to take to a family Thanksgiving dinner!