Celebrate the colors and flavors of the season with this gorgeous and delicious Christmas Fruit Salad.
Deck the halls, or at least your holiday table, with this beautiful and fresh Christmas fruit salad that celebrates the colors of the season: red and green! Those traditional Christmas colors, in a range of hues, create this salad’s show-stopping visual appeal and the wonderful taste comes from the combination of apples, pear, grapes, kiwi, raspberries, and pomegranate seeds tossed in a light and lovely dressing.
Who doesn’t love a fresh fruit salad at the holidays? Sweet and tart, crunchy and soft, this Christmas fruit salad is a symphony of flavors and textures. It is at once mellow and bright, which makes it the perfect companion to the kinds of rich dishes we tend to serve on holidays and other special occasions.
The fruits in this salad are tossed in a dressing that is a sublime blend of sweet (honey) and tart (lime juice), but also redolent of the season thanks to the warming flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg. Once you’ve prepped the fruits, the salad comes together in no time; it’s so delicious that it’s going to disappear in no time, too!
All about the pomegranate
One of the oldest fruits known to humankind, the pomegranate is believed to have originated in ancient Persia at least 5,000 years ago. This glorious fruit, filled with vibrant, red, jewel-like seeds also symbolized many things in ancient Greece and Rome, including fertility, abundance, marriage, and prosperity. In our modern times, pomegranate seeds, called arils, bring their ruby-hued beauty, wonderfully tart flavor, and juiciness to all sorts of dishes, including Christmas fruit salad. To retrieve the seeds, try this simple technique. First, wash the pomegranate thoroughly. Next, slice the fruit in half horizontally, then place the cut side in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Hold the pomegranate over a bowl and with your other hand, use a wooden spoon to whack the fruit vigorously: this will loosen the arils, and they will fall into the bowl!
How do I store leftovers?
Store Christmas fruit salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; although the salad is considered safe to eat for up to 5 days, the fruits’ textures will begin to deteriorate and the salad will not be as appealing.
Serving suggestions
Of course, you don’t have to only serve Christmas fruit salad at Christmas time, but here is something I love to do when entertaining guests on the holiday: a red and green dinner buffet from starters to sweets! For appetizers, I set out a platter of Caprese Skewers with Homemade Basil Pesto for dipping and a platter of Baked Brie With Buttered Almonds decorated with Sugared Cranberries. Next, a bowl of Christmas fruit salad and a bowl of Spinach Salad. For the main courses, I serve slices of Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Stuffing and Chimichurri Baked Salmon, and a platter of Easy Sautéed Broccoli drizzled with Red Pepper Coulis. My favorite desserts for this meal are Christmas Chocolate Bark and Peppermint White Chocolate Bars. Very merry!
Christmas Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pear sliced
- 1 small red apple sliced
- 1 small Granny Smith apple sliced
- 1 cup green grapes
- 1 cup red grapes
- 2 kiwi peeled and sliced
- 3/4 cup raspberries
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Place all sliced fruits in a large bowl. Be gentle with the raspberries to avoid squishing them.
- In a small bowl, whisk together honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime juice, and water. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.
- Drizzle the dressing over the fruit and stir gently. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours.
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