Description
A refreshing and vibrant fall fruit salad featuring a medley of sweet apples, juicy grapes, and blackberries, tossed in a zesty maple-cinnamon orange dressing and accented with crunchy pecans. Perfect as a light snack or a festive side dish for autumn gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits
- 1 orange (zested and juiced)
- 16 ounces red seedless grapes
- 12 ounces blackberries
- 2 large sweet apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Red Delicious), chopped
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Nuts
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the orange zest and juice: Zest the orange and then juice it into a large mixing bowl to create the base for the dressing.
- Mix the dressing: Add maple syrup and ground cinnamon to the orange juice and whisk thoroughly until the ingredients are well combined, forming a sweet and spiced dressing.
- Add fruits and nuts: Place the red seedless grapes, blackberries, and chopped pecans into the bowl with the dressing.
- Cube apples: Cut the apples into bite-sized pieces and immediately add them to the bowl to prevent them from browning, ensuring freshness and color retention.
- Toss the salad: Gently toss all ingredients in the bowl to evenly coat the fruits and nuts with the maple-cinnamon orange dressing.
- Serve or chill: The salad can be served immediately for freshest taste or refrigerated until ready to serve, allowing flavors to meld.
Notes
- Use sweet varieties of apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Red Delicious for the best flavor balance.
- To prevent apples from browning when making ahead, toss them quickly in the dressing immediately after cutting.
- Refrigerating the salad enhances the flavor blend but serve within 24 hours for optimal freshness.
- Chopped pecans add a delightful crunch, but walnuts or almonds can be substituted if preferred.
- This salad is naturally gluten free and vegetarian.
