Description
This Thanksgiving Fruit Salad is a refreshing and vibrant dish combining crisp apples, juicy oranges, tart dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and sweet grapes. Tossed in a zesty citrus-spiced dressing made with orange juice, lemon, and a touch of apple pie spice, it perfectly balances sweet, tart, and nutty flavors for a festive addition to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 2 medium green apples
- 2 medium red apples
- 1 cup grapes
- 3 medium navel oranges
Dried Fruit & Nuts
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup pecans
Dressing
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 medium lemon
Instructions
- Toast the Pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast while the oven heats. When you can smell their aroma and the oven reaches temperature, remove the pecans and allow them to cool.
- Make the Dressing: In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, white sugar, apple pie spice, and the zest of one lemon and one orange. Whisk the ingredients together over medium heat.
- Simmer and Strain: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 3–4 minutes to meld flavors. Strain the dressing through a fine mesh strainer to remove zest and spice particles, then cool completely.
- Prepare the Apples: Core and slice the green and red apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss the pieces with the juice of half a lemon to prevent browning and maintain freshness.
- Segment the Oranges: Peel the oranges carefully, removing all the white pith, then cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes, and orange segments.
- Toss with Dressing and Serve: Drizzle the cooled citrus dressing over the fruit mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve the salad immediately for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- For best texture, serve the salad shortly after tossing to prevent sogginess.
- Use fresh citrus for zest and juice for maximum flavor.
- Toast pecans lightly to enhance their flavor but avoid burning.
- You can substitute walnuts if pecans are unavailable.
- Adjust sugar in the dressing depending on your sweetness preference or substitute with honey or maple syrup for a natural sweetener.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing and simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Thanksgiving fruit salad, holiday fruit salad, citrus fruit salad, apple pecan salad, festive salad
