Description
Festive Thanksgiving Fruit Salad brings family traditions to life with a colorful blend of seasonal fruits and creamy marshmallow dressing. Guests will savor each delightful spoonful of this classic holiday side dish that sparks joy around the dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits:
- 2 medium green apples
- 2 medium red apples
- 3 medium navel oranges
- 1 cup grapes
- 1 medium lemon (juiced)
Nuts and Dried Fruits:
- 1 cup pecans
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Arrange a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350°F. Scatter pecans evenly across the surface and roast until aromatic, approximately 5-7 minutes. Allow nuts to cool completely after removing from oven.
- Create a fragrant citrus-spiced dressing by combining orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, lemon and orange zests in a saucepan. Whisk ingredients while heating over medium temperature until reaching a gentle boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve and cool thoroughly.
- Prepare fruit components by coring and chopping apples into uniform bite-sized pieces. Protect apple slices from oxidation by tossing with fresh lemon juice. Carefully peel oranges and segment into similar-sized morsels.
- Select a spacious mixing bowl and combine prepared apples, dried cranberries, roasted pecans, whole grapes, and orange segments. Ensure ingredients are distributed evenly.
- Gently cascade cooled citrus dressing over fruit mixture, delicately folding to ensure complete coating. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one hour to enhance flavor melding. Garnish with additional toasted pecans if desired.
Notes
- Toast pecans carefully to enhance their nutty flavor and prevent burning, keeping a close eye on them during the 5-7 minute roasting process.
- Customize the fruit salad by swapping out or adding seasonal fruits like pomegranate seeds, pears, or mandarin oranges for variety.
- Create a lighter version by using a sugar substitute or honey instead of granulated sugar in the dressing for a healthier alternative.
- Make the salad ahead of time by preparing components separately and combining just before serving to maintain the freshest texture and prevent fruit from becoming soggy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg