Create a delicious and colorful watermelon fruit salad featuring a variety of seasonal fruit and berries in a sweet/tart syrup. Perfect for summer gatherings!
One of the best things about this time of year is all the wonderful fruit that’s coming into season. There’s an onslaught of berries at the moment, cherries are just coming onto market and with the temperatures rising watermelon becomes especially inviting right about now. So what better way to enjoy the best the season has to offer than to make a watermelon fruit salad.
No, not the kind that’s filled with a less than inviting assortment of under ripe melon and the occasional grape, but a vibrant jewel-toned berry and watermelon fruit salad that’s bursting with bold berry flavor.
While the typical fruit salad is pretty much an afterthought and just a jumble of mismatched fruit tossed together in an attempt at dessert, this watermelon fruit salad with its vivid colors and vibrant flavors is decidedly more special and sophisticated.
My version includes strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries and watermelon because they are in season now and hold up well in a salad but red plums or black figs would also make a nice addition when they come into season late summer.
The fruit is tossed with a simple syrup that’s a bright ruby red to add an extra dimension of both color and flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Watermelon – You’ll need a small watermelon, thinly sliced into small triangles
- Cherries and Berries – I’m using a combination of cherries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries but you can use whatever combination you prefer or is available.
- Syrup – Frozen strawberries and raspberries are simmered together to create a sweet syrupy base that’s rich and jammy in taste. A splash of pomegranate vinegar adds a bit of acidity to balance out the sweetness and round out all the flavors.
How to Make a Watermelon Fruit Salad:
- Start by making the syrup. Place the raspberries, strawberries, maple syrup and water in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and let steep.
- Next strain the syrup and return the syrup to saucepan and simmer on low until syrupy. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and let cool. (At this point you can store the syrup in the fridge until needed.)
- When you’re ready to serve, place the watermelon and fruit on a large platter and pour a few spoonfuls of syrup over the top (enough to lightly coat) and serve immediately.
The result is a fruit salad that’s both sweet and tart and full of flavor.
It’s a healthy and easy dessert that will quickly become a mainstay at your summer get-togethers since the syrup and the fruit can both be prepared ahead of time. And speaking of syrup, if you have any leftover, it’s also pretty terrific over yogurt or ice cream or even stirred into sparkling water.
More Watermelon Recipes
Watermelon Fruit Salad
Create a delicious and colorful watermelon fruit salad featuring a variety of seasonal fruit and berries in sweet/tart syrup. Perfect for summer gatherings!
Ingredients
For the Ruby Syrup:
- ¼ cup/46g raspberries (frozen)
- ½ cup/ 61g strawberries (frozen)
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml light maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml filtered water
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml pomegranate (or raspberry) vinegar
For the Fruit Salad:
- 8oz/227g strawberries, thinly sliced
- ½ a mini watermelon, thinly sliced into small triangles
- 8 oz/ 226g cherries, halved and pitted
- 6oz/275g g blueberries
- 4oz/ 113g blackberries
Instructions
- Place the raspberries, strawberries, maple syrup and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and turn off the heat. Let steep for 15 minutes.
- Strain syrup through a fine mesh strainer pressing firmly on fruit to extract liquid. Discard solids and return syrup to saucepan. Return to a simmer and simmer on low for an additional 1-2 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and let cool. Store in fridge until needed.
- When ready to serve, place fruit on a large platter and pour a few spoonfuls of syrup over the top (enough to lightly coat). Toss gently and serve immediately.
Notes
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 101Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 20mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 4gSugar: 18gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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