Ready in 20 minutes, this colourful cantaloupe, stone fruit, and berry combination is the perfect easy summer fruit salad. It’s made extra special with a fresh orange and mint dressing, and requires only some light chopping and whisking. Filled with luscious and ripe peaches, nectarines, plums, juicy melon, tart berries, hints of vanilla, and a drizzle of maple syrup, this refreshing salad is ideal for summer brunches or as a light dessert.
I love to make even the simplest dishes a little bit special and unique. With this fruit salad, I opt for extra juicy and ripe stone fruit (a mix is ideal), nectarous cantaloupe, and tangy little pops of berries. I make a light dressing for this fruity union to lift up and compliment all of the in-season flavours going on. This fruit salad dessert is extra nice for a breakfast or brunch get-together.
Summer Fruit Salad Ingredients
- Sliced stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots. Use what’s in season and plentiful in your area.
- Diced cantaloupe is floral, tender, and honestly ambrosial when perfectly ripe.
- Raspberries and blueberries: I like to use self-contained berries that require no chopping.
- Orange mint summer fruit salad dressing is what takes your fruit salad from nice to ✨exquisite✨. I whisk together orange zest and juice, maple syrup, vanilla, sumac (tangy and lemony), fine salt, and a touch of grassy olive oil.
To keep fruit from turning brown in a salad, using a dressing like I do here really helps! The acid from the orange juice keeps things from getting discoloured. I do find that the texture of the stone fruit and raspberries suffer if made far in advance. You could make this up to 5 hours ahead of time and toss the mint in right before serving. Keep it covered in the fridge if you do this!
For more summer produce goodness, check out my Fresh Summer Salad with Arugula, Corn & Spicy Cashew Dressing and this Summer Picnic Salad with Blueberries and Homemade Vegan Feta.
Colourful 20-Minute Summer Fruit Salad (with Orange Mint Dressing)
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups chopped cantaloupe (from 1 small cantaloupe)
- 4-5 cups sliced peaches, plums & nectarines (about 6-8 pieces stone fruit total)
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blueberries
Orange Mint Dressing
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sumac, optional
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh mint, plus extra for garnish
Notes
- Sumac has a lemony/tangy flavour that compliments fruit really well. You can leave it out if you don’t have it on hand though!
- In the summer, I have lemon thyme in my garden and it also compliments this salad nicely! If you have some in your garden, go for it :)
- For my stone fruit, I used a mixture of white nectarines, regular nectarines, regular peaches, and red plums. Use whatever is in season and in abundance to you locally!
- The acid in the dressing helps to prevent any browning, but I do find that the texture of the stone fruit and raspberries suffer if made far in advance. I’d say you could make this up to 5 hours ahead of time and just toss the mint in right before you serve.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cantaloupe, sliced stone fruit, raspberries, and blueberries.
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla, sumac, salt, and mint.
- Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently to coat.
- Garnish the summer fruit salad with more sliced mint and serve immediately.
This fruit salad was absolutely incredible! I used “Marigold” plums for the stone fruit. I also doubled the orange mint dressing, which made it even more flavorful. This was a hit, and I’m definitely going to make it again!
So grateful this recipe came out on Saturday while I was planning a menu for a cookout, I made it that same day! This recipe was a huge hit with our guests, kids and adults alike. Every fruit salad I make from now on will have this dressing! It was reminiscent of a creamsicle (orange and vanilla) but so sophisticated. I didn’t have all the various fruits in the recipe (we had watermelon and cantaloupe) and it was still incredible, due to the delightful dressing. Will make again!
Should also note that I didn’t have the sumac so I added a little lemon :)
It’s a Yaaaaaaas for me! The sumac; though optional, gives this salad that next level allure. I loved that my guests loved this salad and couldn’t put their finger on that extra pizazz !
Thank you for a delicious twist on a summer salad.
Love it!
Wow!!! This is the best fruit salad I’ve ever tasted. Sumac noted as “optional” by Laura but I highly recommend adding this spice to your pantry and this fruit salad. Luckily my daughter had sumac I borrowed for this recipe and “borrowed” some extra to keep for myself. Bring this to your next summer potluck and you’ll be bringing home an empty container. Once again, Laura, you’ve gone another winning recipe.
This was really good. I made it in advance for a picnic and I honestly thought it got better after a few hours. I had sumac I hand and it was a lovely touch. The mint is everything.
What an incredible notion for a summer salad! The vibrant colors add to its allure.